WORCESTER, Mass. - Worcester has continued its efforts to maintain clean streets throughout the city, thanks to its Keep Worcester Clean campaign.

The city issued nearly 400 citations for trash violations during the last six months of 2021. From July to December, the Department of Public Works cleaned 1,178 sites and removed 374 tons of rubbish.

The Keep Worcester Clean campaign is a city-wide effort to curb activities such as illegal dumping, graffiti, abandoned vehicles, and more throughout the city. The initiative also ensures that residents and businesses dispose of their trash properly and on time in order to keep sidewalks and streets clear.

"Now we would have the option to go give you 24 hours to remove it," said City Manager Ed Augustus. "If not, we take it away and we charge you for the cost of taking it away and give you a ticket for putting it out. We've given people options of places to take them. We've flattened the fee: $5. You can drop a couch off, you can drop a tv off, you can drop a tire off. $5. So, it's a relatively minor fee, it's a flat fee. Putting it on the sidewalk is not allowed."

The Department of Inspectional Services issued 393 citations totaling $42,350 to Worcester residents and businesses in the second half of 2021.