Trash burning contract deadlines, Climate Ready workshops, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:

Waste disposal contract bids closing soon; rally against incinerators held. The City is accepting bids for the next round of waste disposal contracts through February 20, with current contracts expire at the end of this fiscal year in June. Councilmember Jamie Gauthier has been pushing to pass the Stop Trashing Our Air Act, which would ban Philadelphia from contracting with waste incinerators that negatively impact air quality. The Parker administration, however, does not support the ban. Gauthier, other elected officials, and climate experts rallied outside of City Hall on Friday to call on Parker to reject waste disposal bids from trash incinerators.  (FOX29)

Grays Ferry air quality event and new monitoring. A fire broke out at the Philadelphia Transfer Station in Grays Ferry on Thursday evening, causing immediate concerns over potential toxic air quality. The Philadelphia Health Department initially issued a warning for residents to stay inside, but then lifted the warning the following day after testing showed no toxic compounds. Following this event, the City announced a new network of citywide air quality monitors to provide real-time updates to the public.

Office of Sustainability to hear from Philadelphians about extreme weather. The Office of Sustainability (OOS) launched a series of Climate Ready workshops to shape and update the Climate Resilience Plan. Attendees are asked to share their experiences with extreme weather, such as flooding and heat waves. Workshops will be held from February through April. 

Bike lanes still not clear after the January snowstorm. Bicycle commuters expressed frustration that the bike lanes were still not completely clear weeks after January’s winter storm. Warmer temperatures helped to melt some of the snow in recent days, but stubborn piles remained. One delivery person on an e-bike said he didn’t have a choice but to brave the roads: “It’s very unsafe but if I don’t work, I don’t make any money….I can’t ‘work from home.’” (Philadelphia magazine)

Cover photo: Stop Trashing Our Air rally on February 13. By: Chris Mansfield | PHL City Council