Fare evasion, trash incinerator contracts, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:

Businesses not following plastic bag ban. A study conducted by the environmental nonprofit PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center found that businesses are not complying with Philadelphia’s plastic bag ban law. Local businesses are still providing plastic bags in some cases, and are not charging the 10 cent bag fee for any bag provided to a customer – whether or not it is plastic. PennEnvironment is asking the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections to increase enforcement. 6 ABC

SEPTA cracks down on fare evasions. SEPTA is bringing in new technology to cut down on fare evasion in the system. New gates, alarms, and higher fines – up to $300 – are now in action at certain train stations, though transportation can be a financial burden for many Philadelphians. Meanwhile, funding the transit agency in the future is still uncertain. NBC 10

City will continue to burn trash. With Philadelphia’s new budget, the Sanitation Department announced its intent to continue doing business with Reworld, which runs the Delaware Valley trash incinerator in Chester. Activists and councilmembers have opposed the contract, calling it an act of environmental racism due to the heavy amount of air pollution that the incinerator produces in a majority-Black city. Roughly one-third of the population in Chester has asthma or other respiratory illnesses. WHYY

Ben Franklin Bridge turns 100 and thousands walk across. The Benjamin Franklin Bridge turned 100 in July, and the Delaware River Port Authority held a celebration to mark the occasion. The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic for several hours on Saturday, instead inviting pedestrians to enjoy local food and craft vendors lined up along the way. Estimates are that over 50,000 people crossed during the event. The Philadelphia Inquirer 

City recovers after intense storm. An intense storm with several microbursts on Saturday prompted Mayor Parker to declare a Disaster Emergency to respond to power outages, downed trees, and infrastructure damage in parts of the city. PECO reported that nearly 27,000 customers experienced outages following the storm; Parks and Recreation reported approximately 340 tree emergency calls. Clean up and recovery efforts continue. 

Hot weather returns. Philadelphia will once again see temperatures climbing up through the triple digits starting Wednesday. Meteorologists are saying that this month is already 3.2 degrees higher on average than most years. Philadelphia’s temperatures are rising overall due to human-induced climate change. The Philadelphia Inquirer

Cover photo: Person holding a plastic bag. Photo by Mathias Reding via Unsplash.