The single-stream recycling movement that began in 2006 goes citywide today as neighborhoods in northwest Philadelphia join in, giving city officials hope that they can triple its dismal recycling rate by 2012.

“The residential rate pre-single stream was 5.5-percent and it’s now up to 8 percent,” Streets Department Deputy Commissioner Carlton Williams said last week. “We’re looking at 15 to 18 percent in the next four years.”

That goal isn't enough for some like Christine Knapp, executive director of PennFuture and a member of the city Recycling Advisory Committee for the last six years.

“Eighteen percent is achievable and realistic but it wouldn’t put us at the top of the game [nationally],” Knapp said. “The mayor has repeatedly said he wants to put us on top of the country.”

Still, she said she is encouraged by talks of revamping the city government’s current advisory boards in charge of setting agendas for recycling and waste management.

A possible merger of the RAC and the Solid Waste Advisory Committee could take place in the coming months and Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler said the new group could play a bigger role in forging a plan for putting Philadelphia at the forefront of the nation’s recycling effort.

“The committees have largely been ignored in the prior administration,” Cutler said. “Since recycling is one of the top agenda items for [the mayor], I would like those groups to actually play a role.”

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Cutler expects to break goals

City officials hope the expansion of single-stream recycling — which allows residents to throw all of their recyclables into the same bin — helps improve its current recycling rate that remains under 10 percent.

And Rina Cutler, the deputy mayor for transportation and utilities, pointed to an increase in service by the Streets Department next year that should allow the city to blow past its current projections.

“I expect to beat that goal [of 15 to 18 percent],” Cutler said. “Next year, the entire city will be going weekly single-stream. Most of the neighborhoods still go every other week. So that should push us higher.”