WORCESTER—City Manager Eric D. Batista is stepping up efforts to clean up Worcester, launching an intensive cleanup campaign throughout August aimed at improving the city’s streets and green spaces.
In a recent statement, Batista took full responsibility for the city’s “unacceptable” cleanliness levels and called for “an all-hands-on-deck effort” to achieve a more vibrant, trash-free Worcester.
“This effort doesn’t end on Aug. 31 — it’s just the beginning,” Batista said, highlighting that the cleanup aligns with the “clean city initiatives” priority goal outlined in the city’s Fiscal Year 2025-2029 Strategic Plan.
From Aug. 1-31, the Department of Public Works (DPW) extends operations to nights and weekends, collaborating with contractors old and new to target streets across the city with a coordinated sweep. Residents are asked to assist by moving cars for street sweeping notifications and reporting problem areas via the city’s 311 system.
To encourage participation, all bulk waste fees at the Residential Drop-Off Center will be waived during the month of August.
Batista praised community members who have already shown pride and responsibility through neighborhood cleanups and regular litter pickups, urging everyone—from businesses and schools to renters and homeowners—to get involved.
The city manager’s renewed focus comes amid ongoing challenges with the city’s trash disposal system, including complaints about the cost and accessibility of the designated yellow trash bags required for pickup.
The city’s Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program, in place for 30 years, has led to a 42 percent reduction in trash and a 92 percent increase in recycling since 1993, according to city data. Still, some residents argue the system can be improved.
At a city council meeting earlier this year, District 3 Councilor George Russell called for more frequent street sweeping in urban neighborhoods, saying, “Right now, we only sweep the streets twice per year – once in the spring and once in the fall. In the urban neighborhoods, we should be street sweeping every few weeks.”
Residents have also voiced support for more public trash bins. Rachael Ellis previously said, “I think we could improve upon adding bins for our trash rather than bags to keep the streets cleaner. It would be easier to have bins to put out the night before.”
Read more >>> Some push for improvements to Worcester’s trash pickup program
Efforts to expand trash and recycling infrastructure are underway. The city recently announced plans to install 200 new combination trash and recycling bins, many featuring designs by local artists. The bins are part of Worcester’s Zero Waste Master Plan, aimed at reducing illegal dumping and expanding recycling.
Patricia Hobbs, president of the Green Island Residents Group, told the Worcester Guardian last year, “The Zero Waste Master Plan will benefit trash pickup by getting the right trash into the right place. It may take decades to get this cycle fully into the mainstream mindset but it is a start.”
City Sustainability Coordinator Miranda Hotham has talked publicly about the need for education alongside infrastructure improvements, noting that neighborhood groups and schools can help shift public behavior. “Education is just as important, if not more important, than the bins,” said Maureen Schwab, a member of the Zero Waste Steering Committee, in a previous interview.
As Worcester heads into fall and the back-to-school season, Batista’s administration hopes the August cleanup campaign will provide a fresh start and build momentum toward a cleaner, greener city.
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