PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The City of Philadelphia will continue to burn trash in Chester for at least four more years, but very little else is known about its new contract for waste disposal.
Bidding for the new contract was postponed for six months after Councilmember Jamie Gauthier introduced a bill to ban burning the city’s trash. The company that owns Chester’s incinerator, Reworld, spent $100,000 on lobbying since the bill was introduced and contributed $3,700 to Mayor Cherelle Parker’s campaign a month after the bill passed a committee hearing.
The Parker administration said the delay would allow the city to consider environmental impacts as part of the bidding process, and both the Health Department and Office of Sustainability were involved in the award process, but the results still include burning.
“This decision is unconscionable on so many levels.”
Gauthier said she’s disappointed that Reworld has gotten a new contract but very little is known about the terms. The city has not divulged the cost or how the contract will be split among three vendors. Gauthier sees that as a bad sign.
“You do not hide things that you’re proud of; you do not hide things that are the morally and just thing to do; you hide things that you’re ashamed of.”
City Council will eventually get more details. They have to approve the contract, which would take effect in January.
