Let’s create jobs and reduce pollution by recycling!
Are you concerned about the pollution from construction and demolition waste in landfills, incinerators, and vacant lots? Together we can ensure that construction and demolition waste is properly recycled by creating smart legislation that works for everyone.
As part of Circular Philadelphia’s policy development process, the Built Environment Working Group has released a policy paper, Construction and Demolition Recycling Legislation for Philadelphia: A Policy Guide, that is a comprehensive, yet digestible, well-researched paper on how to increase construction and demolition debris recycling in the Philadelphia region through legislation. In short, it makes the case for the why and lays out clear guidance on the how to achieve this major goal.
As a first step in developing the policy paper, the Built Environment Working Group created this flyer that explains to the public in a simple and straightforward way how we can create simple and effective legislation to ensure that all construction and demolition waste haulers use recycling facilities. The policy concept is outlined below, and you can read more about the process of developing the full policy guide on our blog.
Did You Know?
- According to the EPA, 40% of all material entering landfills nationwide is construction and demolition debris.
- C&D waste illegally dumped on vacant lots costs the city millions of dollars annually.
- Recycling these materials creates jobs, greens our neighborhoods, and grows our local economy.
The Policy Concept
– 1 –
Use verified facilities.
Licenses and Inspections uses state data to verify facilities in the Philadelphia region that recycle construction and demolition materials.
– 2 –
Provide documentation.
Require haulers to use recycling facilities and then provide dump receipts to contractors and developers for their building or demo permit.
– 3 –
Verify dumping receipts.
Building and demolition projects must maintain receipts showing that waste generated from the permitted project went to a state verified C&D recycling facility at the end of a permit.
– 4 –
Issue certificate of occupancy.
Licenses & Inspections issues Certificates of Occupancy or closes a demolition permit only after receiving receipts from the verified recycling facility.
The time is right for this legislation because:
We cannot afford the status quo:
Taxpayers cannot keep paying the economic and environmental costs of landfills, incinerators, and illegal dumping. And developers recycling waste should not have to compete with developers illegally dumping or landfilling waste.
We have the infrastructure:
Philadelphia has many C&D recycling facilities that are ready to redirect waste from landfills or incinerators.
We have the permit processes:
Philadelphia already has the existing permitting frameworks for this system that many companies already comply with – it’s time to expand for a cleaner, more just city for all.
Get Involved!
To make this flyer become real policy, we need to hear from you! Please fill out this form to voice your support for this legislation, get on our mailing list for future action and leave a comment with your thoughts or questions on the proposed legislation and information.
Let’s make Philly a leader in C&D recycling!
Voice your support and feedback for this issue in two easy steps:
1
Review the policy paper and use this form to voice your support for this policy change, get on our mailing list for future advocacy and send us your thoughts and comments on the proposed policy and information.
2
Contact your elected officials to let them know that they should pay attention to it. We have a brand new mayoral administration and city council taking office in 2024, and we would like to see this policy as an early priority. We’ve drafted sample language and created a directory of elected officials and candidates to make it easy for you to contact your representatives.