Philadelphia Recycling Rewards: Cash in Rewards for Curbside Efforts

Introducing : Philadelphia Recycling Rewards

Update June 2019: This program will be discontinued on June 30, 2019

Last week, Mayor Michael Nutter announced the Philadelphia Recycling Rewards program that will be citywide by July 2010.  Philadelphia Recycling Rewards is a partnership between the Streets Department & RecycleBank that allows residents to earn points  for discounts, full-value gift cards or charitable contributions at participating merchants and non-profits. Previous RecycleBank’s partnerships have proven to increase recycling efforts & aid the local economy. According to Director of Sustainability Katherine Gajewski, this program is Philly’s biggest Greenworks initiative to date in helping the City become the Greenest City in America.

Philadelphia is now the largest City in the US to reward residents for recycling efforts.  The program is anticipated to bring the City’s recycling diversion rate – the amount of recyclable materials that are diverted away from landfills – to record levels. Plus, we can recycle a wide variety of items in Philadelphia.  Money talks – Every ton of waste diverted from landfills saves the city about $65.

City residents will be notified when Philadelphia Recycling Rewards will launch:

• February 2010: North Philadelphia
• March 2010: Lower Northeast, Frankford and Logan Sections
• April 2010: West and Southwest Philadelphia
• May 2010: Center City and South Philadelphia
• June 2010: Northeast Philadelphia
• July 2010: Northwest Philadelphia

Will this program help? Philadelphia Recycling By the Numbers (September 2008 – September 2009)

• 86,906 tons – residential waste recycled by households with City collection
• 316 pounds – amount that the average household with City collection recycled
• 12.5 percent – the citywide diversion rate
• 5.4% – increase in diversion rate since Mayor Nutter took office
• $5.6 million – landfill costs avoided by residential recycling

Where can you sign up?!? Here’s a few easy steps for Philadelphia residents:

1. Visit www.PhillyRecyclingPAYS.com and click “Get Started Now”.  Complete the registration form to initiate a free household account. You also can sign-up by phone: 1-888-769-7960. Bonus: Sign-up before February 1, 2010 & receive 100 bonus RecycleBank Points.
2. The Philadelphia Recycling Rewards stickers will be mailed to each participating residence starting January 2010.  Place the sticker on your primary container for recyclable materials.
3. Recycle! When the program begins in your hood, technology on the recycling truck will track your participation.  You’ll receive reward points based on sanitation areas recycling diversion rate. Lots of greenies as neighbors?  Bonus points will also be given to neighborhoods that significantly reduce the amount of trash that goes to the landfill.
4. To redeem points, residents can log onto www.PhillyRecyclingPAYS.com to view their total Points and “shop” for the rewards (or call 1-888-769-7960).  Online rewards will be emailed directly & in-store rewards will be mailed to your home within 7 business days.

Posted by Julie

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher