Councilperson Charland Introduces Will of Council Urging Declaration of Disaster Emergency in Response to Trash and Dumping Levels in Pittsburgh

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

April 8, 2025 

Councilperson Charland Introduces Will of Council Urging Declaration of Disaster Emergency in Response to Trash and Dumping Levels in Pittsburgh 

Pittsburgh, PA - Today, Councilperson Bob Charland introduced a will of council urging Governor Shapiro to issue a disaster emergency declaration in the City of Pittsburgh in response to the uncontrollable amount of trash and dumping taking place. 

“In Pittsburgh, the spring thaw exposes dirty, trash-covered hillsides, storm drains, highway on-ramps, vacant lots, commercial districts, alleyways, parks, and playgrounds. We see this trash as the result of many factors including community clean-ups on winter hiatus, bad actors illegally dumping tires, TVs, construction waste, appliances, mattresses, carpets, vehicle parts, and shopping carts wherever they please with no consequences, and the Department of Public Works prioritizing snow removal and potholes, As a result, we are drowning in trash. We have reached a disaster state and must acknowledge that the city simply does not have the resources to clean up our neighborhoods. My residents are calling upon the City and the Commonwealth to work together to utilize all available government resources and provide DPW the capacity they need to get the job done,” says Councilperson Charland. 

The Preamble of the City of Pittsburgh’s Home Rule Charter states that “a responsible city is one which expects aggressive action from its officials towards the achievement of [...] excellent health, safety, and conditions conducive to human growth.” We are failing our residents by pretending like the city is achieving these goals. There are too many Pittsburghers experiencing constant anxiety and frustration because they live on a littered street, next to a dirty lot, and/or look out their back window to see their alley ankle-deep in trash. No one deserves this. We need to do better. 

Our filthy neighborhoods are not a secret. Aimee Mangham of the Hilltop Alliance and Knoxville Community Council board member has been sounding the alarm for years: "It is deeply troubling that we are forced to live in such filthy and unsafe conditions. It's not just about how our neighborhoods look. This is a public health hazard, an environmental threat, and a heavy emotional toll on families who are trying to build stable, dignified lives. We’re not asking for special treatment, we’re asking for what every Pittsburgh neighborhood deserves: clean, safe, and healthy communities to live, work, and raise our families."  

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is currently investigating the City of Pittsburgh due to serious litter and dumping concerns. Some of the debris has entered our rivers, polluting our waters and hurting wildlife. Previous efforts to address this crisis have been moderately successful at best, but they are not enough and not sustainable. 

Councilperson Charland thanks the Department of Public Works for the work that they do now. However, it is clear that the department is lacking in funding and resources, such as functioning equipment and vehicles. Through an issuance of a disaster emergency declaration, it is the hope that the Commonwealth would be able to activate financial and logistical support to strengthen DPW’s efforts to clean up the city. Councilperson Charland thanks his colleagues on Council for once again supporting his efforts to improve the quality of life for Pittsburghers and hopes that this call for assistance from the Commonwealth will be heard. 

Media Contact: 

Joyce Pagan 
Joyce.Pagan@PittsburghPA.gov 
412-495-3679 

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