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Commending RecycleBank as the 2006 Waste News’ Corporate Environmental Award winner and encouraging the Department of Streets to maintain and expand the company’s services in the City of Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, RecycleBank is a private, Philadelphia-based company founded by Patrick FitzGerald and Ron Gonen to provide incentives for residents to recycle. Currently, in the Philadelphia trial program, households can earn up to $30 RecycleBank dollars per month that can be used to shop at over 300 participating stores including local and national convenience stores, restaurants, groceries and coffee shops; and
WHEREAS, RecycleBank provides each home in its service area with a 35, 64, or 96 gallon RecycleBank Container that has an imbedded barcode to keep track of the amount each home recycles. The Company also supports a single stream recycling system that enables you to deposit all of your recyclables (paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, tin, aluminum) in your RecycleBank Container; and
WHEREAS, RecycleBank provides a complete suite of reports that includes detailed performance analysis of recycling rates, participation rates, and collection efficiency at the household, street, route, neighborhood and municipal level; and
WHEREAS, In the first phase of Philadelphia’s pilot project, a 1200 household section of Chestnut Hill, participation rates rose from 30% to 90% and weekly recycling rates rose from 10 pounds per household to 35 pounds per household. The second phase of the program, a section of West Oak Lane, also saw participation rates rise to 90% daily recycling rates rose from 3 pounds per household to nearly 20 pounds; and
WHEREAS, This innovative program has been honored by receiving 2006 Waste News’ Corporate Environmental Award which annually recognizes companies that have made a dramatic impact on the environment in the past year. Waste News is the nation’s leading publication for issues related to refuse, recycling, energy and the environmental industry; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the pilot program in Philadelphia, RecycleBank is now operating in cities and town throughout the Delaware Valley and will be expanding throughout the region in the coming years; and
WHEREAS, RecycleBank has proposed expanding their program in Philadelphia. The company would provide carts, computerized documentation, education, advertising and their incentive program. The Streets Department has expressed concerns about the cost of the program but it is feasible the City will not incur additional costs due to saving related to waste disposal costs. The environmental, economic and social benefits of an expanded RecycleBank program are obvious; and
WHEREAS, RecycleBank is clearly a nationally recognized, local company that has generated excitement and interest outside the City and the region. For the City to expand the program would bring national recognition for Philadelphia’s continued innovation and commitment to the environment; now therefore
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Commends RecycleBank as the 2006 Waste News’ Corporate Environmental Award winner and encourages the Department of Streets to maintain and expand the company’s services in the City of Philadelphia.
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