South Hills area sees expansion in glass recycling
New blue recycling bins will be available for residents to drop off glass items at Village Square Mall in Bethel Park.
A glass recycling collaboration will enable South Hills residents to drop off items at two locations in Bethel Park and Moon Township.
Allegheny County residents now have new opportunities to drop off glass bottles, jars and jugs at permanent recycling dumpsters, thanks to a grant provided by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The Glass Recycling Collaborative of Southwestern PA, a newly formed partnership between municipalities in Allegheny County and the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC), is now providing reliable, uninterrupted glass recycling access.
Residents can drop off all colors of glass bottles, jars and jugs at the first two sites established as part of this region-wide glass recycling network.
“For years, CAP Glass and Michael Brothers Hauling & Recycling have served as essential partners with PRC in glass recycling programs in this region, and we are excited see our partnership expand through the collaborative,” said PRC Deputy Director Sarah Alessio Shea.
“To grow the circular economy in Southwestern PA, Michael Brothers will deliver all glass collected in the blue dumpsters to CAP Glass in Mt. Pleasant, Pa. There it will be sorted and prepared for use by regional glass product manufacturers, and a bottle, jar or jug dropped in the bin today could be recycled and back on a store shelf in less than 30 days.”
Individuals can deposit glass bottles, jars and jugs of all colors (no sorting required) in blue recycling dumpsters permanently installed in Bethel Park and Moon Township.
The first location can be found at the Village Square Mall, 5000 Oxford Drive. The dumpster has been placed in the upper level lot near Fine Wine and Good Spirits.
Drop-off is available seven days a week.
The second site is at the Moon Township Public Works Garage lot, 1115 Stevenson Mill Road.
Drop-off hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.
The recycling program, held in partnership with CAP Glass and Michael Brothers, is made possible through a DEP recycling grant held by Borough of Dormont.
“Glass is still one of the most recyclable materials we generate in our homes, and the market for glass recycling is very strong,” said Shea. “It’s important from an environmental perspective to keep glass out of landfills, and PRC is dedicated to building an efficient, region-wide glass recycling collection network.”
Visit www.prc.org/glass for more information regarding recycling.
Did you know?
• Glass is 100 percent recyclable
• Glass can by recycled endlessly
• Recycling glass uses 70 percent less energy than raw materials
• In a landfill, glass takes one million years to degrade
• A glass bottle can go from recycling bin to store shelf in 30 days.