Philadelphia Controller Reviews City Recycling Program

The city of Philadelphia’s City Controller Jonathan Saidel has released a performance review, conducted by his office, of the City’s Recycling Program. The purpose of the review was to determine if the program was in compliance with the 1987 ordinance establishing it and whether it could be run in a more effective and efficient manner.

According to the report, Saidel concluded that the city’s recycling program was not in compliance with numerous provisions of the city’s Recycling Ordinance and that Philadelphia is achieving a low diversion rate of around 6 six percent, as opposed to the 1987 establishing ordinance’s original goal of 50 percent or the revised – and more realistic – goal, set in 2000, of between 35-40 percent.

The Controller’s office performed the review after meeting with recycling and environmental advocates. “They told me that the city desperately needed to improve its recycling efforts and that, if run properly, an efficient recycling program could be a financial winner for the city, as well as something we must do as responsible leaders,” Saidel stated. “I believe that my recommendation of reaching a recycling diversion rate of 35-40 percent is very achievable if the recommendations in this report are implemented by the City administration and could over time actually save taxpayers as much as $17 million a year.

“In 1987, Philadelphia was the first city in the country to mandate recycling. Unfortunately, since that time the program has not been given the priority or resources it deserves. I hope this report will serve to help increase public awareness and active participation in the vital program,” Saidel commented.

Philadelphia is responsible for collecting solid waste at residences of six units or less and at small commercial establishments. Last year the city collected 699,000 tons of solid curbside waste. Only 44,000 tons of this were recycled, which reflects a recycling diversion rate of six percent. The Recycling Office currently resides in the Sanitation Division of the Streets Department.

Presently, only newspaper, office paper, glass containers and metal cans are required to be recycled in Philadelphia.

Saidel sets forth a series of recommendations aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the Recycling Program. These include:

* Evaluate the results of the pilot “Single Stream” collection program and, if successful, expand it to the rest of the city. Under this approach, all recycled materials, except garbage and yard waste, are placed in a single receptacle and are collected by the City using standard compactors. Using new technology, the material is then sorted at the disposal facility. This appears to be the most important step toward achieving the desired target levels of 35 to 40 percent.

* Expand the planned pilot incentive program, if it proves successful. This program would be the first of its kind in the country and would provide monetary incentives to further encourage citizens to recycle. Receptacles containing an identifying computer chip would be weighed and dumped into trucks by automated lifting devices. Residents would receive a financial incentive, based on the weight of the recycled waste.

* Continue the educational program for recycling.

* Require the City’s Recycling Coordinator to make periodic progress reports to the Office of the Mayor, which needs to emphatically embrace and support the program.

* Consider the need to pursue changes in the Recycling Ordinance to make it more suitable and responsive to the current social and economic climate of Philadelphia.

* Increase the scope of materials subject to mandatory recycling as it becomes economically feasible to do so. (At a minimum to include corrugated cardboard and plastic.)

* Introduce a comprehensive enforcement program.

* Introduce weekly recycling collection to targeted areas identified as potentially well suited to it.

* Evaluate use of additional recycle processing sites. (Currently the City uses only one.)

* Issue a quarterly recycling performance report.

* Prepare a detailed implementation plan for long and short-term program goals and monitor performance.

“I know that a six-fold increase in the diversion rate, from 6 percent to 35-40 percent is an ambitious goal, but with the recommendations contained in this report and the full support of the Mayor and his administration, I also know it is an achievable one. It also could be a big savings for taxpayers. Each 1 percent improvement in the recycling diversion rate would result in approximately $540,000 for the City in annual savings,” commented Saidel. “I again want to express my sincere thanks to the talented and committed people from the clean air, clean water, and recycle advocate groups whose advice and active input was an essential element in producing this report.”

To view the full report click on the following link – Controller Recycling Report