When it’s time to dispose of items that can’t go in the household recycling bin – household chemicals, paint and fluorescent lights, for example – there are alternatives.

But what are the alternatives?

“We take one or two phone calls every day about recycling,” said Jason Theakston, director of the Washington County Planning Commission. “Usually we get calls about electronics and household chemicals like paints, pesticides and liquids – those are the big ones. “I recently got a call about an electric lift chair – it was my first time getting one – and it was difficult because it’s a hybrid. “

Harder-to-recycle items may require extra steps or running to different locations, but Washington County has tried to make it easier by creating the Washington County Facilities Directory, a comprehensive list of drop-off locations throughout the county, as well as out-of-state options, for auto parts, electronics , fluorescent tubes, metals, garden waste, concrete and other miscellaneous items.

One of the county’s most successful partnerships is with JVS Environmental, which five years ago opened a collection center at 1 American Way in Ellsworth that accepts all electronics — such as televisions, computers, monitors and printers — and appliances containing Freon on other and fourth Tuesday of each month at 14.00-18.00

“It’s been very helpful, and it’s open rain or shine,” Theakston said. “It has helped us manage the volume of recyclables.”

Pennsylvania requires larger municipalities that meet a population threshold to recycle. In Washington County, 11 of its 66 communities are mandated to offer recycling to residents for specific recyclables, and two — East Washington and McDonald — offer it voluntarily.

The county also hosts an annual household chemical and tire collection event at Wild Things Park in North Franklin Township (this year’s event was held in June), organized by the Pennsylvania Resources Council, an environmental organization.

Theakston said Washington County’s directory of recycling facilities’ alternative recycling options offers a valuable resource as residents want to recycle and dispose of items that are difficult to recycle but often just don’t know where.

“If you have any hard-to-recycle items that you’re not sure what to do with, call the office (724-228-6811) or the Pennsylvania Resources Council (412-488-7490) and we’ll try to help” , Theakston said.

In Fayette County, only a handful of its 42 municipalities have curbside pickup, so the county has done its best to fill those gaps by making recycling easy and convenient for residents.

The county opened the Fayette County Recycling Convenience Center, located at 105 Romeo Lane, Uniontown, on Earth Day 2021. It provides residents with a drive-through, self-service facility where they can drop off traditional and hard-to-recycle items year-round. -round.

– The response has been overwhelming. Our citizens have really embraced the recycling center and even inspired us to add new programming based on their requests, so they’ve really made it their own,” said Sheila Shea, Fayette County Recycling Coordinator/Stormwater Manager. “We have thousands of recyclers come through our doors each year, and our tonnage has steadily increased as a result.

“It is important to have the recycling center as a central location because we receive both regular recycling and hard-to-recycle materials all year round. By offering sustainable options for people to recycle, we’ve reduced the amount of material ending up in our landfills and we’ve had less big truths because there’s less illegal dumping along our roads and waterways.”

By 2023, 7,609 recycling centers used the recycling center, and Keep Fayette County Green community bins – single-stream recycling receptacles strategically placed throughout the county – collected 798.29 tons of recyclables, keeping more than 1.5 million pounds of recyclables out of landfills.

“Our bins, which we introduced in 2020, are also growing,” she said.

Shea is as excited as ever about finding ways to reduce, reuse or recycle the half-empty paint cans, plastic bags, aluminum cans and other items that flow through the Fayette County waste stream.

The county hosts a series of hard-to-recycle events in municipalities throughout the year, and has partnered with the Lions Club to recycle glasses and hearing aids.

The center also accepts shipping and food grade foam products. Styrofoam materials – which must be clean and empty – include cups, takeout containers, meat trays, egg cartons, styrofoam coolers and packaging from furniture, TVs and other electronics.

“My goal has always been to make recycling accessible enough to everyone that it just becomes a way of life in Fayette County. We want all of our families to recycle,” she said.

Creating and developing a sustainable recycling program also requires educating children and adults.

Shea said the department is working with school districts and talking to civic groups and organizations to provide information about recycling.

“We’ve seen the impact the last few years have made already as these students have been inspired to start their own recycling initiatives,” Shea said.

Consider Luke Hamaker. The third-grader at Franklin Elementary School in the Uniontown School District has partnered with Keep Fayette County Green and Franklin Township to collect more than 8,000 pounds of plastic bags and other plastic wrap as part of the NexTrex Recycling Challenge.

To date, as a result of Luke’s efforts, NexTrex has donated six park benches made from recycled materials to schools, businesses and organizations in the county. A recycled bench was recently installed at the Smock Volunteer Fire Department.

Shea credits Luke, who has been named a Fayette County Recycling Ambassador, with increasing interest in the county’s recycling opportunities.

“He’s a great young lad. More people are taking on our recycling challenges than ever before, and a lot of that has recently been down to Luke,” said Shea. “His legacy will continue through generations of recyclers, and we’re very grateful to have him – and all our citizens – who support our program.”

His mother, Melissa Hamaker, said Luke is passionate about recycling and has been collecting scrap and other recyclables for about three years.

“He loves Fayette Waste, and garbage day is his favorite day of the week,” Hamaker said. “Recycling, scrapping and Fayette Waste give him purpose. He is passionate about it. I am so proud of him.”

Fayette County Recycling will host several events this fall, including a household hazardous waste collection with the Pennsylvania Resources Council on September 21 (registration required). To register, visit prc.org.

Shea is optimistic that recycling will continue to grow in the county.

“It takes partners. We focused on networking and partnerships, and it started with municipalities, and (Fayette County) commissioners support recycling 100%, which is huge,” Shea said. “We’re helping to save the environment. You just have to do it simple and provide opportunities and have the resources to help people participate.”

Greene County will also host a recycling drive on September 18th from 2-6pm at the Greene County Fairgrounds. An unlimited number of televisions will be accepted this year. For additional information, call 724-852-5300. For more information on recycling, visit www.co.greene.pa.us/resources/1346 or earth911.com.

The Fayette County Recycling Center is open Mondays and Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Wednesday at 12:00 to 18:00; and the fourth Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m