TACOMA, Wash. — City leaders in Tacoma hope a new program will get rid of trash near homeless encampments.
Over the next several weeks, purple trash bags will be dropped off at one encampment near a natural area in Tacoma.
The project is intended to limit the harmful impacts of improperly disposed waste and litter on human health and the environment.
"The idea is that there is a central pickup and drop-off location for them to get bags and pick up new bags, and those bags will be picked up on a weekly basis, and so we'll start to see a reduction in the amount of trash piling up, as well as a reduction in the cost of cleanup," said Brandon Drucker, the city's restoration biologist.
Tacoma's Purple Bag Pilot Program kicked off this week, but the concept isn't new.
"Several of the other municipalities that have started similar programs are finding unsheltered persons want to use the bags, that they want to keep their surroundings clean, but they don't have a ways to go about it," said Drucker.
Why purple bags? The purple color distinguishes these bags from those intended for other cleanup programs or general use.
Seattle and Austin, Texas are running similar programs.
A third-party contractor will pick up trash at the designated spot weekly.
During that time, outreach coordinators will distribute personal protective equipment and offer any resource services to those in need.
The city stresses that the purple bags are a temporary solution intended to help individuals experiencing homelessness maintain safe and clean living areas until they are able to connect with shelters or other housing opportunities that meet their needs.
"Hopefully this is just a first step. This is not going to solve homelessness, right, this is one thing that we feel we have the power to help with right now," Drucker said.
The city will keep track of how much trash is collected over the next few months to see if the program should be expanded.