Public Workshop Series: Help Guide Delaware County's Path Toward Zero Waste

Released: June 21, 2022

Delaware County recently launched a series of three public workshops to gather community feedback as part of an effort to update the County’s 10-year Municipal Waste Management Plan, last updated in 2013, to help ensure that the County has sufficient processing and disposal capacity for its municipal waste for the next decade. The new plan will guide the County’s transition to sustainable methods of materials management using Zero Waste practices.

On April 28, the first of the public workshops was held at the Sellers Memorial Library in Upper Darby Township, with nearly 50 Delaware County residents and stakeholders focusing on the development of clear goals and guiding principles for the plan. At the conclusion of the workshop, the participants had successfully agreed upon a working draft inclusive of a number of guiding principles.

On Thursday, May 26, the second of public workshops was held at Norwood Public Library and featured a robust discussion of potential Zero Waste initiatives for reducing waste and increasing recycling and composting.

Now, residents and local businesses are asked to participate in the third and final workshop in the series, scheduled to be held on Thursday, June 30, at 6 p.m. at the Chester City Hall Community Room. Participants will review the elements of the plan and provide guidance to the implementation and funding strategies.

Guest speaker, Marvin Hayes, program manager of the Baltimore Compost Collective will talk about the work of the collective which provides life skills mentorship and first-time employment for area youth. The Compost Collective collects food scraps from local customers and creates compost for the Filbert Street Community Garden, the largest community garden in Baltimore.

Marvin Hayes is passionate about his work training the next generation to become environmental champions, helping their community to get closer to zero waste. “’Compost: Learn, so we don’t have to burn,’ that’s our motto,” Hayes says.

The workshop will include an open house and discussion of draft elements of the Zero Waste Plan. Light refreshments will be served. Space is limited and registration is required.

To help ensure that the new plan continues to take shape reflective of the priorities of the residents, businesses and institutions within Delaware County, the public is strongly encouraged to participate. As with the first workshop, the June 30th workshop will be held both in-person and via Zoom. Participation in the prior workshops is not a prerequisite for participation the final workshop, and fresh voices are welcome.

Pre-registration is a requirement for participation (either in-person or via Zoom) in the workshop. For additional details and to register, visit delcopa.gov/workshops. The Zoom link for online participation will be provided upon the completion of the registration process.

PUBLIC WORKSHOP 3: DRAFT PLAN ELEMENTS
June 30, 6:00 p.m.
Chester City Hall Community Room
1 Fourth Street, Chester, PA 19013