Chester: totes in and out of the river city
Chester is the river city between Eddystone and Trainer, on I-95 and the Commodore Barry Bridge to Pureland. Marine terminals, waste-to-energy and manufacturing make it the gateway to New Jersey for Delaware County’s empties.
01What sits here
Marine terminals, a waste-to-energy plant and manufacturing sites fill the waterfront. The city is smaller than its neighbours’ pads but busier than its size suggests, because it is where the road to the Commodore Barry Bridge begins. Its ZIPs are 19013 and 19016.
| ZIP codes | Industries here | Agency to ask about empties |
|---|---|---|
| 19013, 19016 | marine terminals, waste-to-energy, manufacturing | Pennsylvania DEP |
02Who has empties, who needs totes
A waste-to-energy plant is not a tote buyer, and the desk does not trade waste. Manufacturing sites and terminals here put out mixed empties: some rinse and water, some chemical. The value of a Chester ticket is its position: it leaves for Gloucester County by the bridge, a short haul to the Pureland food parks, and to Philadelphia by I-95.
03Roads, rules and the move
US 322 climbs onto the bridge, I-95 and US 13 run along the river and PA 291 crosses the south. The agency to ask about an empty container is Pennsylvania DEP, and a tote that crosses the bridge enters New Jersey’s program. The ticket records both ends of that move.
04Next door
| Place | ZIP codes | Industries |
|---|---|---|
| Logan Township, Swedesboro and Pureland | 08085, 08067, 08020, 08056 | food distribution, cold storage, food manufacturing, logistics |
| Eddystone, Essington and Ridley | 19022, 19029, 19078, 19094, 19032 | marine terminals, airport logistics, chemical distribution |
05On the ground
Chester sits on the Delaware below Eddystone, and its riverfront roads were built for trucks. The Commodore Barry Bridge ramp is close to the waterfront, so a tote bound for New Jersey leaves town quickly. A seller with a pad should say how far the pad is from the road and whether a truck can turn around; some Chester yards are tight, and a short trailer fits where a long one does not.
06Weather, season and timing
Chester sits low on the Delaware and sees tidal flooding on the waterfront in storms. A seller whose pad is near the river should check the forecast and move the totes. The city’s grid streets are narrow, parked cars crowd them, and a driver who arrives at midday may find the block blocked. Early morning is the quiet hour.
07A ticket from here
- Put one of the ZIP codes from the first table on the ticket.
- Say whether the totes leave by the bridge, and which state they are headed for.
08Chester’s riverfront
Chester’s waterfront runs along the Delaware between Eddystone and Trainer, with a waste-to-energy plant, marine terminals and manufacturing sites. Widener University and Chester Creek sit inland, and the city’s ZIP codes are 19013 and 19016.
?Questions on this page
Why is Chester on the desk?
It is the road to the Commodore Barry Bridge, and a short haul to the Pureland buyers.
Does the desk take waste from the waste-to-energy plant?
No. The desk takes empties, never waste.