Expand / Collapse search
☰

Philadelphia Sanitation Department says recycling pickup running behind following strike

By
Published  July 21, 2025 2:17pm EDT
Philadelphia
FOX 29 Philadelphia

The Brief

    • The Philadelphia Sanitation Department says recycling pickup is running behind as workers deal with a backlog of trash.
    • A statement from the department said sanitation workers are prioritizing trash "due to health and safety concerns."
    • They encourage residents to leave out their trash on their scheduled days or call 311 to report missed collection.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Sanitation Department says it's running behind on recycling pickup following the District Council 33 strike and work stoppage. 

The union on Monday ratified the tentative three-year contract it reached with the city over a week ago, with more than 1,500 members voting yes.

Meanwhile, the sanitation department says crews are "working as quickly as possible to catch up and return to a regular collection scheduled."

What we know:

After fielding several complaints from Philadelphia residents about missed recycling pickup, the sanitation department said it is running behind schedule.

The delay is caused in part by a "heavier volume of materials set out and increased locations with excess illegal dumping." 

The sanitation department says it has been prioritizing trash collection due to health and safety concerns, leaving recycling pickup a few days behind schedule.

"The Department apologizes for the inconvenience, and thanks residents for their continued patience and cooperation," a statement read.

Officials promised that sanitation crews are working as quickly as possible to return to a regular collection schedule.

What you can do:

The sanitation department is asking Philadelphia residents to continue leaving trash and recycling out for pickup as normal.

Residents can also report missed collection days by calling 311.

PhiladelphiaNews