DEP wants more details on recycler’s request to boost capacity
In April 2007, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection sent a technical deficiency letter to David Newman regarding U.S. Recycling’s permit modification application to increase its maximum handling of municipal solid waste from 380 tons per day to 2,000 tons per day. Full article: http://www.northeasttimes.com/2007/0524/recycler.html

U.S. Recycling is a local, waste transfer facility located at 6101 Tacony Street on the Delaware Riverfront. Despite its location in neighboring Wissinoming, U.S. Recycling impacts local public health and quality of life throughout the area, including the neighboring community of Tacony.

In January 2007, the Tacony Civic Association (TCA) became very concerned after learning of U.S. Recycling’s proposal to increase municipal trash handling from 380 to 2,000 tons per day. During that month, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) hosted a public meeting at St. Hubert’s High School to allow citizens to voice their opinion. In attendance to publicly oppose this application were board members from the TCA, Senator Mike Stack, PA Rep. Mike McGeehan, and other political representatives and community residents.

Since that meeting, the TCA has worked diligently to notify community residents and neighboring civic associations of U.S. Recycling’s proposal. In February, the TCA published a letter about our concerns in the editorial section of the Northeast Times. We also met with representatives of nearby civic associations and a Pennsylvania environmental justice organization in order to further develop our public education strategy. In March, the Tacony Civic met with a representative from the office of Dennis M. O’Brien, Pennsylvania Speaker of the House, to discuss our concerns about U.S. Recycling’s proposed expansion.

Over these last few months, the TCA has conducted a great deal of research to learn more about U.S. Recycling’s current and projected operations, and has come to believe an expansion of their facility may have several negative consequences for our community:

• Reduced air quality. Significantly increasing the amount of trash handled by the facility to 2,000 tons/day may negatively impact air quality, thus harming the health of all area residents. According to inventories of both the E.P.A. and the City of Philadelphia’s Dept. of Public Health, Newman’s facility is presently emitting over 225 tons of pollutants annually including primarily sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide. The Wissinoming and Tacony communities are already exposed to pollution from dense vehicular traffic on I-95, and the Metal Bank Superfund Site at Cottman Avenue and the Delaware River.
• Counterproductive to the redevelopment of the North Delaware Riverfront. U.S. Recycling’s proposal is in direct contrast with the intentions of the North Delaware Greenway plan. For over 12 years, the Tacony Civic Association has been working with city, State and Federal officials, the PA Environmental Council, North Delaware Greenway Task Force and Delaware River City Corporation to bring into sharp focus our community’s vision of a rejuvenated Delaware Riverfront.
• Incompatible with current and future traffic flow volumes. An increase of over 500% beyond its current capacity is expected to negatively impact local traffic patterns by significantly increasing the quantity of truck traffic to and from the facility. Trucks filled with municipal solid waste will further congest the State Road area from Bleigh Avenue to Bridge Street, making worse already dangerous conditions. The loop (State) Road around the access to the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, one block north of this facility, is especially dangerous and during peak rush hours and summer Holiday travel time, this area experiences major traffic delays. The random Bridge opening only exacerbates the problem on this narrow, 4-lane stretch of roadway. Furthermore, State Road serves as a secondary north/south artery when Interstate 95 is experiencing traffic or construction delays.
• In close proximity to schools, residences, and recreation sites. Allowing such a significant increase in emissions will likely have negative effects for the students and staff of the Franklin Towne Charter High School at 5301 Tacony St, the existing residents of the nearby 50-hundred blocks of Homestead St. and Comly street, and the estimated 1000+ households who will reside in Tacony’s new riverfront residential developments, which are planned for construction in 2007-2008. Other impacted citizens include the users of the proposed bike path and jogging trail along the old Kensington-to-Tacony rail line and the proposed Lardner’s Point Park, a 5 acre passive recreational area and restored wetland area proposed immediately to the northeast of 6101 State Road.