PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Cleaning up the city is a top priority for environmental groups, and many of them are calling for mayoral candidates to commit to a five-pronged clean-up agenda.
Waste reduction groups laid out a plan Wednesday to clean up Philadelphia with the goal of becoming waste-free by the year 2035.
In 2017, the city committed to the Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet Action Plan, with the goal of fully eliminating the use of new landfills and conventional incinerators by 2035. In the plan, the city would cut waste generation and increase waste diversion (through methods like source reduction, recycling, reuse and composting) by 90% compared to 2015 waste totals, with the final 10% being converted to energy.
Circular Philadelphia Director of Policy & Engagement Nic Esposito said there was progress around waste and litter reduction at the start of Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration, but he says that direction has now reversed as Kenney’s administration prepares to leave office this year.
Esposito is calling for an official role under the mayor’s administration to focus on waste reduction.
“Within the first 100 days of the new administration, appoint a new position of Deputy Streets Commissioner for zero waste, and establish a mayor's office … to direct zero waste strategies,” said Esposito.
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Environmental groups also want the new mayor to appoint experienced individuals to waste leadership positions, recommit to implementing the Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet Action Plan, establish a program to end litter and dumping by 2028, and regain public trust.
“What it comes down to is, if you can't measure it, you can't achieve it,” said Clean Water Action Eastern Pennsylvania Director Maurice Sampson. He said the city needs a new way of measuring success by focusing on prevention.
“What we're measuring is, how many tons of garbage are we picking up? How much dumping are we picking up? How many tickets and fines are we giving?” he said.
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“We're looking for the idea of getting praised for cleaning up the trash. Because preventing it is not sexy.”
“With this year's budget, the Streets Department reported they kept operation stable by prioritizing trash collections over recycling,” said Dallas Herbert of the 215 People’s Alliance. “At this rate, we won't reach zero waste [until] 2057!”
Circular Philadelphia Director of Programs and Operations Samantha Wittchen says shifting to a circular economy — an economy that prioritizes recycling goods— will help reduce incineration and pollution.
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“It will also help create jobs,” Wittchen said. “It will help reduce the amount of money that (the) city spends on waste disposal, it will increase equity, and it will also make Philadelphia's local economy resilient to the effects of climate change and global economic downturns.”
Former sanitation worker Terrill Haigler, also known as Ya Fav Trashman on social media, is running for City Council. He has invited mayoral candidates to conversations taking place between February and April at the Arden Theater.
“(It’s called) Talking Trash with Terrill,” Haigler said, “and we’re going to only talk about a greener, more sustainable Philadelphia.”