Politics
Philly Councilmember Moves to Cut Chester Incinerator Ties Over Pollution, Cost Concerns
Councilmember Jamie Gauthier is pushing legislation to ban Philadelphia from sending trash to a Chester incinerator, citing environmental justice and a proposed contract she says is not worth the savings. A council committee is set to vote on the waste contracts Nov. 18.
PHILADELPHIA â A Philadelphia city councilmember is calling for the city to stop sending its trash to a Chester incinerator, introducing legislation that would prohibit the practice and vowing to vote against a proposed contract that would keep the waste flowing to the Delaware County facility.
Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, a Democrat, said the city should not continue relying on the Reworld incinerator, which burns about a third of Philadelphia's municipal trash. According to a city spokesperson, Philadelphia spent roughly $13 million last year to send that waste to Chester.
"We stopped incineration within our own borders decades ago," Gauthier said. "We need to stop this practice for Chester, but also for Philadelphia. We also deserve to breathe clean air."
Gauthier pointed to recent reporting that the Chester facility accounted for 16% of Delaware County's reported nitrogen oxide emissions last year. Nitrogen oxides are pollutants that can contribute to breathing problems.
Reworld has defended its environmental record, saying the Chester facility complies with regulations and operates as much as 99% below federal emissions limits. The company 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.
"Reworld operates the Chester facility safely, transparently and in full compliance with extensive environmental regulations," a company spokesperson said in a statement. "Reworld is proud to be part of the Chester community and has a longstanding commitment to being a good community partner."
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Gauthier's criticism of the proposed contract.
At the center of the debate is cost. 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. Gauthier said her office calculated that using landfill vendors instead would cost the city no more than an additional $3.2 million â a figure she compared to the city's $7 billion budget.
"The costs are very comparable," Gauthier said. "Landfilling, although not perfect, is a much better alternative. Cancel this project, this contract today and go with the landfill vendors."
Most of Philadelphia's trash already goes to landfills, according to Gauthier, who said she plans to vote against the contract.
The City Council committee considering the waste contracts is scheduled to hold a hearing Wednesday, Nov. 18, and is expected to vote.
The fight over the Chester incinerator has been decades in the making, with residents long raising concerns about air quality and health impacts. Gauthier's legislation would bar Philadelphia from sending its trash to any incinerator, a move that could reshape how the city manages its waste and intensify pressure on City Council as it weighs new disposal contracts.