Paving the Way Toward a Zero Waste Philadelphia

Why Zero Waste?

Each year Philadelphia disposes of nearly 1.5 million tons of residential and commercial waste — one ton for every resident.  As a city, we spend tens of millions of dollars each year cleaning up short dumping and litter. And although we collectively recycle almost 40% of combined residential and commercial waste, we have  work to do to compete with the sustainable cities of the 21st century. If Philadelphia is to become a greener, more beautiful city, it will take commitment and a coordinated effort from the entire city to dispose of less, recycle and reuse more, and embrace new approaches to keeping our shared spaces clean.

Bold Goal