Pursuing a Permanent Solution for Recycling of Electronics, Household Chemicals & More
Allegheny County is home to 1.2 million residents and 130 municipalities, including the City of Pittsburgh. The township, borough, or town where one lives largely determines how their waste is managed.
Both the County and the City contract with PRC to provide hard-to-recycle (HTR), electronics, and household hazardous waste (HHW) collection services. Residents deliver TVs, laptops, freon containing appliances, tires, HHW, and other materials to collection points throughout the county during scheduled events.
PRC is spearheading an effort to establish a permanent recycling facility in Allegheny County to enable the maximum recovery and proper waste diversion/recycling while providing residents with a convenient, cost-effective location to drop off electronics, household chemicals and other materials not accepted in curbside recycling.
“Our current system of one-day collection events is a vital service, but we’re only serving about one percent of county residents, whereas a permanent facility could serve 200 people a day within its first five years of operation,” said PRC Deputy Director Sarah Alessio Shea.
“We’re asking local governments, individuals and organizations who see the value of a permanent recycling facility to make their voices heard by signing our letter of support at prc.org.”
PRC recently commissioned a strategic plan funded by the RK Mellon Foundation to establish a Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) in Allegheny County.
“This study provides conclusive evidence that clear justification exists for PRC and Allegheny County to pursue the development of a permanent collection center,” according to Shea. “Compared to PRC’s current system of half-day collection events, a permanent facility in Allegheny County will serve far more households and divert far greater quantities of materials while better-managing risks, costs, and liability.”
The proposed vision aligns with County waste diversion, climate, and sustainability initiatives: