Recycling saves the Commonwealth Serious Money

Pennsylvania saved an estimated $372 million in 2004 through recycling. The economic benefits of recycling were estimated at over $113 million in materials collected and more than $259 million in avoided disposal costs according to Governor Ed Rendell. A record 4.8 million tons of waste was recycled in 2004, the last year for which data is available. Locally, the Philadelphia Streets Department continues to drag its feet on recycling, having not filled the Recycling Coordinator position for over four months and not committing to expansion of the immensely successful RecycleBank pilot project.