Allentown, PA

Date: 7/21/25
Made and Presented by Dillon Fleckenstein and Terence Dougherty

Allentown
Litter Assessment

The purpose of this assessment is to identify the areas of concern in

terms of litter in the city of Allentown and brainstorm ways to
mitigate that litter
Who are we?
Dillon Fleckenstein Terence (Terry) Dougherty
Major: Urban Planning and Geographic Analysis Major: Environmental Science
Minor: Geology Minor: Government and Law, Chemistry
Year: Junior Year: Junior
- First internship - First internship
What we have been doing

1 2 3

Checking litter basket Educating residents Assessing different

locations and their about the change in areas of the city for
makeup with our excel yard waste pickup litter
information schedule
#1- Litter baskets
When did this happen?
● Early May to late June
What did we do?
● Checked current GIS map of litter baskets for
accuracy and took pictures to prove their
existence
 #2- Yard waste
When did this happen?
● The month of June, 22 days total

What did we do?

● Educated residents on the new schedule of yard
waste collection by leaving tags on their waste
when put out on the wrong day
How many Oops Tags did we hand out?
● 1,667 between us interns and Sweep officers

How did the residents react?

● Aside from a few instances where residents

were very displeased with the change, most
residents we saw where very civil and just
wanted to ask questions
#3- Litter Assessment
When did this happen?
● The month of July
What did we do?
● We picked random streets in different sections of
Allentown in order to check if they had litter
How many instances did we find?

● 305 instances of litter recorded and analyzed

Litter Survey Criteria Litter Index Survey
Litter Survey Criteria Litter Index Survey

Level 1

Level 2
Litter Survey Criteria

Level 3

Level 4
 Assessment of Different Areas

01
West End
Center City
a. 17th to 11th
(North of Liberty)
03 East Side
a. American Parkway
to Maxwell
a. 17th to 11th Southside b. Maxwell to Club
(South of Liberty)
a. Parkway to Cedar Crest a. 11th to American
parkway a. Lehigh Parkway to
b. Cedar Crest to 17th

02 04
RR Tracks (Norfolk
(North of Liberty)
Southern)
c. Cedar Crest to 17th
b. 31st to 4th
(South of Liberty)
c. 4th to Gilmore
 4A

2A
1B 2C 4B

1A 2B
1C
3A 3C

3B
1A - Parkway to
Cedar Crest
Example photos:
1B - Cedar Crest to
17th (North of Liberty)
Example photos:
1C - Cedar Crest to
17th (South of Liberty)
Example photos:
2A - 17th to 11th
(North of Liberty)
Example photos:
2B - 17th to 11th
(South of Liberty)
Example photos:
2C - 11th to American
Parkway
Example photos:
3A - Lehigh Parkway to RR
Tracks (Norfolk Station)
Example photos:
 3B - 31st to 4th
Example photos:
 3C - 4th to Gilmore
Example photos:
 4A - American Parkway
to Maxwell (West)
Example photos:
 4B - Maxwell to Club
Example photos:
General Statistics
● 94% loose litter
● 74% No litter basket near
What Can We Infer From the Data
● Residents throw loose litter on the street
for convenience
○ Can’t find a trash receptacle
● Majority of litter is found in Center City
● Green spaces receive the most attention
in regards to litter cleanup
● Large portion of loose litter originates
from business (Restaurants)
 Litter Index Pilot Report

Litter Index Survey Comparison (Allentown vs. Pittsburgh)

Allentown Pittsburgh

● Average Score: 1.92 ● Average Score: 2.02

● Entries: 248 ● Entries: 2039
● Number of locations per score: ● Number of locations per score:
○ 1 - 77 ○ 1 - 1039
○ 2 - 123 ○ 2 - 469
○ 3 - 39 ○ 3 - 510
○ 4 - 10 ○ 4 - 21

* Litter Index from 2020

3
16% 1
31%

4
2 4%
49%
Why Do We Have Problem
Areas
● Population density
○ The more people in a concentrated area
the more litter there will likely be
● Lack of receptacles
○ East, West, and South Allentown have a
noticeable lack of places where people
can throw away their litter
● Lack of understanding
○ Ex. Yard waste collection changeover
● Lack of an incentive
○ Not holding businesses or residents
accountable Litter basket locations in Allentown
Short term Solutions
● Community outreach
● Updated social media information
○ More frequent posting about trash/recycling
○ Create a Tik Tok page
● Make website more user-friendly
● More effectively place receptacles
Long Term Solutions
● More aggressive legal action
● Cameras on and around Litter baskets
● Requiring a trash can for collection
○ Certain ordinances would have to be amended
● Detering vehicular trash
○ Ex: giving out in car trash bags