Citizens of Chester, New Jersey protest Philadelphia's practice of incinerating its trash in Chester, citing health and environmental concerns. A group gathered outside Mayor Parker's town hall, demanding immediate action to stop the incineration.
from FRI 8:00 AM EDT until FRI 8:00 PM EDT, Atlantic Coastal Cape May County, Coastal Ocean County, Coastal Atlantic County, Delaware Beaches CountyChester residents are protesting Philadelphia 's ongoing practice of incinerating its trash in Chester, citing health and environmental concerns , and are pushing for legislative action to stop it.
A group from Chester protested Philadelphia burning its trash in their city at a town hall. A group from Chester gathered outside Mayor Cherelle Parker’s town hall budget meeting in Southwest Philadelphia, demanding the city stop burning its trash in Chester. A small but determined crowd protested outside the town hall, calling for Philadelphia to stop sending and burning its trash in Chester.
Eleanor Brown, who lives two blocks from the incinerator, said, "Every night I hear the noise from the incinerator. I smell the smoke.
" Brown also said the incineration is causing her serious lung issues and has claimed the lives of loved ones and friends. "I have 14 homes on my block and in those 14 homes, 12 have died of cancer," said Brown. Philadelphia sends roughly 40 percent of its trash to the Reworld incinerator, which is the nation’s largest, burning 3,500 tons of trash and industrial waste daily in Chester, a predominantly Black city facing poverty.
Zulene Mayfield, chairperson for Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living , said, "There are carcinogens that come out of there, arsenic, lead, dioxins, particulate matter all cancer causing agents.
" Mayfield added, "Right now we have environmental genocide that is happening in our community. " Ray Craig, a 23-year-old Philadelphia resident, said, "The air is the same air. You can’t put it in a box. It’s concentrated in Chester and then it blows where it blows.
You can’t control it. We are all impacted by it.
" CRCQL is advocating for the passage of the Stop Trashing Our Air Act, first proposed in 2021, which would stop Philadelphia from incinerating its trash in Chester or anywhere else and move to a landfill process. Erica Burman from CRCQL said, "It would behoove everybody if we stopped burning our trash and landfilled it and then reduce waste. There’s plenty of programs happening, composting, expanding recycling.
" Mayfield said, "We are not going away unless we die of cancer, but until then we will always stand up for our community… stand up for our children here. " Philadelphia’s waste contract with Reworld ends June 30. CRCQL says Philadelphia City Council tabled a vote on the Stop Trashing Our Air bill at an April meeting but is still hopeful council will pass it.
Residents say the incinerator’s impact goes beyond Chester, with air quality concerns for the entire region. Protesters are urging city leaders to consider the health and environmental effects on both cities. The protest highlights ongoing tensions between Philadelphia’s waste management practices and the quality of life for Chester residents. CRCQL and others continue to push for legislative change and alternative waste solutions.
It is not yet clear if or when Philadelphia City Council will vote on the Stop Trashing Our Air Act, or what alternative waste disposal plans the city may pursue if the contract with Reworld is not renewed.
Chester Residents Protest Incineration Trash Philadelphia Health Concerns Environmental Concerns
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