Philly's 'Favorite Trashman' clean-up work extends beyond his pickup route

PHILADELPHIA -- Sanitation worker Terrill Haigler spends weekdays combing the streets of Philadelphia and hurling waste into trash trucks. But even on a Saturday, the city's favorite trashman had to get back to work.

"You never can be off the job with Philadelphia," said Haigler.

The 31-year-old Northeast Philadelphia native was only a few months into his new job before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

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"It became way harder," he said.

Pick-up delays that irritated locals in 2020 are still recurring due to the pandemic.

That's why Haigler created the Instagram account, @_yafavtrashman, to help followers understand the job of sanitation workers and how they can help mitigate the issues they face.

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That's part of the reason why Haigler organized a community clean-up in Northeast Philadelphia today surrounding the Tarken Playground complex.

But he also hopes to inspire residents to get involved."It's all about a mindset. When you keep your neighborhood clean, it then spreads across the city," Haigler said. "We can really shift the narrative and attack bigger issues."

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