In an effort to curb illegal dumping in Philadelphia, the city is partnering with a local youth organization and a recycling center to take out the trash that never should have been there.

North10, a community group in the Hunting Park-East Tioga neighborhood, and Richard S. Burns & Co., a local recycling business, are joining forces to take care of five illegal dumping hotspots, the three parties announced in a news conference Wednesday.

City illegal dumping effort focuses on five sites

There are five illegal dumping hotspots where the city will focus on as part of the partnership.

• Pike Street and Old York Road
• 9th and Venango streets
• 9th and Tioga streets
  
• 9th and Ontario streets
• 8th and Ontario streets

At these spots, there will be extra lighting and cameras added to catch offenders.

The partnership will also make vouchers available for legal waste disposal that will be redeemable at Burns.

There will be signage posted at the site with a QR code that, when scanned, will provide a voucher to pay for the offender to dispose of their waste at the Burns facility and avoid the fine.

Al Green was raised in the neighborhood and said he was sick of people dumping trash in the area. He said it's a public health hazard. 

CBS News Philadelphia's Liz Crawford reported in August that the city has hundreds of cameras available to catch violators, and that fines had increased over the last few years from $300 to $5,000.

Illegal dumping surged during the summer sanitation workers' strike.

Joshua Klaris, the director of North10, says the initiative will finally bring long-needed relief to neighbors dealing with chronic dumping.

"The residents will finally receive help and support," he said.

Cracking down — with compassion

This initiative comes just a few weeks after the city's Office of Clean and Green Initatives launched an illegal dumping task force, aimed at catching people who offend. Director Carlton Williams said the goal is to hold dumpers accountable while showing compassion to those who face financial issues.

"We want to understand some people are struggling — small businesses especially — and are looking for an alternative," Williams said. "This is a great alternative."

Al Gillyard, 54, has lived in North Philadelphia all his life. He says illegal dumping has been a constant issue.

"I'm sick of this blight," he said. "I'm sick of people taking advantage of the community."

He lives three blocks away from one of the "hot spots" that the city has identified — the corner of North 9th Street and West Ontario Street.

"Most of the things that (are) dumped here are tires, refrigerators, wood," he said. 

He says the most common items left behind are large, hazardous materials.

Despite years of frustration, Gillyard says he's hopeful the new program could make a difference.

"I'm sure you have a handful that won't (participate), a handful that will," said Gillyard, who is a member of North10, Philadelphia. "I'm hoping the majority will come on board."