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Pittsburgh City Council

Clean ups barely make a dent in litter problem.

Written by Amy Whipple

City council members won’t stop talking trash.

The city keeps trying to redd up the streets and abandoned lots, but the problem keeps getting messier, according to staff members of the Department of Public Works (DPW) who met with members of city council on Oct. 28.

DPW staff members and local nonprofit representatives reported that, despite their efforts, 311 receives 6,000 litter complaints every year.

According to Christopher Mitchell, project coordinator for DPW, Pittsburgh has unique challenges because it is a majority renter city and has high-density pockets of unoccupied homes, which attract litter and illegal dumping.

Attempts to mediate vary from volunteer cleanups, such as the Garbage Olympics, to systems changes. Increasing inspectors from two to 10 last year resulted in a 200% uptick in inspections according to Eric Contakos, inspection supervisor. Additionally, Contakos uses law enforcement software to find absentee landlords who are hiding behind limited liability corporations and not keeping up their properties.

Several participants discussed mandating trash cans with tight-fitting lids. DPW director Chris Hornstein estimated that a program similar to the city’s recycling bin distribution would cost $8-9 million. The department would also need to fit the garbage fleet with mechanical arms.

Hornstein reiterated that, overall, the department cannot meet the city’s needs without more equipment.

The Clean Pittsburgh Commission offered recommendations that included public education about litter and avoiding punitive measures. It also said the city could use a dedicated staff member to coordinate the nonprofits and thousands of volunteers who organize and participate in over 300 education and cleanup efforts per year.

Connections to this story

Topics:
Environment & Climate
Governments:
Pittsburgh City Council
Public meetings:
City Council · November 3, 2025

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