Incineration, Recycling, Composting: What’s next for Waste Management in Philadelphia?

Council Member Jamie Gauthier’s “Stop Trashing Our Air” which would ban Incineration of trash from Philadelphia is in limbo without enough votes to pass and meantime, Mayor Parker has announced the waste contracts will go forward. What does this mean and what’s next for Waste Management in Philadelphia? Join us for a panel discussion on this very important topic that affects all of us. Speakers Maurice Sampson from Phoenix Collaborations and Samantha Wittchen from Circular Cities Network will share their thoughts and lead a discussion on the topic. This is a hybrid event, so guests can choose to attend either virtually (via Zoom) or in person. The disussion will be hosted in the Parlor room at Summit Presbyterian Church. Please RSVP here.

Maurice Sampson II, Phoenix Collaborations Principal, is an environmental justice advocate and sustainable waste management expert, with a career of 49 years. He was first Recycling Coordinator for Newark, NJ and then for the City of Philadelphia. He served as Clean Water Action’s Eastern PA Director and accepted SustainPHL’s 2025 Activist of the Year Award for the work he directed. 

Samantha Wittchen is a circular economy professional, designer, engineer, and writer based in Philadelphia. As co-founder of the Circular Cities Network and Circular Philadelphia, she focuses on advancing city-level circularity through integrating policy, infrastructure development and community engagement. She received the 2024 Rad Award for Innovator of the Year from The Philadelphia Citizen and was named one of the 150 Most Influential Philadelphians by Philadelphia Magazine in 2023.