Record Number of Community Residents Participate in Chicago's Annual Clean and Green Day of Service

April 18, 2016

City to Coordinate Bagged Yard Waste Collection as Part of Collection as Part of the Spring Cleanup

CHICAGO -- Over 5,000 community residents joined Aldermen, community groups and local school teams today in cleaning up neighborhoods throughout Chicago, as part of the City's annual Clean and Green Day of Service.  The sign up more than doubles the number of volunteers that participated in the spring clean-up last year. 

The roughly 250 teams identified the worksites they wanted to help clean.  The City then provided the brooms, rakes, shovels and bags needed to complete each cleaning project. 

"Every resident has the ability to help improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods, and it starts by participating in events like Clean and Green," said Commissioner Charles L. Williams, Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) from a clean-up project along the Cermak/Blue Island corridor.  "We are thrilled by the record number of people who have signed up this year to join us for clean-up projects across the City.  In just a few hours these groups will collect litter, remove weeds and clean vacant lots--all of which goes a long way to helping revitalize our communities." 

The event today marks the 28th annual Clean and Green Day of Service. 

As part of the annual cleanup effort, DSS is also coordinating dedicated yard waste collection trucks this spring to assist residents in clearing their yards, parkways and storm drains of debris. 

Residents can call 311 to request separate yard waste collection from April 16 through April 22, 2016. 

Yard waste should be left in the alley or at the curb for collection, and bagged separately from garbage in the black carts and separately from recycling in the blue carts. A DSS truck will collect the bags based on 311 requests and take it to be composted. 

To learn more about the annual Clean and Green, or for more information about spring yard waste collection in Chicago, visit www.cityofchicago.org/dss. 

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