South Strabane, PRC host regional glass recycling event Saturday
Photo courtesy of South Strabane Township
A group of volunteers stand in front of a dumpster in South Strabane Township where the group held a glass recycling event last month.
Photo courtesy of South Strabane Township
Recycled glass sits in a dumpster in South Strabane Township, where a glass recycling event was held last month.
Photo courtesy of South Strabane Township
Volunteers collect recycled glass in South Strabane Township last month.
Residents holding onto empty glass bottles or containers will have an opportunity to recycle them in South Strabane Saturday.
The township partnered with Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC) to hold a “pop up” glass collection event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for anyone in the region with glass to recycle. The drop off location will be at the township’s municipal building, 550 Washington Road.
South Strabane is sponsoring the event, which is hosted by PRC, but it is open to anyone regardless of township residency. They are collecting empty glass bottles, jugs and jars – no windows, dishes, mirrors, light bulbs, electronics or other recyclables. The glass doesn’t have to be separated by color.
“A big turnout would go a long way in establishing a potential partnership with PRC,” said Patrick Conners, assistant township manager. “It would go a long way in showing that South Strabane takes recycling seriously.”
The township has been looking for an answer for glass recycling after many of the waste collection agencies in the area decided to stop hauling glass earlier this year. Since March, PRC has been hosting these “pop up” recycling events across the Pittsburgh region.
The township held a similar recycling event last month, which was only available to township residents and at their public works facility. They collected about 3,540 pounds of glass that day, but they’re hoping for much more at Saturday’s event.
The township’s one-year recycling contract with Waste Management will soon be expiring. Currently, they are the only recycling option for residents, some of whom have publicly expressed unsatisfactory reviews of that service since Waste Management is no longer accepting glass.
Earlier this year, the township formed an advisory committee called the “Green Team” to help implement better recycling and beautification plans for the township. Glass was the first thing they wanted to take on as a committee, but they’re also addressing litter.
On Oct. 5, they’ll have their first litter pick up event. They plan to pick up trash on Berry Road that morning. For more details and a set meeting location, call Conners at 724-225-9055. They also plan to put recycle bins for cans and bottles in Community Park in the beginning of October.
“It would be a trial, and we’d make sure people are following the rules,” Conners said. “If it goes well, we’ll see if we can put more in the other township parks.”
The township also plans to apply for the county’s program in which people with court-ordered community service hours would come to the township to pick up litter. Conners said the county provides their own equipment and supervision, and the township would choose what locations.
“It’s just a matter of when we can get on their schedule,” he said.