Recycling is in a serious crisis. Public confusion due to inconsistent labeling and misunderstandings about proper recycling guidelines are the leading reason why many recycle incorrectly – or chose not to recycle at all. And with supply greater than demand, the value of recyclables has severely diminished – while the cost of collecting, transporting, processing, and marketing recyclables has increased substantially. Greene County is among those struggling with recycling issues – but dedicated officials and citizens continue to provide a variety of recycling opportunities.
After a closure due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the recycling facility just west of Ruff Creek store, at 197 Dunn Station Road in Prosperity, reopened on July 13, 2020. Townships choosing to participate in recycling were permitted to restart their recycling process the following week and the program has continued operations since reopening. The facility, the product of a cooperative relationship between the County of Greene, Greene Arc, Inc. and Gateway Recycling, provides residents and businesses a place to recycle materials.
Managing the program is a daunting task. The overhead cost of operating the recycling facility is significant: each month, it costs $3,000 to lease the property which a county building and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) equipment resides, and approximately $2,600 for trash, utilities, and maintenance expenses. Originally, the parcel lease cost was $4,000 a month, but the Commissioners negotiated a decrease in August 2020. Expenses for the facility are paid from the County’s General Fund.
The County of Greene is spearheading a coordinated recycling effort in Greene County. This effort has the potential of reducing the overhead cost associated with the recycling program. It relies on the cooperation of the public and businesses to effectively receive, sort, and process materials while keeping costs affordable. Materials received at the Ruff Creek facility must strictly adhere to guidelines (list below). Non-acceptable material must be returned to your home and is not permitted to be disposed of in the dumpsters at the facility. The disposal of materials brought to the center that aren’t recyclable cost $1,800 each month.
Recycling Guidelines
ACCEPTED
- Paper as listed (please separate)
- Cardboard (Corrugated Boxes, Chipboard, Empty Cereal Boxes)
- Sorted Office Paper (White Paper, Envelopes, Copy Paper, Shredded Paper – staples and paperclips OK)
- Mixed Paper (File folders, Junk mail, Magazines)
- Newspaper (Black and White)
- Metals as listed
- Tin Cans (Soup Cans – rinsed and clean)
- Plastics as listed (please separate)
- #1 PET Bottles (Water and Soda Bottles – clean and empty)
- #2 HDPE Jugs (Milk Jugs – clean and empty)
NOT ACCEPTED
- Aluminum Cans (pop, soda, beer)
- Plastics (Mixed Bottles, jars, bags, Styrofoam, vinyl siding, toys, buckets)
- Wood (Furniture, TV Stands, Speakers, Pianos, Cabinets)
- Glass (Windows, Automotive Glass, Mirrors, Ceramics)
- Electronics (TVs, Computers, Speakers)
- Clothes
- Light Bulbs
- Ink/Toner Cartridges
- Mattresses or Carpets
- Medical Equipment
- Home Appliances
- Batteries
- Used Motor Oil
- Tires
- Any item with food residue
- Construction Waste
- Car Parts and Bicycles
Do not put recyclables in plastic bags. If you bring them in plastic bags, please open the bags and dump the items in the correct bin and take your bags home. You can recycle these bags at Giant Eagle, Walmart, or through the Lions Club.
The lease for the current facility expires in November 2021. The recycling center will continue operations after that date if something can be worked out to minimize cost. “We will continue recycling center operations if presented the opportunity to make it a more reasonable cost to the residents of Greene County,” says Mike Belding, Greene County commissioner chairman. “Either substantial reduction in the lease agreement or a third party picking up the lease agreement is a viable solution. We are still seven months away from lease expiration and we have already begun negotiations in an attempt to keep the center open. Meanwhile, we will explore other opportunities to allow Greene County residents to participate in general recycling programs elsewhere should the center have to be closed.”
Until then, the facility will continue to operate unaffected, and during the course of 2021, the County of Greene will offer additional opportunities to encourage proper recycling. These events will provide accessible venues to dispose of those hard-to-recycle items, including electronics, tires, and household hazardous waste, reducing illegal dumping in our communities.
Two electronic recycling collection events will be held at the Greene County Fairgrounds from 2pm to 6pm, on May 19 and September 22. Guidelines for the event include only one CRT-style TV per car, stay in your car and follow CDC recommendations. There is no fee to recycle most electronics; the exceptions are televisions with busted glass ($50), Freon appliances ($20), and fluorescent light bulbs ($2). To register for the event, visit www.co.greene.pa.us/recycling.
For the first time, a tire recycling event will be held at the fairgrounds in conjunction to the May 19 electronics recycling, thanks to the PA West Nile Virus Grant provided to the Greene County Conservation District. Tires are the number one harbor for mosquitos during summer months and recycling old tires reduces habitats for breeding mosquitos. Unmounted passenger tires will be accepted for a fee of $1 per tire, for up to 20 tires per person. No tires will be accepted from tire service companies or auto repair shops.
A new household hazardous waste collection will be held on July 17 from 9am to 1pm at the Greene County Fairgrounds 4-H Rabbit barn, thanks to a partnership with Noble Environmental Specialty Recycling, LLC. For a small fee, the event will accept paint, batteries, lightbulbs, household cleaners, solvents, anti-freeze, gasoline, motor oil, etc. Payment will only be accepted via credit card; prices for the event are paint, $1.1/lb.; universal waste, $1.20/lb.; other household hazardous waste, $1.50/lb.; and propane cylinders $10/unit.
Many citizens and community groups are complementing the County’s recycling efforts with their own creative recycling endeavors. Plastic bags, not recycled at the Greene Arc center, are getting new life as useful rugs and mats. At the Waynesburg Community Center, the brightly colored plastic shopping bags are converted to plarn, then woven into rectangles, stars, and circles. Once completed, they can be purchased at the Center’s store. The rugs provide funds to assist in the center’s operation, reuse plastics, and enliven your home.
Throughout the last few years, the Lions Club has dedicated their annual community projects to eliminating plastic waste while providing something for the community. In 2018, plastic shopping bags were collected, converted into plarn, and used to weave mats for the homeless. In 2019, the Lions worked with outdoor furniture company TREX to promote recycling. The Lions collected plastics, delivered them to Giant Eagle, and reported the totals to TREX. After reaching the 500-pound goal, they received a free bench from TREX. The bench was placed in downtown Waynesburg’s Hooper Park during the spring of 2020. After a second round of plastic recyclables were delivered, a second bench was placed in Hooper Park. The Lions Club has assisted other Lions Clubs and community organizations start the process and receive benches.
“There’s an unbelievable amount of plastic out there that can be recycled but isn’t,” says Eleanor Chapman, a member of the Waynesburg Lions Club. “It’s nice to get the community involved in a project like this. It helps people get more concerned about their plastics.” If you’d like to get involved in the program, reach out to Eleanor or the Lions Club and she’ll be glad to help your group with the process.
The massive undertaking of the County of Greene, the commissioners, organizations, and citizens involved in recycling cannot continue without the support of the entire community. Take advantage of the ongoing recycling efforts available throughout our community to keep Greene County green and beautiful.
Greene County Recycling Contacts
Greene Arc, Inc.
197 Dunn Station Rd., Prosperity, PA
724-852-3062
Greene County Recycling Coordinator
724-852-5300
Waynesburg Comm. Center
1505 Morris St., Waynesburg, PA
724-627-6366
Lions Club
724-998-1163
wbglionsclub@outlook.com