Hi

Curbside pickup for paper, glass and metal is the same day as trash day - except trash is every week and recycling is every other week. Goofy system, if you ask me. First and third Saturday's at the Firehouse at 50th and Market, there is cardboard and plastic recycling with proceeds supporting a scholarship program for local high school grads run by Cedar Park Neighbors. Also when there is recycling at the Firehouse, there is also a big Books Behind Bars drop-off which many folks seem to use as a sort of community book exchange program.

Check out the Recycling Alliance website at www.cleanair.org/recyclingalliance
for more info.

You don't need a blue bucket, any container that is clearly marked "Recycling" will do. If you really want one, you can pick them up at the Sanitation Yards, I think the one closest to you is in SW Philly. The Streets Dept home page can tell you (www.phila.gov).

I encourage everyone to get involved in the Recycling Alliance's effort to expand the successful RecycleBank pilot to all parts of the city. RecycleBank rewards recyclers with coupons to retailers. You can earn up to $400 a year just by recycling. Learn more at www.recyclenowphilly.org

Also, if there is a holiday on a Monday, then your collection day gets moved a day back (from Tuesday to Wednesday). Your pick-up may be delayed a day or a week due to snow. Also, if you want to use the Firehouse for your plastics, be sure to ask the guy in glasses about the current rules - plastic bottles that are 1 or 2 with a top that is smaller than the bottom (like a soda 2 litre) is the most common thing I recycle in addition to cardboard.

But you can't do styrofoam or anything too fancy at the Firehouse or with the city recycling!

Hi,

I’m a communications major at Drexel University. For a computer-assisted reporting class, I’m writing a story about recycling in Philadelphia. I’m interested in asking people some questions. If you want to answer the questions (which appear below), simply post a reply. Please identify yourself in order to help me include your replies in my story. Offer only as much info as you’d like. For instance, if you only want to include a first name and the general place where you’re from (“John from West Philadelphia” for example), that’ll work fine.


I have a specific question for seand: Can I use your “Goofy system, if you ask me” comment in my story? I think I can find a place for it.

Thanks,

Shael_ND
***********************


* According to Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, Philadelphia generated about 1.16 million tons of waste in 2003. That’s about one ton generated by each person at the time. What are your opinions of that news?


* According to Pennsylvania’s DEP, Philadelphia recycled about 60% of the waste that it generated. Philly recycles better than all but 4 counties in the state. [In case anyone is interested – Centre County recycles 0.91 tons per person; York County recycles 0.76 tons per person; Juniata County recycles 0.71 tons per person; and Erie County recycles 0.66 tons per person.] What are your opinions of this news?


* Do you feel you recycle as much as you could? Why or why not?


* Is there anything you don’t know about recycling in Philadelphia that you wish you did know? If so, what is it and why? If not, why not?


* Do you feel the city’s recycling program is effective? Why or why not?


* Do you visit or have you visited the city’s recycling Web sites? [They are http://www.phila.gov/streets/recycling.html and http://recyclingpays.phila.gov] Do you think these sites are helpful? Why or why not?

Jon from University City.
Junior at Temple University
Political Science and Criminal Justice major

* According to Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, Philadelphia generated about 1.16 million tons of waste in 2003. That’s about one ton generated by each person at the time. What are your opinions of that news?
One ton really doesn't suprise me. The phrase "ton" seems more intimidating as it's defintion: 2,000lbs. It would be around 1,600lbs for each Philadelphian, or 30lbs a week for each person. I'm actually suprised that it's not more. Oh wait, I doubt this includes all the litter!


* According to Pennsylvania’s DEP, Philadelphia recycled about 60% of the waste that it generated. Philly recycles better than all but 4 counties in the state. [In case anyone is interested – Centre County recycles 0.91 tons per person; York County recycles 0.76 tons per person; Juniata County recycles 0.71 tons per person; and Erie County recycles 0.66 tons per person.] What are your opinions of this news?
Not suprised here. My landlord got numerous citations from the City for no recycle bins!!


* Do you feel you recycle as much as you could? Why or why not?
Yeah, when I'm at school and throwing away an a aluminum can or plastic bottle, I'm always searching for the recycle bin.

* Is there anything you don’t know about recycling in Philadelphia that you wish you did know? If so, what is it and why? If not, why not?
Where do all the recycled products go, and how much do they make when its sold. And, what does that money go towards?

* Do you feel the city’s recycling program is effective? Why or why not?
Yes and no. Yes because of the numerous citations my landlord received. No because there is no public recycling can near any trash cans (or at least I didnt see any). If there was, it would help a great deal.

* Do you visit or have you visited the city’s recycling Web sites? [They are http://www.phila.gov/streets/recycling.html and http://recyclingpays.phila.gov] Do you think these sites are helpful? Why or why not?
Never visited the websites until just now. The content on the site is helpful, but it's not helpful if nobody really knows about it.

Saturday Recycle, 50th & Baltimore, Cardboard & Plastic

Between 8 am and noon, there is recycling the first and third Saturday of every month at the Firehouse, 50th & Baltimore.

They handle mixed paper, corrugated cardboard and RINSED plastic (#1 & #2). NOT cans nor glass.

Remove the styrofoam and collapse your cardboard boxes.

__________________
Your representatives on Philadelphia's City Council are at odds with our new mayor over whether many reforms he has proposed should become law. Please write to them and tell them what your priorities are.

Indict State Senator Vince Fumo into The Crooked Pol Hall of Fame.

It's good news, but it could and should be better.
Again, the city does a decent job with recycling but it should be better.
For the most part. I suppose we could re-use things like ziploc bags and aluminum foil but that would require alot of time and effort, I we just don't have it. Personally, I go out of my way to recycle. I try not to throw bottles and cans in the trash if I am out somewhere...I'll keep them in my car until I get home. We recycle all of our paper at home, as well as our glass bottles and metal cans. We also store all of our plastics and cardboard until the first saturday of the month and drive them down to the community pickup.
Yes, why is it not better????
For the most part the city does a decent job considering the size and logistics of the program. However, I am disappointed that it isn't better (did I mention that already????). My biggest complaint is that the city does NOT collect the most important, most environmentally un-friendly products. PLASTICS. Sure, there are the monthly drop-offs, but there is no good excuse as to why the city can pick up paper, glass and metal but not plastic. Plastic is the most important because it will sit in the landfill and never break down. While recycling glass, paper and metal is great as far as not wasting good products and saving space in landfills, those items will eventually degrade over time. Plastic won't. The city needs to step it up and start collecting plastics. Sure, plastic isn't REALLY recycled rather it is down-cycled...simply reused in another form for another purpose, but better that than in a landfill. My other gripe is that businesses are not required to recycle. I don't think people realize how much paper comes out of a building like Liberty Place. Tons and tons and tons every day. There are hundreds of law firms and financial institutions who produce documents every day and they all go in with the rest of the trash (well, except for what they shred!!!).
I do to check dates for drop-offs and hazardous waste days. They are helpful to an extent but they are not the most informative or easiest to navigate sites in the world.

__________________
-Tim K

Licensed PA Real Estate Salesperson

MILES & GENERALIS, INC. GO REAL ESTATE
20 N. 3rd St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215-928-0221 (office)
215-928-0584 (fax)

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As stated earlier this program is volunteer run as a project of Cedar Park Neighbors and funds from the paper recycling goes to funding a college scholarship program for local kids.

Currently Al the guy who has been running this program for years has announced that he needs to step away from running this program. Anybody interested in possibly commiting to help to unload cars should talk to other volunteers on a first or third Saturday. The idea is to have enough vollunteers so that everybody only does one or two Saturdays a year.

Absolutely, i wish you had used the PB Private message feature to ask me directly as i fear i noticed this question way, way after the fact.