‘Filthadelphia’ tries to shake nickname by cleaning streets

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia has been trying for years to shed itself of the nickname “Filthadelphia.” Now some neighborhoods struggling with litter have decided to take collection into their own hands, one even going so far as to buy its own trash truck.

A nonprofit neighborhood group in the Germantown section recently started its first rounds of litter collection with its new truck.

Trades for a Difference leader Jordan Ferrarini says his group is hiring community residents to work the truck as a way to build community and pride.

Philadelphia scrapped its residential street sweeping program back in 2009, leaving it the only big city in the country without one.

Starting this spring, the city will restart its residential street sweeping program with a pilot program in a handful of neighborhoods.