PRC shattered its glass recycling record last year when the organization enabled 45,000 households to drop off nearly two million pounds of bottles, jars and jugs for recycling – nearly doubling the amount of glass collected in the prior 12-month period.
The environmental nonprofit has expanded its outreach effort to make finding a nearby recycling drop-off bin as easy as the touch of a button with the introduction of an interactive glass recycling map at prc.org/glass.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MAP
“We’ve witnessed the commitment of residents who collect, store and drop off their glass for recycling, and we want to make it as easy as possible to encourage others to do the same,” according to PRC Deputy Director Sarah Alessio Shea. “In recent years, PRC has worked with numerous partners to create a strong glass recycling network throughout southwestern Pennsylvania, and we’re excited to see our totals steadily increase for both number of people participating and tons of glass recycled.”
By visiting prc.org/glass, individuals can view a regional map displaying locations of permanent glass drop-off bins as well as locations of PRC’s Traveling Glass Recycling Bin, which makes weeklong appearances at a variety of sites.
Many of the permanent sites were installed as part of the Glass Recycling Collaborative of Southwestern PA, a partnership between PRC, the Borough of Dormont and municipalities in Allegheny County that is funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
The most recent Collaborative site – established in March in the Borough of Oakmont – remains a busy drop-off location seven days a week.
“The residents of Oakmont had been asking for a permanent recycling dumpster,” explains Oakmont Assistant Manager Phyllis Anderson. “Residents were very happy, so happy that we filled the first dumpster up in only three weeks, which is six tons of glass.”
According to Shea, glass deposited into the permanent and traveling bins is 98 to 100% recyclable into new bottles and jars and support a local circular economy.
“Glass manufacturing and recycling glass is a robust industry, and here in Pennsylvania the entire process never has to cross state lines,” says Shea. “Throughout our network, all glass collected is hauled by Michael Brothers Hauling & Recycling to CAP Glass in Mt. Pleasant, Pa., where it is sorted and prepared for use by regional glass product manufacturers. A bottle dropped in a dumpster today can be recycled into a new bottle and on a store shelf in as little as 30 days.”