EnviroPolitics Blog

For the first time in 85 years, Manayunk’s historic canal is moving again—like the neighborhood

Water Department scientists Will Whalon and Lance Butler, (right) remove trays of mussels from a floating cage in the Manayunk Canal beneath the Cotton Street Bridge, Philadelphia, Thursday, June 26, 2025. Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer

By Jadon George, Philadelphia Inquirer

Early in Lance Butler’s days at the Philadelphia Water Department, his boss pulled him aside and took him to the Manayunk Canal.

Once a key player in America’s industrial might, the canal had been closed for nearly 60 years. Its stagnant waters were full of mud, weeds, and algae. And the gatehouse had become a run-down graffiti canvas.

“I feel sorry for whoever has to take this project on,” Butler, now a senior scientist at PWD, remembered saying.

Turning to look at him, the boss replied: “Congratulations.”

That was in 1998. At an event last month, Butler recounted that first visit, and what a different place the area around the canal had become.

That was evident in the venue for his remarks: the stage of the Venice Beach Performing Arts and Recreation Center, which opened in 2014 as a theater and outdoor playground with athletic courts bathed in floodlights.

Now, PWD is hoping the canal itself can have a revival.

Roger Thomas, scientist with the Academy of Natural Sciences, Patrick Center, holding Yellow Lampmussel removed from the Manayunk Canal at Cotton Street bridge, Philadelphia, Thursday, June 26, 2025. Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer

Read the full story here

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NJ Outdoor Alliance backs federal ban on menhaden factory fishing

President Trump is considering banning factory fishing for menhaden in federal waters. The NJOA is requesting recreational anglers to let President Trump know that we want him to do this through a direct link to the White House.

Omega Protein reduction fleets owned by its parent company, Canadian–wned Cooke Inc., have been taking huge amounts of menhaden within New Jersey’s coastal zone for years and even use spotter planes to locate the schools of these fish. On June 23, 2025, a fleet of these reduction boats coming from Virginia spent three days fishing off New Jersey and New York waters.

Menhaden supports an abundant marine life and a healthy coastal ecosystem. Many ocean fish like striped bass and bluefish rely on menhaden for their food supply. Consequently, the lack of menhaden in our waters greatly reduces our ability to fish for them and negatively impacts the charter/party industry and related industries such as tackle shops and marinas.

The New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, which represents saltwater fishing clubs, diving groups, and conservation advocates across New Jersey, is calling for action to close federal waters to the industrial menhaden reduction fleet and is asking NJOA members to support this effort.

The special link to the White House to convey your comments takes only a few minutes to complete.
Use this link to send your comments to The White House:
https://tinyurl.com/53d5pp99

If you like this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for a full month

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Congressional hearing aims to leverage chemical recycling

Megan Quinn, Senior Reporter, Waste Dive

Plastics industry groups and recycling organizations underscored the role of recycling as an economic driver during a congressional hearing on Wednesday.

During a meeting of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s environment subcommittee, lawmakers highlighted chemical recycling and e-scrap recycling as two sectors with the potential to ramp up domestic supply chains for critical materials and create jobs. Speakers also urged action on a range of federal legislation meant to make recycling easier or more accessible.

Subcommittee chair Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., acknowledged the implications of the federal government’s role in supporting recycling. He noted that President Donald Trump has specifically called for policies meant to secure critical mineral and rare earth supply chains as a national security measure meant to decrease the country’s reliance on recycled goods from other countries.

“E-waste is so important for our future” for this reason, he said, adding that the rise of data centers and ever-growing use of technology generates a high volume of end-of-life electronics that can be recycled for critical minerals. “E-waste is a commodity that can be repurposed in our fight to not only be energy independent, but energy dominant,” he said.

Speakers also noted that plastics recycling will play a major role in the future of the country’s economy, but that plastic recycling innovations must also be balanced with investments in current recycling infrastructure.

Read the full story here

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Zachary Hirschfeld joins Phillips Lytle’s NY environmental practice

Zachary Hirschfeld,
Associate
New York City Office
**Land, Environment and Energy Practice**

Zack joins Phillips Lytle as an associate focusing on environmental law and energy, and renewables.

With significant experience across public, private, and nonprofit sectors, Zack advises clients who seek clarity on how policy and law affect a range of energy and environmental matters.

A former New York State Excelsior Fellow, Zack has focused on regulatory law at the New York Power Authority and litigated enforcement actions at the New York State Office of Cannabis Management.

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Ohio town puts AI to work–suprisingly, on its garbage trucks

By Eric Schwartzberg, Dayton Daily News

Centerville, Ohio is testing a new program where recycling trucks use artificial intelligence to spot and report items that do not belong in the bin.

As each cart is emptied, the AI scans its contents and flags materials that do not meet local recycling guidelines.

“Reducing contamination in our recycling system lowers processing costs and improves the overall efficiency of our collection,” City Manager Wayne Davis said in a statement regarding the AI pilot program. “This technology allows us to target problem areas, educate residents, and make better use of city resources.”

Residents whose items don’t meet the guidelines will be notified via a personalized postcard, one that tells them which items are not accepted and provides tips on proper recycling.

Elsewhere, AI is helping with solid waste code enforcement

Yes, AI is increasingly being integrated into garbage trucks and waste management systems, transforming the industry in several ways.

Key applications of AI in garbage trucks and waste management include:

Route Optimization: AI algorithms analyze data from smart bins (equipped with fill-level sensors), real-time traffic updates, and historical data to dynamically adjust collection routes, reducing fuel consumption, increasing worker efficiency, and minimizing carbon emissions.
Predictive Maintenance: AI-driven systems can anticipate potential equipment failures in garbage trucks before they happen, allowing for proactive maintenance and minimizing costly breakdowns.
Automated Waste Sorting: AI-powered robots with computer vision can identify and separate recyclable materials from waste streams, improving sorting accuracy and efficiency in recycling facilities. This technology can reduce contamination in recycled materials and make the process more economically viable.
Smart Bins: AI sensors integrated into smart bins monitor fill levels and communicate data to waste management providers, allowing for timely collection and preventing overflow. This reduces unnecessary pickups, saves fuel, and improves public hygiene.
Contamination Detection: AI-powered cameras on garbage trucks can identify contamination in recycling carts as materials are loaded into the truck, enabling municipalities to educate residents on proper waste disposal and potentially reduce contamination-related costs.

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What’s ahead for Philadelphia’s historic Wanamaker Building?

New York developer TF Cornerstone plans to build 600 loft-style apartments above the shuttered Macy’s store in the historic Wanamaker Building in Philadelphia after acquiring complete control in a foreclosure auction Tuesday.

#WanamakerBuilding #Philadelphia #historicsites #departmentstore #loftapartments #EaseMarketStreet #ChrystalTeaRoom #WanamakerOrgan #Macy’s

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