Sanitation Foundation Launches Don't Do New York City Dirty Anti-Littering Campaign

New Movement Calls on New Yorkers to Show City Pride by Properly Disposing of Trash

Foundation Invites New Yorkers to Interactive Activation at Cooper Square for Campaign Kick-Off

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NEW YORK, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Sanitation Foundation – the official nonprofit partner of the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) – launched Don't Do New York City Dirty, a campaign aimed at turning New Yorkers' pride into action against littering.

New research conducted by the Foundation revealed that while 83% of New Yorkers express pride in their city, nearly 40% admit to littering – a gap the campaign seeks to close by empowering everyone to keep their city clean.

"The 'Trash Revolution' must include all New Yorkers, and that's what this campaign from the New York City Sanitation Foundation is all about — taking pride in our city and ending a culture where some people think it's ok to litter," said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. "We're proud to amplify this campaign to make sure that people in all five boroughs know we're not going to stand for littering, not now, not ever."

"10,000 of New York's Strongest clean thousands of miles of City streets and handle 24 million pounds of trash each day, and we do it with pride. But in a city this size, we need all New Yorkers to do their part. This campaign supports our work by reminding every resident of their role in the cleanliness of the City, and that littering isn't just illegal, it's also true loser behavior," said Javier Lojan, Acting Commissioner of the New York City Department of Sanitation.

The Don't Do New York City Dirty campaign, created by Arnold NY, is rolling out across the city's landscape – from TV and radio spots to movie theaters through National CineMedia (NCM), double-decker buses, signage on the sides of sanitation trucks, and more. The campaign's simple yet powerful message aims to become part of New York's cultural vocabulary, creating a lasting phrase that resonates with New Yorkers for years to come. The message extends across major social media platforms with targeted content designed to reach New Yorkers of all ages, with special emphasis on engaging younger generations through the channels they use most.

In addition to private funding from the Sanitation Foundation, the City of New York will provide additional advertising placements for this campaign, beginning with millions of impressions on LinkNYC kiosks and posters on the sides of thousands of New York City Department of Sanitation collection trucks. Throughout the summer, the City will assess opportunities to provide additional space on Taxi TV, bus shelters, and beyond, in line with Mayor Adams' commitment to a clean, safe, livable City.

The campaign comes to life through compelling videos directed by Nicholas Heller, a.k.a. New York Nico, forming the heart of this citywide initiative. These videos feature authentic and diverse New Yorkers, including the self-proclaimed "Mayor of Coney Island" and legendary rapper Nems and the Green Lady (Elizabeth Sweetheart), sharing their deep connection to the city and why keeping it clean matters. New York-based photographer Jeremy Cohen captured all of the campaign's print and out-of-home imagery.

"Don't Do New York City Dirty marks a turning point in how we care for the greatest city in the world. This isn't just a campaign – it's the foundation of a decades-long commitment to creating a culture of cleanliness in New York," said Caryl Englander, Sanitation Foundation Board Chair. "We're building a movement where Don't Do New York City Dirty becomes as fundamentally New York as the skyline itself. The Sanitation Foundation is proud to lead this enduring effort that will transform how generations of New Yorkers relate to their City."

"I may love a little trash talk, but I'd never trash this city," said iconic TV producer and long-time Sanitation Foundation supporter Andy Cohen. "As a dad raising two kids here, I want them to grow up proud of New York – and that means clean streets and respect for where we live."

The campaign kicks off Thursday, May 15, at noon in Cooper Square with "The Dirty Truth," a free, one-of-a-kind public experience conceived and produced by Team Epiphany – a global, full-service marketing agency that takes a culture-first approach to engineering impactful campaigns. This immersive installation transforms everyday litter like takeout containers and coffee cups into provocative, larger-than-life sculptures that challenge perceptions and inspire action. Open through Saturday, May 17, the experience includes both educational elements highlighting the impact of littering and interactive components that demonstrate how "trashing your trash" creates visible change in our shared spaces.

The Don't Do New York City Dirty movement is bolstered by a milestone study released today by the Sanitation Foundation in partnership with Dreyfus Advisors. The report captures the first comprehensive research examining New Yorkers' attitudes toward and behaviors around littering. Key findings from the Foundation's landmark study on littering behavior include:

• 83% of New Yorkers are proud of their city
• 8 in 10 New Yorkers think littering is a problem, yet nearly 40% admit to littering
• Only 29% of New Yorkers say they have never littered

Amid the activation, The Sanitation Foundation will host a community cleanup on Friday, May 16 at Cooper Square to pick up litter in the surrounding East Village. New Yorkers can also join the movement through year-round Sanitation Foundation programs such as the Sports Cleanup Series, Community Stewards, and Adopt Your Spot NYC - an initiative empowering residents to care for specific locations especially dear to them.

For more information on how to get involved, visit www.sanitationfoundation.org.

About the Sanitation Foundation
The Sanitation Foundation is the official non-profit partner of the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY). We support the work of DSNY to clean up the city and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Our work is designed to create ways for individuals, corporate partners, institutions, and community groups to participate in creating a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable NYC. For more information, visit www.sanitationfoundation.org.

About the New York City Department of Sanitation
The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) keeps New York City clean, safe, and healthy by collecting, recycling, and disposing of waste, cleaning streets, attacking the scourge of illegal dumping, and clearing snow and ice. The Department operates 59 district garages and manages a fleet of more than 2,000 rear-loading collection trucks, 450 mechanical brooms, 705 salt spreaders, and several dozen bike lane operations machines. Under the Adams Administration, the Department is aggressively cleaning more parts of the City than ever before, including over 1,000 long-ignored areas spread across every neighborhood, as well as cleaning the highways and managing graffiti removal.

CONTACT: sanitationfoundation@berlinrosen.com

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SOURCE Sanitation Foundation