Council considers sludge today / Water Dept. supports, union opposes privatizing solid-waste recycling
Source: By MARK McDONALD, Philadelphia News (PA), Thu, Nov. 30, 2006
Drive across the Platt Bridge and you can smell the problem issuing from the tons and tons of composting sewage sludge at the city's Biosolids Recycling Center. To solve its odor problem and to save money, arguably millions of dollars over a 20-year time frame, the Street administration is proposing the biggest privatization of a city function in a decade. …… But AFSCME District Council 33, which represents the city employees, has engaged in a vigorous lobbying campaign against the outsourcing plan. The Street administration had hoped to have Synagro in place by July 1, but instead the union has kept the package of bills bottled up in City Council.