Mayor Kenney: Let's make Philly a zero-waste city by 2035
The action plan from the Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet outlines new policy proposals, partnerships, and programs, as well as assessment tools to track the efficacy of our efforts.
Each year, Philadelphians dispose of 1.5 million tons of commercial and residential waste — one ton per resident — and the city spends millions of dollars clearing our public spaces of litter. If Philadelphia is to become a cleaner, greener, and more equitable city, we need to address these challenges head on — deliberatively and together.
That's why, in December, the Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet was created to coordinate city operating departments and outside stakeholders like Keep Philadelphia Beautiful in tackling the pervasive issue of litter in Philadelphia. In order to reduce waste before it even becomes litter, the goal is to move us toward becoming a zero-waste city by 2035 by diverting more than 90 percent of our waste from landfills. This week, the Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet is excited to release its action plan, which you can find on cleanphl.org.
If Philadelphia is going to be successful in this effort to make our city cleaner and more sustainable for our residents and visitors, and for future generations, we all need to do our part:
Sweep up in front of our houses and make sure we're setting out our trash properly each week;
Think about the items we throw away and whether they can be recycled or replaced by a reusable product;
Go to cleanphl.org to find out how to become involved in our neighborhoods through the Streets Department block captain network, a parks friends group, or another program.
Philadelphia won't become a litter-free and zero-waste city overnight, and without all of us working together. But the Kenney administration and the Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet are committed to achieving these goals, and we hope you will roll up your sleeves and join us. The hard work is just beginning.
Jim Kenney is mayor of Philadelphia. james.kenney@phila.gov
Michelle Feldman is director of Keep Philadelphia Beautiful. michelle@keepphiladelphiabeautiful.org