Philadelphia is embracing a greener future! Waste Management (WM) announced the completion of the $40 million automation update of its Philadelphia Recycling Facility. Officials said the upgraded facility — located at 5109 Bleigh Ave. — is expected to process up to 192,000 tons of material per year and is already processing recyclable bottles, jars, cans, and paper collected from homes and businesses in the city and nearby neighborhoods. To celebrate, Waste Management and city and state officials gathered Friday morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. “WM has invested $40 million in this facility,” said Chris Farley, WM Greater Mid-Atlantic Area Vice President during the event. “This plant has the potential to process up to 192,000 tons of material a year and produce commodities that manufacturers can use to create new products.” Philadelphia May 25, 2023 When will my trash get picked up in Philly? Guide to 2024 holidays on collection Philadelphia Oct 3 Neighbors, activists continue fight against illegal trash dumping in Philadelphia “I’m so happy that we have great partners to work with,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said. Officials said the technological advancements engineered into recycling facilities are intended to collect more types of plastic, utilize sorting technologies, and include an additional optical sort line that serves as a final quality control measure of any recyclables not initially captured. “This plant allows us to take more material and produce better commodities,” Farley added. Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.