27146472
The holidays mean more of everything — including trash. Just in time, South Philly is slated for single-stream recycling. The expansion of the existing Streets Department program will allow about 88,000 local households to throw empty containers of aluminum, glass and plastic in the same blue bin as excess wrapping paper and empty, flattened cardboard boxes.
Beginning Dec. 3, South Philadelphia and Center City will join the 216,000 residences in Northeast, Southwest and West that co-mingle their recyclables into one holder for curbside pickup every two weeks.
The push to allow residents this ease has been going on for some time, with local civic groups and politicians urging the Streets Department to expand the program to counter complaints of trash-overrun neighborhoods.
Nicole Hostettler, a member of the Recycling Alliance of Philadelphia and an advocate for the program through several civic associations she volunteers with, described single-stream recycling as "a long-time coming." Keeping the streets clean, Hostettler said, is "one of the biggest challenges" of her neighborhood at Sixth and Wharton streets, where she has lived for the past five years.
"In my opinion, [trash] is the worst problem in the neighborhood," 32-year-old said. "It really affects the quality of life and the day-to-day life of parents, children and everyone. It’s just a real problem that we’ve been spouting off on for a few years."
According to 1st District Councilman Frank DiCicco single-stream recycling is a natural next step for South Philly.
"They do it in other municipalities, the suburbs and New Jersey," he said. "It’s time for us to catch up with the rest of the world.
"I believe most people will participate. There’s always some folks that find a way not to and for them there will be a fine."
According to Scott McGrath, the acting recycling director for the Streets Department, cards were mailed this week to inform residents about the program and representatives will go door-to-door to answer questions. Following the education phase, those who do not adhere to the program’s guidelines will receive a warning, then a $25 fine. McGrath said the tickets, monitored by Street Department employees, are the same as one issued in areas without single-stream recycling.
"But it’s not about finding a revenue source, it’s about keeping the streets cleaner," DiCicco added.
McGrath said in the nearly two years since the pilot program began with sorting facility Blue Mountain Recycling at Grays Ferry Avenue and Ellsworth Street, tonnage percentages (the actual weight of recyclables) have increased 60 percent in some areas.
Local civic groups who have informed the city and local representatives the method was necessary in their neighborhoods are relieved single-stream recycling is coming.
"We’re really excited about it," Passyunk Square Civic Association President Geoff DiMasi said. "I think it’s a great thing. It’s going to make it easier for people to recycle — it’s always been confusing what you’re allowed to recycle."
Currently, local recyclables are picked up every two weeks on a designated day — something that will not change with single-streaming — in one of two types of trucks. For those with standard recycling, a truck that cannot compact trash makes the rounds. Because of its inability to smash waste to make room for more, these areas are not able to recycle No. 1 and 2 plastic containers, such as beverage and detergent bottles. With single-stream recycling, compact trucks — of which the city has about 20 in use daily — can constantly compress recyclables before transporting them to Blue Mountain. The latter, who has a recycling contract with the city, sorts out the items, sending them to various companies for reuse — the paper is shipped to mills both locally and in upstate New York, the glass goes nationwide to become crushed aggregate for drainage material and the plastic is marketed back to the plastic industry.
McGrath said the three areas where single-streaming is implemented have seen an influx in the amount of recyclables taken to Blue Mountain, where its intake is monitored.
"We saw immediate increases in tonnage of 20 to 25 percent," he said of the Northeast, the first area to use the method in spring 2006. "In July of ’07, the West and Southwest Philadelphia areas saw an increase of 40 percent, some areas up to 60 percent."
McGrath added these areas had high numbers prior to single-streaming and had large, wide streets that could accommodate the compactor trucks. In the case of South Philly, where many residences are on narrow streets, smaller compactor trucks were needed. Once the expansion gets under way, three large compactor trucks and three smaller ones will be in use in the area at any given time. McGrath said the fleet’s size has stayed the same — with about 170 trash and 40 recycling trucks — the only change being trading the standard trucks for the newer compact models.
"The other factor we’ve been seeing is a consistent increase of tonnage in South Philly of about five percent over last year’s numbers for the past six months," he said of the amount of recyclables coming to Blue Mountain, adding, "it’s a trend we want to take advantage of."
Prior to single-stream recycling, aluminum, glass and metal could be placed in one container with paper separated and bundled. Plastic was not recycled at all. With residents placing all of their recyclables in one bucket, McGrath said, the task will be less confusing, allow for more recycling and tackle litter at the same time.
"What South Philly has that’s unique to it in terms of urban geography is a density of housing," he said. "Everything is very close and narrow so to get any litter at all blowing around, it ends up everywhere. It only takes one person on a block to make the whole block look messy — there’s nowhere else for it to go, the rowhouses are densely packed on both sides."
McGrath said the Streets Department eventually wants to expand the method throughout the city, whereas right now more trucks and staffing would be required to do so. Once every resident is under single-stream recycling, the next step is to make it a weekly collection.
DiCicco added there is no excuse not to participate, especially with allowances for overflow to be placed in as many personal containers as necessary so long as they are clearly marked, "Recycle." Containers and bright yellow stickers identifying the containers as such are available at the Streets Department citizen drop-off center at 63rd Street and Passyunk Avenue.
"We really have to start paying more attention, all of us, and protecting our environment," he said. "This is an opportunity for all of us to be a part of that process."
