DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets Sept. 20 To Hear Waste Program Overview, State Water Plan Update And Discuss A Transition Paper For Incoming Governor

The DEP Citizens Advisory Council is scheduled to meet on September 20 to hear an overview of the Waste Management Program, an update on the draft State Water Plan and discuss a transition paper to present to the next Governor.

Ali Tarquino Morris, Director of DEP’s Bureau of Waste Management, will provide the  presentation on the Waste Program.

Her presentation starts with the fact that 22 percent of the authorized positions in the Program are vacant and 16 percent of the current workforce is eligible to retire in two years or less.

She reported the overall amount of waste generated in Pennsylvania has increased 8.3 percent between 2015 and 2021-- from 14.3 million tons to 15.6 million tons.

Municipal waste generated in Pennsylvania has increased 10.1 percent-- 8.62 million tons in 2015 to 8.59 million tons in 2021.

Residual waste (industrial waste) generated in Pennsylvania has increased 7.1 percent-- from 2.99 million tons in 2015 to 3.22 million tons in 2021

The overall amount of waste being disposed in the state has increased 9.3 percent between 2015 to 2021-- 21.4 million tons to 23.6 million tons.

Nearly 12 million Pennsylvanians are actively recycling, however, the amount of material recycled peaked in 2014 at just over 9.19 million tons.

In 2019, the most recent year available, 5.25 million tons were recycled, which is roughly the same amount that was recycled in 2004-- 5.14 million tons.

Generally, less paper and metal is being reported recycled from the municipal waste stream.

DEP will also discuss recommendations for changing both the basic Recycling Program and the Electronics Waste Recycling Program.

Click Here for a copy of the Waste Program presentation.

DEP’s written report on agency activities is also available.

Public Comment

Individuals interested in providing public comments during the meeting must sign up prior to the start of the meeting by contacting Keith Salador at ksalador@pa.gov  or (717) 787-8171.

The meeting will be held in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building starting at 12:30 p.m.  Click Here to register to join via WebEx.  The meeting will also be available by Conference Call: 1-415-655-0003, Conference ID#: 2633 691 0478

For more information, visit the DEP Citizens Advisory Council webpage. Questions should be directed to Keith Salador, Executive Director, ksalador@pa.gov. 

[Posted: September 8, 2022]  PA Environment Digest