Local recycling information/events

Tip: Always check with local outlets to ensure availability of collection and recycling services.

Your local County Recycling / Waste Management Coordinator is a great source of information regarding “hard to recycle” or “hard to dispose-of” items.

PA CleanWays of Butler-Lawrence Counties conducts an annual Appliance, Electronics & Tire Recycling Day in September  

Westmoreland CleanWays recycling information

HHW Type

Resources

Ammunition

Local, county or state police

Appliances

Non-freon-containing

Bulk item disposal—local trash collectors, municipality, scrap metal dealers.

Freon-containing

A U.S. EPA-licensed technician must remove the freon and attach a required tag to the appliance. The item may then be disposed of as a non-freon containing appliance (as above).

EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program

The Appliance Warehouse (Pittsburgh, PA) accepts the items at no charge

Construction Junction accepts Freon-containing appliances, but there is a fee of $10.00 per appliance. All other appliances are accepted free of charge.

“1-800-GO-FREON” program  (Allegheny County, PA residents only)

Televisions

Earth 911 on television disposal

Many local TV repair shops will take obsolete TVs for parts.

You can also try calling local metal recyclers who will often take TVs for scrap metal.

Automotive Products

Car batteries

Advanced Auto Parts sponsors a free battery-recycling program. Check with them for further information.

Car batteries can also be returned to the seller- they are required by law to accept them.      

Motor Oil

Advance Auto Parts locations throughout the region accept used oil free of charge. Other companies, such Pennzoil 10 Minute Oil Change Centers and Jiffy Lube also accept oil in many locations.

Always check with your local automotive service suppliers regarding their policies and programs. Many will take used motor oil as long as it has not been contaminated with any other substance (such as water or other motor fluids). Additional information is available from the American Petroleum Institute. 

Information on the importance of used oil recycling from Earth911

Other Automotive Fluids

DEP Recycling Hotline: 1-800-346-4242

Tires

There are several ways to dispose of used tires properly:

• Return them to the place of purchase or any reputable tire dealer-a fee is usually charged for this service
• Take used tires to a local tire collection event for disposal
• Call your county or local solid waste transfer station/landfill and ask if they accept used tires or know of a place that accepts them.
• Contact your county or local recycling center and ask if they accept used tires

Tip: Reduce Your Tire Usage

If everyone helps out just a little, major progress can be made toward reducing the total amount of used tires generated. Things you can do to help include:

• Purchase tires with longer tread life
• Rotate your tires every 4,000 miles
• Balance your tires when you rotate them
• Check for/inflate tires to recommended air pressure levels once a month or before every long trip
• Use public transportation and carpool

Additional information:http://www.epa.gov/garbage/tires/faq.htm

Batteries

Household

We accept typical household batteries (9-volts, AA, D, etc.) at HHW collections, but there are some additional disposal options:

• http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/
• INMETCO is a PA company that accepts batteries if you pay to ship them or purchase their pre-paid mailers
• Waste Management Think Green program

Tip: Prevention of Household Battery Waste

To reduce waste, start with prevention. Starting with prevention creates less or no leftover waste to become potentially hazardous waste. The following are steps to take to prevent household battery waste.  

• Check to see if you already have the batteries on hand before buying more
• Buy hand-operated items that function without batteries whenever possible
• Look for batteries that have less mercury and heavy metals
• Consider rechargeable batteries as applicable, but remember that they also contain heavy metals such as nickel-cadmium

Bulk waste / Building Materials

Construction/remodeling/demolition waste—contact local landfill for disposal information.

Re-useable building materials can be donated to Pittsburgh’s Construction Junction.

Cell phones

Cell Phones and Rechargeable Batteries

Tip: It’s a good idea to erase all personal information from your cell phone prior to donating.

Donation options:

Many local abuse shelters will accept useable (non-broken) cell phones, which they program to dial “911” for use by potential abuse victims for their protection. Visit ShelterHelp.org and Wirelessfoundation.org for additional information.

http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/dropoff/index.php

http://www.staples.com/sbd/content/about/soul/recycling.html

http://www.collectivegood.com/ (donation by mail)

www.CCICenter.org (Pittsburgh)

Compressed gas cylinders (including propane tanks)

Blue Rhino- found at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Get-Go, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.

Local: Welding supply companies—Jackson Welding, etc.

LNG, LPG supply companies—AGWAY, Air Products, BOC, etc.

Many businesses that sell compressed gas cylinders and some metal recyclers accept empty gas tanks for recycling- check your local listings.

Corrugated

If curbside recycling is not available in your area, please visit www.Earth911.org for recycling options.

Electronics and computers (E-waste)

Tip: It’s a good idea to erase all personal information from your personal computer or laptop prior to donating.

Costco Trade-In & Recycle (PCs, LCD Monitors, Digital Cameras, Camcorders, Game Systems & MP3 Players)

Goodwill Industries has a free recycling program for computer equipment- Reconnect Parntership

Educational Assistance Ltd. also has a donation program for computers- as well as many other items

Staples has recycling programs for the following (large items require a fee, smaller peripherals such as keyboards, mice and speakers are free):

• E-waste (computers, monitors, laptops, and desktop printers, faxes and all–in–ones- fee involved)
• Ink and Toner Cartridges

Waste Management Think Green program

Many counties operate electronics recycling programs or know of local collections taking place throughout the year. Contact your local county coordinator for information.

Explosives

Local, county or state police/bomb squad

Fire extinguishers & Flares

Local fire departments

Household Chemicals

SW PA HHW Collection Events
Household Products Database
Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3)

Industrial/commercial waste

Hazardous

Contact HHW contractor from Business-to-Business yellow pages under “Environmental Services.”

Non-Hazardous

Contact local landfill or waste hauling companies for disposal information.

Light Bulbs

Incandescent (or “regular”) Light Bulbs
Incandescent bulbs are not recyclable. They contain no mercury and can be disposed of in normal residential trash. To prevent injury due to broken glass, wrap the bulb in newspaper prior to placing it in the household trash container.

Fluorescent Lighting
Households produce numerous “burned-out” lamp bulbs and tubes every year. Due to the use of elemental mercury in fluorescent and neon fixtures and the increased concern over mercury exposure, disposal of these tubes is of particular concern to residents.

When someone mentions fluorescent lighting, most people think of long glass tubing, either straight or bent into a “U” shape, normally white in color and in 4-foot or 8-foot lengths. They can be labeled T-12, T-8, etc.  This class also includes “black light” tubes and bulbs.

The mercury content of tubes with green or pink aluminum end caps and those labeled “low mercury,” “environmentally safe” and similar markings can be placed into residential waste streams.  It is always a good safety measure to wrap them in newspaper and secure with tape to protect the public and trash haulers.

• How to manage a broken fluorescent tube

Tubes with different colored ends may contain high levels of mercury that could leach into the environment.  The PA DEP website has additional information on recycling these tubes. 

• Dlubak Glass accepts fluorescent tubes free of charge

If no better options are available, residents are permitted to dispose of these tubes in their normal waste containers for landfill disposal.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)

CFLs contain mercury and should be disposed of properly. Your household garbage is not the correct disposal method!
If you can’t bring your CFLs to a SW PA HHW Task Force event, free nationwide recycling programs are available:

• Home Depot
• IKEA  
• Waste Management Think Green program

Pittsburgh, PA region disposal outlets:

• Sierra Club Pittsburgh Chapter accepts CFLs free of charge

• Scott Electric is a commercial lighting company that accepts quite a few items for a fee:

• Individuals can walk-in small quantities of materials at each of their locations. Please call the location nearest you for fee schedules and additional information.   

Sylvania sponsors a similar program through the mail, but there are fees involved.

To locate the closest recycling centers to your home that accept CFLs, check www.earth911.org and www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling.
If you live in Pennsylvania and have questions regarding recycling and disposal of CFLs, please contact your County Recycling Coordinator.
If your local waste management agency offers no other disposal options except your household garbage, place the CFL in a plastic bag and seal it before putting it in the trash. If your waste agency incinerates its garbage, you should search a wider geographic area for proper disposal options. Never send a CFL or other mercury-containing product to an incinerator!

Additional information on CFLs:

• Allegheny Power on CFL Disposal
• http://earth911.org/
• http://www.epa.gov/hg/spills/index.htm#flourescent
• http://www.lamprecycle.org/
• http://www.lightbulbrecycling.com
• http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/energystar/english/consumers/questions-answers.cfm#mercury
• http://www.slate.com/id/2183606/pagenum/all/

Medical waste

EPA guide to State Medical Waste Programs and Regulations

Sharps (needles, lancets, etc.)

NEVER PLACE SHARPS OR NEEDLES IN YOUR RECYCLING BIN!

Place in metal or impregnable plastic and seal with duct tape; the sharps or needles can then be disposed of with your household trash.

Mercury-containing items (thermometers, etc.)

Quantities of Mercury greater than those found in household thermometers and small switches should be stored in tightly sealed containers. The Department will collect these quantities of mercury by phoning
412-442-4000 and asking for the Emergency Response Program.  This only applies to mercury from households and schools, businesses need to utilize a mercury recycler.  For cleanup after breaking a household mercury thermometer the procedures found at the following web address provides good information: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/mercury/hgcleanup.pdf

Paint

Latex

Latex paint is not a hazardous waste. It can be mixed with kitty litter, dried and disposed of with your household trash.

Oil-based

These are hazardous and should be disposed of properly. Oil-based paint can be brought to local HHW events.

Pesticides

PA Department of Agriculture: Chemsweep Pesticide Disposal Program

This program includes products such as insecticides, weed killers, fungicides, rodent baits, swimming pool chlorination products, wood preservatives, disinfectants, plant growth regulators, etc. 

Pharmaceuticals/Prescription Drugs/Personal Care Products

The environmental impacts of and proper disposal methods for pharmaceutical and personal care products is an emerging issue. For more information on this subject and a link to the Federal government's current disposal guidelines, please visit the EPA's Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products website.

Product Stewardship Institute

Polypropylene Plastic Caps (#5)

Recycle Caps with AVEDA Program

Radioactive Materials

Call the PA DEP regional office for your area and speak with someone in Radiation.

Smoke Detectors

• Many companies will take back obsolete smoke detectors that they have manufactured
• Contact the company for details

Residential

One smoke detector per week can be placed into your home trash.

Non-Residential

Contact manufacturer or distributor for details.

General Information

• www.itsyournature.org 
• www.earth911.org

Solvents

Used solvents such as paint thinner and turpentine and be filtered with cheese cloth, the filtrate dried and disposed of and the liquid used again. This must be done in a well-ventilated area away from any sources of ignition.