We got started as the Delco Alliance for Environmental Justice in 2007. A multi-racial, multi-generational alliance of groups and individuals from around the county mobilized at a time when there had not been any organized voice for environmental justice in Delaware County, PA in several years. With the leadership and support from Mike Ewall of Energy Justice Network, in just six months, we defeated plans for the Israeli company, Koach Energy, to build the world’s largest tires-to-oil refinery in Chester.
In 2014, we reorganized under the banner of Chester Environmental Justice to stop the City of Chester from approving plans to import Manhattan trash (hundreds of thousands of tons per year) for 2-3 decades to burn at Covanta’s trash incinerator at Front and Highland in Chester. We got the Planning Commission to unanimously recommend against it, and packed city hall twice, standing room only. However, city council sold us out and approved it, with the blessing of then Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland.
Since 2019, we’ve had the opportunity to end the waste contracts that cause Delaware County’s trash to be burned at the Reworld (Covanta) incinerator in Chester. We have been incredibly successful so far in moving the county toward ending incineration and adopting a strong Zero Waste Plan. In 2023, the Delaware County Solid Waste Authority started diverting about 15% of the county’s waste away from the incinerator, and they plan to divert 100% in a few years once their transfer stations are rebuilt and can handle the capacity.
In 2023, we rebranded back to our original county-wide name, but simply as Delco Environmental Justice, to reflect that much of the work needed to win environmental justice for Chester has to take place at the county level where decisions are made to steer trash and sewage sludge to the City of Chester.
We’re also watchdogging the DELCORA sewage sludge incinerators in Chester, and related developments at DELCORA, to ensure that the incinerators are replaced with anaerobic digesters. We’re excited to see that our efforts are paying off as DELCORA is now (in 2024) working to facilitate a conversion to digesters, just a couple years after they were exploring moving to an experimental different type of incineration (pyrolysis) for their sewage sludge.
In 2024, we’re supporting a new group forming in Chester to fight a filthy crematory that the city allowed to be built in a residential neighborhood.