Philly councilmember wants city to stop burning trash in Chester

nbc10 investigators Philly councilmember wants city to stop burning trash in Chester Jamie Gauthier says Philadelphia could use landfill vendors instead for no more than an additional $3.2 million. By David Charns • Published 25 minutes ago • Updated 25 minutes ago A Philadelphia councilmember says the city should stop sending its trash to be burned in Chester, one day after an NBC10 Investigators report examined Philadelphia’s reliance on the Delaware County incinerator and concerns from residents who have fought the facility for decades. Democratic Councilmember Jamie Gauthier opposes a proposed contract that would allow Philadelphia to continue sending some of its trash to the Reworld facility. Gauthier has also introduced legislation that would prohibit Philadelphia from sending its trash to incinerators. Stream Philadelphia News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC10. WATCH HERE “We stopped incineration within our own borders decades ago,” Gauthier said. The NBC10 Investigators reported Monday that Philadelphia sends about a third of its municipal trash to Chester to be burned. According to a city spokesperson, Philadelphia spent about $13 million last year to send that waste to the facility. Gauthier said the findings reinforce her opposition to continuing the practice. “We need to stop this practice for Chester, but also for Philadelphia,” she said. “We also deserve to breathe clean air.” Gauthier specifically pointed to the NBC10 Investigators’ reporting on emissions from the Chester facility. The investigation found the incinerator accounted for 16% of Delaware County’s reported nitrogen oxide emissions last year. Nitrogen oxides are pollutants that can contribute to breathing problems. Local Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. weather forecast 25 minutes ago Bright and calmer wind for Wednesday Northampton County 18 minutes ago Search underway after prisoner escapes in Easton Reworld has defended the environmental record of its Chester facility. The company said the facility complies with environmental regulations and operates as much as 99% below federal emissions limits. Reworld also said an independent health risk assessment found risks to human health below EPA thresholds and that the facility contributes less than 1% of Delaware County’s fine particulate emissions. One of the biggest questions facing City Council is cost. Councilmembers are considering new contracts to determine where Philadelphia’s trash will go. Under the current proposal, Reworld would charge the city $47 per ton in 2027, making the Chester incinerator one of Philadelphia’s least expensive disposal options. The NBC10 Investigators asked Gauthier why taxpayers should pay more if using the incinerator is cheaper. “That’s something that I also wanted to address,” Gauthier said. “The costs are very comparable.” Gauthier said her office calculated that using landfill vendors instead of Reworld would cost Philadelphia no more than an additional $3.2 million. She compared that number to the city's $7 billion budget. She said she would rather see the city use landfills, where she said most of Philadelphia’s trash already goes. “Landfilling, although not perfect, is a much better alternative,” Gauthier said. “Cancel this project, this contract today and go with the landfill vendors.” The City Council committee considering the waste contracts is scheduled to hold a hearing Wednesday, Nov. 18, and is expected to vote. Gauthier said she plans to vote against the contract. A Reworld spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Gauthier’s criticism of the proposed contract or its facility. The company released this statement ahead of Monday’s reporting: "Reworld operates the Chester facility safely, transparently and in full compliance with extensive environmental regulations," a spokesperson said in a statement. "The facility operates up to 99% below federal emission guidelines, as verified through continuous emissions monitoring and stack testing, and an independent health risk assessment found risks to human health to be well below EPA thresholds. Despite claims to the contrary, the facility contributes well under 1% of countywide fine particulate emissions. Reworld is proud to be part of the Chester community and has a longstanding commitment to being a good community partner. Through ongoing outreach, education, community engagement and local initiatives, we continue to invest in the people and organizations that make Chester a strong and vibrant community." The NBC10 Investigators can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected] . This article tagged under: nbc10 investigators