The Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction recognizes that substance use does not occur in a vacuum—it also affects the neighborhoods where the public sale and use of drugs happen. SUPHR’s Environmental Services team seeks to support the Philadelphia community through two public sanitation programs. The Project Reach team manages a harm reduction sanitation program to remove discarded syringes from communities. This includes community clean-ups and several public needle drop-boxes. The Public Bathroom Initiative works to remove human waste and expand access to public restrooms. Both teams integrate harm reduction into their work and engage community members, distribute harm reduction supplies, and help connect individuals to services.
Environmental Services team
Project Reach
Project Reach is a harm reduction-focused sanitation program that specializes in environmental cleanups in communities impacted by substance use. It also manages a same-day-pay program to promote clean streets and provide low-barrier employment opportunities for people in the Kensington community. Our Environmental Specialists focus on removing discarded syringes and other drug-related litter, as well as general trash from neighborhoods. They also distribute naloxone (Narcan) and Fentanyl Test Strips, harm reduction educational materials, and help make referrals to services. In 2021, Project Reach filled 7,600 bags of trash.
B2B: Block-to-Block
Block2Block (B2B) Same Day Pay Program is a sanitation program focused on improving the quality of life in residential communities and recreational spaces impacted by the overdose crisis in Kensington. B2B contributes to extensive efforts that reduce community blight in neighborhoods most affected by substance use. B2B employs community members, compensated at $50 per day for a maximum of 12 days per year, to assist in cleanup efforts, such as safe trash and syringe disposal. They also engage with other community members about substance use, harm reduction and how they can continue clean-up efforts on their block. Community members are trained to use Naloxone (Narcan) and fentanyl test strips and help distribute those in neighborhoods.
The B2B staff includes two certified recovery specialists who connect individuals with employment, housing, food, treatment, and healthcare.
Are you interested in making a difference in your neighborhood and working with B2B? Text us at 267-764-9985 or leave a voicemail message. Your message will be returned in time for you to register and meet enrollment requirements.
Clean Communities
Keeping our communities clean is a city-wide effort. Our division has resources for the public to help keep their neighborhoods clean.
To report needles/ litter/ dumping, call 311 or submit a service request online.
Request syringe disposal box pick-up:
To promote a clean and safe community, we have installed several freestanding needle drop boxes in Kensington and nearby neighborhoods. These boxes are conveniently placed near SEPTA stations and available 24/7 for anyone to safely dispose of their needles.
Upon request, the program also installs smaller, wall-mounted needle drop boxes outside of local organizations. To request information on how to install a needle box in your community, contact Jason Whittle at jason.whittle@phila.gov or 267-254-9424.
Learn how to safely dispose of sharps: English, Spanish
Report syringes and discarded drug litter in Kensington and nearby communities:
Contact Jason Whittle at jason.whittle@phila.gov or 267-254-9424.
Find a dumpster:
The Philadelphia Department of Sanitation operates six sanitation convenience centers for residents to dispose of trash and recyclables that are not able to be collected during regular trash pick-ups. Visit the City’s Trash, Recycling and City Upkeep page for more information about accepted materials, requirements and center locations.
Safe sharps disposal
3 ways to safely dispose of used needles and sharps
1. Throw in a medical sharps container
You can get FDA-approved sharps containers from your doctor, hospital, health insurance company, or local drug store. The SUPHR Environmental Services Team (EVS) can provide sharps containers and pick them up for disposal once they’re full.
Place used sharps in the container immediately after use. Follow the instructions listed on your individual container.
When the container is two-thirds full, bring it to a public drop box or a local program, such as Prevention Point Philadelphia (Tuesdays & Fridays 12–3:30 pm) for safe disposal.
2. Throw in a public drop box
To promote a clean and safe community, SUPHR manages several freestanding needle drop-boxes in Kensington and adjacent neighborhoods. These boxes are conveniently placed near SEPTA stations and available 24/7 for anyone to safely dispose of needles.
3. Use a container you have at home
Locate an empty container made of heavy-duty plastic, such as a laundry detergent bottle. Make sure it has a tight-fitting cap.
Using rubber tongs, grab the sharp and put it in the container. Make sure the sharp edge or point is facing down.
When the container is three-quarters full, close the cap tightly and seal it with duct tape. Write “DO NOT RECYCLE” on the container.
Throw out the sealed container with regular trash. Do not recycle the container.
Needles/Sharps disposal box locations
Safe sharps disposal how-to video
Public Restroom Initiative (Philly Phlush)
Philadelphians do not have sufficient access to public restrooms. This has historically contributed to public health crises, including the 2019 Hepatitis A outbreak, and a general burden on the public. Some Center City businesses allow restroom use without purchases; however, these requests are subjected to stigma and profiling and are limited by business hours. This has resulted in the accumulation of feces on city streets, specifically in Kensington. Public Restroom Specialists address biohazard concerns related to human waste and work to expand access to public restrooms. To combat this waste burden, SUPHR worked with senior leadership and City stakeholders over the last few years to develop and install free public bathrooms. We found a model that fit our infrastructure, which is based on the Portland Loo design, gathered data, talked to residents, and distributed a survey to include Philadelphians in the naming process.
As a result, three ADA accessible restrooms, named Philly Phlush, are now available for public use. One is located at Fotterall Square in North Philly, another at 15th and Arch in Center City across from Love Park, and the third at Clark Park in West Philly. The restrooms will unlock at their dedicated hours and be cleaned multiple times daily. Naloxone is available in a cabinet outside of the restroom.
These three restrooms are the first in a public restroom pilot project. The third structure was installed in the fall of 2025 in West Philly’s Clark Park, and two others will be installed in different locations. Porta-potties are still available in front of Prevention Point in Kensington.
Public restroom locations
Kensington:
2913 Kensington Avenue (on the corner of Monmouth Street)
Monday–Friday 8am–4pm
Center City:
On the corner of 15th and Arch, across from Love Park, on the wall outside of the Municipal Services Building
Monday - Friday 8am-10pm and Saturday and Sunday 8am-11pm
North Philly:
In the center of the park, follow the pathway
Monday - Friday 10am-9pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am-10pm
West Philly:
Near the current basketball court, close to the corner of South 43rd Street and Regent Square
Monday - Friday 9am-8pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-9pm
Our Public Restroom Specialists focus on maintaining these facilities, removing biohazards, and improving access to public restrooms. They also engage community members, distribute harm-reduction supplies, and help connect individuals to services. For more information and updates on the restrooms, visit the restroom’s blog.
Meet the team
-
Jason Whittle
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES MANAGER
Jason (he/him) started his work in harm reduction at Prevention Point Philadelphia. He started as a Bus Driver/Overdose Prevention Specialist with the Mobile Overdose Surge Bus and gradually began doing outreach, naloxone (Narcan) trainings, assisting in the MOUD (Medication for Opioid Use Disorder) program, and working on the mobile syringe exchange program. In September of 2021, Jason began his new position as a Public Restroom Specialist with SUPHR. Jason maintains the public restrooms (porta potties) by restocking them with bathroom supplies, naloxone, and ensuring the restrooms are clean and disinfected for public use. As a Public Restroom Specialist, Jason does outreach and connects to folks experiencing homelessness or those with substance use disorders (SUD). Jason and his partner also advocated for access to public restrooms in other parts of the city. In April of 2021, Jason transferred over to the Project Reach B2B Program. Project Reach B2B is a harm reduction sanitation program focused on improving the quality of life in Kensington. B2B volunteers consist of community and residential members in Kensington most affected by the city’s overdose crisis. As a Certified Recovery Specialist, Jason uses his lived experiences to work with volunteers who are mostly unhoused or experiencing SUD. Jason has connected volunteers to needed resources, i.e., detox, MOUD, food clothing, wound care, and employment referrals.
-
Andrew Cepeda
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES COORDINATOR
Andrew (he/him) was born and raised in North Philadelphia and comes with a professional background working in various fields, i.e., retail (customer services) carpentry, painting, electrical, roofing, plumbing and cemetery work as a headstone installer. Andrew once took from and played a part in destroying the community he lived in and now he has the opportunity give back. Andrew also has experienced life's hardships which will allow him to share those experiences, strengths and hope with our team and the community we serve.
-
Ashley Matos-Reyes
PROJECT REACH LEAD
-
Yazmin Algarin
PROJECT REACH LEAD
-
Jennifer Wasco
B2B CRS NAVIGATOR
Born in Philadelphia and raised in Delaware County, Jennifer has always considered Philly her true home. With deep family roots in the city, her sense of belonging and commitment to the community have shaped both her personal and professional path.
After years of managing the restaurant industry, Jennifer made a transformative decision to change careers and dedicated her life to helping others facing substance use disorder. She became a Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS), where she embraced the philosophy of meeting people where they are — offering empathy, understanding, and support throughout their recovery journey.
Jennifer went on to serve as both a CRS and case manager at a Methadone clinic, where her leadership and compassion sparked meaningful change. She launched a food and clothing pantry and created a re-entry room that gave clients access to computers for job applications, housing searches, and skill-building — empowering them to take steps toward stability and independence. Jennifer then became deeply embedded in the recovery and non-profit community throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, volunteering her time and energy with various organizations. Her lived experience gives her a unique ability to relate, support and advocate for those often overlooked in traditional systems of care.
Driven by a desire to do more and give back to her hometown, Jennifer now works as a CRS Field Navigator in the streets of Kensington. She meets individuals in active use or early recovery with care and connection, offering vital resources and unwavering support to help them move toward wellness.
Jennifer’s story is one of resilience, purpose, and heart — a powerful example of what it means to turn lived experience into lasting impact.
-
Stephen Jackson
B2B CRS NAVIGATOR
-
Jonathan Aviles
PHILLY PHLUSH BATHROOM SPECIALIST
Jonathan Aviles (He/Him) is a Public Restroom Specialist who serves the City of Philadelphia by upholding the highest standards of public health and hygiene. He brings a unique, multifaceted background to his role, combining over a year of sanitation expertise with prior experience in construction and project management within the city.
This deep understanding of public infrastructure, combined with the meticulous standards he developed as the founder of his own car detailing company, informs his rigorous approach to his work. Jonathan is an expert in infection control procedures and plays a critical role in preventing the spread of viruses. He is committed to ensuring that our community facilities remain clean, safe, and accessible for all.
-
Jesus J. Sanchez
PHILLY PHLUSH BATHROOM SPECIALIST
-
Richard Stackhouse
PHILLY PHLUSH BATHROOM SPECIALIST