Title
Authorizing the Committee on the Environment to hold public hearings to examine Philadelphia International Airport's recycling policies and goals, and to explore alternative approaches to increasing the Airport's recycling rate of both public and internal waste.
Body
WHEREAS, With over 9.9 million passengers originating from Philadelphia International Airport in 2006, approximately 1500 tons of public waste and 5800 tons of tenant waste was generated; and
WHEREAS, Currently, the Airport's internal recycling efforts, which are limited to office paper, newspaper and cardboard and ballasts reduce the waste stream by 15 percent; and
WHERAS, While the Airport is in the process of implementing a public area recycling program, they only anticipate a 10 percent reduction in waste from that effort; and
WHERAS, Airport recycling has been embraced by many airports around the country and world. Many of these airports have adopted aggressive and creative policies for both internal and public recycling of materials ranging from plastic bottles to cooking oil; and
WHERAS, The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), which is currently ranked the 17th busiest passenger airport in the United States, has seen its recycling rate increase by 900 percent between 2001 and 2005. By recycling items such as coffee grounds, mixed paper, and beverage containers, Sea-Tac provides recycling opportunities in the terminals, retail stores, maintenance buildings, and airport offices, as well as food concessions, taxi stands, and garages; and
WHEREAS, Recycling bins in terminals can be designed to attract the attention of passengers, which in turn increases recycling rates. When Sea-Tac expanded their program to include redesigned bins with eye-catching signage their recycling tonnage increased by 40 percent. Recycling bins are also available with advertising space to help offset recycling program costs; and
WHEREAS, By adopting a comprehensive recycling pro...
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