Summer Saturdays are precious. They can be the time for sports, beach combing, barbecuing or just sitting on a porch reading a good book. But, summer Saturdays are especially important to folks who live in Harrisburg, Pa.

Hot Spot Saturdays are for cleaning up neighborhoods stricken by illegal dumping.

“We definitely are on attack when it comes to illegal dumping,” Dave West, the city’s public works director, said at a recent press conference. Harrisburg is joining a growing number of cities engaging volunteers in cleaning their neighborhoods of trash in vacant lots around the community.

Not only does illegal dumping create unsightly neighborhoods, but it costs cities dearly to clean and restore those areas where someone dumps trash, used building supplies, roofing materials, old tires or unwanted household items. In 2022, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s capital city of about 50,000 residents, spent almost $120,000 cleaning up after illegal dumpers. This year, thanks to Hot Spot Saturdays, it is expected to save the city more than twice that.

Just ask Councilman Ralph Rodriguez, who was elected to a four-year term in 2021 and is the organizer of Hot Spot Saturdays. A resident of Harrisburg since the late 1990s and a long-time community activist, Rodriguez believes that neighbors helping neighbors is the best way to “put a dent in this situation.”

“We scheduled six neighborhoods in 2022 and have six scheduled in 2023. This is our home, and we want offenders to know that their trash is not welcome here.”

Rodriguez has recruited volunteers to do the cleanups one Saturday a month, June through October. Last year, the crews cleaned up 10 tons of trash. This year’s goal is 20 tons.

As many as 100 volunteers will show up on a Hot Spot Saturday, including school groups, families and even city council members and a group of district justices, he added.

The city supplies a 40-foot trash container and equipment for the volunteers to use. The Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA) has waived the fees for city trucks to take materials to its site, which adds to the city’s savings from Hot Spot Saturdays. LCSWMA manages trash and recyclable materials in Lancaster County, and trash from the city of Harrisburg and surrounding Dauphin County communities.

Once a site is cleaned, the city uses cameras to capture photos of individuals, vehicles and license plates of offenders who return to the sites. “This (dumping) has been allowed to happen,” Rodriguez said, noting contractors from outside the city have identified empty lots and brought construction trash into the city instead of going to official sites that charge for dumping.

He credits a “more youthful city council” that is engaging city residents in taking care of their neighborhoods. This, he believes, has led to a more family-oriented atmosphere in Harrisburg.

The penalty for illegally dumping trash in Harrisburg can be as much as $1,000 and 90 days in jail. Rodriguez believes this is not a significant enough deterrent for businesses to stop dumping illegally, and that penalties should be increased.

While those whose activities have been captured recently on the city’s cameras are part of ongoing investigations, he believes that the cameras, increased lighting, plus people reporting dumping and the use of social media, are proving successful in reducing illegal dumping.

Rodriguez said he wants people to understand that illegal dumping is a crime.

In a joint effort between the city of Harrisburg and Dauphin County, a recently hired environmental enforcement officer is working with the Harrisburg Police Department doing surveillance, visiting dump sites and disposal facilities around the county, and helping with private haulers, businesses and resident concerns. The EEO will also work with the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office to prosecute offenders. The salary for the EEO is divided between the city and the county. A second officer is expected to be hired later this year.

Not only are the illegal dump sites unsightly, but they also attract insects such as termites and flies, as well as rats and other vermin that can be dangerous to local homes and the people who live there. Water pooling in dumped tires creates a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

“Our children should not have to live with this in their neighborhoods,” Rodriguez added.

Harrisburg officials have also started a campaign to educate people about responsible ways to dispose of trash and recycle certain materials. Households can leave one large item like a mattress at the curb for the weekly trash collection, and tires can be recycled for as little as $2 a tire.

“Harrisburg is the state capital. We are residents here and we have a lot of care and affection for this city,” Rodriguez added. “We need to do what’s right in our hearts.”

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