Philadelphia Mayoral Race: Chester activists push back against controversial comments on trash hauling

CHESTER, Pa. - Residents and environmental activists gathered Friday at a Chester park to denounce the controversial words spoken by Philadelphia mayoral candidate Jeff Brown during Tuesday night's debate. 

When asked about tons of garbage being trucked to Chester from Philadelphia for processing at a trash-to-energy plant, Brown said his concerns are with the people of Philadelphia. 

"Chester is Chester I’m worried about Philadelphia and how their lives are what would come first is what would be best for Philadelphia," Brown said from behind a podium on Tuesday. 

That comment rattled the cage of Chester residents who say they are fed up with the quality of life in the beleaguered river town of 33,000 on the banks of the Delaware River.

"You are a pimp, and we will not be prostituted for pollution and that goes for all the candidates in Philadelphia," Zulene Mayfield said on Friday.

The City of Chester is paid $5M yearly by Covanta to process 3,500 tons of waste every day. According to a Covanta spokesperson, a study shows that the plant does not pose a health risk of any kind o people living nearby and the plant operates below its federally regulated standards. 

Still, activists argue the plant is a source of asthma in children and has driven down property values. 

"Chester is not a dumping ground, no trash has to come here, it should not be here and it shouldn’t be in Philadelphia," Rep. Carol Kazeem said.