Seattle Mayor proposes trash cleanup plan for city streets, parks
Nov 6, 2020, 11:59 AM
City personnel clean up the area known as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) on June 26, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)
(Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan says reduced staffing and increased dumping during the pandemic is creating a trash problem, and released a plan earlier this week to clean up the city.
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Durkan says some of the cleanup can be accomplished with existing programs, services, and within the current budget, but she is also asking the city council to invest in a “surge of cleaning efforts” in parks and public spaces over the next eight months.
The proposal from the mayor suggests the Seattle City Council fund cleanup activities with new revenue projected from an updated revenue forecast released Monday.
“Hearing from community members all over the city that more needs to be done to clean our public rights of way and parks, departments across the city have been working for weeks on a comprehensive plan that can be quickly implemented following City Council approval of additional funds,” Durkan said in a release Wednesday. “Our parks have become an important refuge for Seattle residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is critical we keep our parks and playgrounds safe and accessible to all.”
“Building on two priorities identified by city councilmembers — like expanding the purple bag program and needle collection facilities — we can devote some of our new revenue to keeping Seattle clean and ready for recovery for our small businesses and neighborhoods,” she continued.
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The city has faced significant challenges with litter, illegal dumping, and trash remediation during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The news release from the mayor’s office cites data from SPU’s Illegal Dumping program, which shows a 195% increase in the volume of material collected from quarter two to quarter three in 2020.
The proposed cleanup plan would double trash pickup routes, stand up a rapid response team within Seattle Parks and Recreation to address trash in parks, and make infrastructure improvements in parks for overall cleanliness. Additionally, the city would create found Community Clean teams to provide cleaning, graffiti abatement, and grounds maintenance services for a dedicated quadrant of the city.
Read the full Clean Cities Proposal here.
