Help Keep The American Dream City Clean and Beautiful this Summer
By Office of Communication
Posted on June 03, 2022, June 03, 2022

Help Keep The American Dream City Clean and Beautiful this Summer

School is almost out, and summer is quickly approaching, which means residents will be spending more time outdoors. And this summer, the City of Arlington continues to address the problem of litter in our community and enhance the quality of life for all residents.

Champion Great Neighborhoods is a priority for the Arlington City Council, which contributes to a higher quality of life.

“Working with Arlington residents, businesses, community groups and service organizations to help be part of the solution is key,” said Mayor Jim Ross. “We want to bolster community pride by keeping our neighborhoods clean, safe and well-maintained. Together, we can make a difference.”

This summer, the goal is to stimulate citizen involvement in keeping our parks and neighborhoods clean and improve environmental quality. Here is a comprehensive list of programs Arlington residents can join to help keep The American Dream City clean and beautiful:

  • The Neighborhood Enhancement Team is a City Council driven initiative with the mission of improving the quality of life, aesthetic appeal, and economic vitality of Arlington neighborhoods. A Neighborhood Enhancement Team cleanup event is hosted by Code Compliance and other city departments in collaboration with Republic Services to assist residents requesting cleanup of the exterior of their personal properties and neighborhood. Community leaders, homeowner associations, faith-based organizations, and more are all encouraged to request and volunteer to participate in an event. This is a way to connect with neighbors while taking advantage of resources provided by the City and community partners. Contact Code Compliance about your desire for a Neighborhood Enhancement Team cleanup event or call the Action Center at 817-459-6777 for more information. Donations to the program are also welcomed.
  • You can also report litter and debris through the Ask Arlington tool. Visit the City’s website or the mobile app version to report debris in the street such as tires, large limbs, and furniture. You can also report graffiti, unkempt properties and other litter and illegal dumping problems in your neighborhood. Report a problem
  • Residents can also host their own clean up event. Tools are available for free through the City’s Tool Sharing Program, including litter pickup tools. Learn more about the Tool Sharing Program
  • Residents hosting a volunteer cleanup at a local park or lake can also contact Admin Services Coordinator Montana Williams at 817-459-5477 or [email protected].
  • When hosting your own clean up event, individuals can use the Texas Litter Database to keep track of where they picked up litter. Visit txlitter.org to learn more and enter your location.
  • Household hazardous waste such as paint, motor oil and pesticides can’t be recycled. But it can be dropped off free of charge at the Fort Worth Environmental Collection Center, 6400 Bridge St. It is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Proof of Arlington residency such as a current driver's license or water bill is required. This service is limited to individual households. Please do not bring hazardous waste from contractors or businesses. For more information, call the Fort Worth Environment Collection Center at 817-392-1234 or call the Arlington Action Center at 817-459-6777.
  • Another option that is part of the City of Arlington Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program is the Crud Cruiser, a mobile collection unit that allows you to properly dispose of your household hazardous waste safely and efficiently. The Crud Cruiser visits neighborhood parks to collect resident’s household chemical waste. View the schedule
  • Residents are encouraged to join Arlington's Municipal Volunteer Program (MVP). Citizen involvement is essential in providing the best services. By choosing to volunteer, you will have the opportunity to strengthen our city by connecting with families, neighbors and communities through service. Sign up to be a volunteer.

The next community cleanup event is during the MLK Day of Service event on Saturday, June 18 at the Arlington Juneteenth Jubilee in downtown Arlington. Register now to assist Mission Arlington or the City of Arlington Code Compliance department with elderly or disabled homeowners in cleaning up debris, cutting hedges or tree limbs, raking leaves or completing other tasks that bring their homes up to code.

Volunteer check-in begins at 9:00 a.m. at Mission Arlington - Mission Metroplex located at 400 W. South St. Service projects will be assigned at check-in and will go through 11:00 a.m. If you would like to volunteer on Saturday, June 18 fill out the MLK Day of Service volunteer form and make your selection.

The more trash picked up from our beautiful landscapes means the more pollution removed from the environment, but the community also needs to come together to report the problem when we see littering.

“Littering isn’t just bad for the environment, it’s against the law,” said Parks and Recreation Director James Orloski. “In Texas you can be fined up to $500 for trash less than or equal to five pounds or five gallons.”

Here are a few ways Arlington residents can help report littering and illegal dumping.

  • Even after more than 35 years of the Don’t mess with Texas campaign, litterbugs still roam the roadways, tossing trash from their car windows and letting litter fly out of their truck beds. We’re talking about cigarette butts, fast food wrappers, and the like. They’re small, but they’re still trash. Here is how you can report a driver through the Don’t Mess With Texas campaign. When you see litter thrown or flying out of a vehicle, intentionally or accidentally, take down the following information—license plate number, make and color of vehicle, date and time, location, who tossed the litter, and what was tossed. Report the information here.
  • If you spot someone dumping illegally, be sure to report it here: http://www.reportdfwdumping.org/.
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