In August Pennsylvania Resources Council and its many sponsors will host two hard-to-recycle collection events to enable local residents to responsibly recycle a wide variety of items not accepted in curbside collection such as e-waste, tires and small Freon appliances.
These events held in partnership with the Allegheny County Health Department will take place on Aug. 2 at the Elizabeth Forward Middle School in Elizabeth Township and Aug. 23 at Boyce Park ski lodge parking lot in Plum. Both will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Participants must register in advance for either event, and that can be done online.
For a $5 participant fee, individuals can drop off unlimited cell/home phones, computer towers and peripheral equipment (keyboards, laptops, mice, etc.), expanded polystyrene packaging material, microwave ovens and video game consoles/DVD players.
For an additional fee, individuals can recycle televisions and computer monitors, printers, fluorescent tubes, small Freon appliances and tires (with and without rims). Visit PRC’s website to view a complete list and additional information.
Boyce Park is located at 754 Center Road Pittsburgh, PA 15239, and Elizabeth Forward Middle School at 401 Rock Run Road, Elizabeth, PA 15037.
The final two 2025 hard-to-recycle collections in Allegheny County will take place Sept. 27 at Settlers Cabin Park in Robinson and Oct. 11 at a location to be announced in Quaker Valley.
You can also unload household chemicals
Meanwhile, registration also is is open for two PRC household chemical collections sponsored by the Allegheny County Health Department. These events enable Western Pennsylvania residents to conveniently dispose of materials such as cleaners, paints, batteries, automotive fluids, e-cigarettes/vapes and pesticides, according to a news release.
The collections will be held on Aug. 16 at the Boyce Park ski lodge parking lot, Plum, and on Sept. 6 at the South Park Wave Pool parking lot at 280 Wave Pool Drive, Bethel Park, PA 15102. Both events take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Participants must register in advance.
A $20 fee will cover the cost of disposing every 10 gallons/50 pounds of aerosol cans, automotive fluids, chemistry sets, gasoline and kerosene, household cleaners, mercury thermometers, paint products, pesticides/garden chemicals, photo chemicals, and pool chemicals. Loads exceeding 10 gallons/50 pounds will be subject to additional fees at the discretion of on-site staff.
All are drive-thru events. Participants should place items in their car trunks or truck beds and stay in their vehicles while contractors unload the materials, the news release explained. PRC accepts cash, checks, credit and debit cards.
“It’s important to divert these materials from landfills since many contain toxic elements that can leach into our waterways or introduce dangerous toxic chemicals into our environment,” PRC Executive Director Darren Spielman said in the news release.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an average home can easily accumulate 100 pounds or more of cleaners, automotive fluids, paints, pesticides and other products containing potentially hazardous components. While these products are safe to use if proper precautions are taken, problems generally arise via improper use or disposal, according to the news release.
For more information about collections or to register, visit www.prc.org/CollectionEvents or call PRC at 412-488-7490.
The PUP is the publication of the striking workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
