Philadelphia First: Innovative Program to Pay Residents for Recycling

Next month, approximately 6,000 homes in the City’s Northwest will begin earning up to $25 monthly in restaurant and store coupons, depending on how much they recycle. Every household will receive a 36-gallon container equipped with a unique barcode. Specialty vehicles will scan the barcode and weigh the recyclables. Materials to be recycled include cans, glass, paper and - unlike elsewhere in the City - plastic. Households will receive monthly statements showing how much they recycled/earned; $5 in coupons for every 10 pounds. The idea comes from the Philadelphia entrepreneurs and social capitalists at “RecycleBank”. If successful, this pilot program will be rolled out more broadly by the Philadelphia Streets Department, the agency responsible for curbside recycling collection. This program is the first of its kind.