Want to safely dispose of that old computer or other electronic equipment? Commonwealth Computer Recycling is holding several events around the area: Baldwin-Whitehall, April 16; Indiana IUP campus, April 19 Shadyside, April 20; St. Vincent’s, April 21; Washington, April 25; and Belle Vernon, April 27, with more events in May. No charge, but small donation appreciated, and hard drives removed and destroyed for $10. See full details HERE.

The Pennsylvania Resources Council, in partnership with regional county organizations, will again hold a series of recycling events for Hazardous Household Chemicals, E-Waste, and Pharmaceuticals. In addition, the Pittsburgh Green House will hold a workshop on the recycling of hazardous household products, March 25.

The Pittsburgh Green House will hold a workshop on the various sources of hazardous household products, their effects on human health, the different routes for proper disposal, and a discussion of more sustainable alternatives.

Monday, March 25, 6pm – 7pm
Pittsburgh Green House –
308 North Sheridan Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Cost: $5. Register HERE

Beginning January 24, 2013 your friendly garbage collector will no longer be able to collect ‘covered’ electronic devices in your trash. Pennsylvania’s Covered Device Recycling Act of 2010 requires “manufacturers of desktop computers, laptop computers, computer monitors, computer peripherals, televisions, etc., “to provide for the collection, transportation and recycling of these devices by establishing one-day events, permanent collection programs or mail-back programs.” Individuals may leave unwanted ‘covered’ electronic devices at various drop-off places like Goodwill stores.

Beginning January 2013 your friendly garbage trucker will no longer be able to collect ‘covered’ electronic devices in your trash. According to the DEP, the Covered Device Recycling Act of 2010 requires “manufacturers of desktop computers, laptop computers, computer monitors, computer peripherals, televisions, etc., “to provide for the collection, transportation and recycling of these devices by establishing one-day events, permanent collection programs or mail-back programs.” Worth noting is the absence of the following counties from the DEP’s Permanent Electronics Collection Centers list: for the following counties: Allegheny, Butler, Greene, and Washington,

Pennsylvania Resources Council, in conjunction with various Counties, are again providing opportunities to dispose of your hard-to-recycle materials. (more…)

Acceptable Items: aerosol cans, automotive fluids, batteries, gasoline, kerosene, household cleaners, mercury, paint, pesticides/herbicides, photo and pool chemicals

These items are $2/gallon – cash only.

• Saturday, Oct. 22, 9am – 1pm, Beaver County – Bradys Run Park Recycling Center

On November 23, Gov. Rendell signed into law an electronic waste recycling bill (HB 707) that creates a program to recycle electronic waste. Under the act, the DEP will administer a ban on disposing of computers, computer monitors, and televisions in landfills. Manufacturers of these electronic devices and equipment will be responsible for setting up recycling programs and notifying consumers how the programs will work.

House members from our region who co-sponsored this bill were Frankel (D-Pittsburgh), Gibbons (D-Ellwood City), Kortz (D-Dravosburg), Preston (D-Pittsburgh), M. Smith (D-Mt Lebanon), and Vulakovich (R-Glenshaw).

• The first major hazardous waste recycling event of the year is set for May 1.
• Pittsburgh’s Sustainability Coordinator, Lindsay Baxter, informs us that a 10-page Mayor’s Green Guide covers citizen opportunities from Recycling to Composting to Stormwater Management to Renewable Energy to Sustainable Food.
• Fired up your gas-driven lawn mower yet? How about using a zero-emission, healthy push reel lawn mower?

Spring cleaning is not too far away, and you may have some items that you don’t know how to get rid of. Fortunately, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Household Hazardous Waste Task Force has organized a series of collection events beginning in May.

New in 2010 will be a collection of unused pharmaceutical material.  As the amount of medical drugs per capita increases, the problem of waste medicinal drugs being simply flushed away into our water cycle is of growing concern.
(more…)

Retail behemoth Walmart has announced that it is creating an ‘environmental ratings system’ that will help customers understand how eco-friendly is the production and marketing of all of its products.

Given its influence on retailing around the world, this could be a major step towards acceptance of the Cradle to Cradle concept by which we have to design and manufacture products in a way far different from the traditional path.

Cradle to Cradle goes beyond the Cradle to Grave concept of Reduce – Reuse – Recycle with most products being eventually dumped, and instead places an emphasis on a system where materials are in a continuous closed-loop through many use cycles.

Some companies have already moved beyond what Walmart is proposing, and have adopted a Cradle to Cradle certification system. For example, in 2005 office furniture giant Steelcase earned the MBDC certification for a sustainably produced Think Chair,   and all the US Postal Service’s Express Mail and Priority Mail packages and envelopes have been Silver certified by MBDC.

To learn more about the Cradle to Cradle practice, why not borrow from your local library “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things” by W. McDonough and M. Braungart, New York: North Point Press, 2002.

Included in the City of Pittsburgh’s Five Year Economic Recovery Plan recently approved by City Council is a plan to “Conduct an independent operational review of refuse, bulk waste and recycling collection to identify potential efficiencies and achieve a higher recycling rate, resulting in lower landfill costs and more Commonwealth grant funding.”

The plan points out that in 2007 only 10 pct of the residential waste in the city was recycled. According to a Waste News survey of the 30 largest cities, Seattle had the highest rate of about 52 pct, and seventeen cities had recycling rates above 15 pct.  And that is the target that the City has set to achieve by 2013.

Some reactionary politicians scoff at the use of CFLs, suggesting that the small amounts of mercury can be a serious hazard. So just to be sure, our good friends at the PA Resources Council (PRC) on the Southside have sent us a list of places where we can recycle CFLs.

First, PRC explains that there are currently no regulatory requirements (federal or state) for individuals and/or home owners to recycle or dispose of their CFLs, fluorescent tubes, LED, or incandescent bulbs as hazardous waste since they are considered small quantity generators. Only businesses that produce larger quantities are required to do so.

So go replace your old incandescent light bulbs with CFLs, and when the CFLs do finally burn out, you can safely recycle them.

Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs have become increasingly popular in recent years because they are longer lasting than traditional light bulbs, cut electricity costs by up to 75 percent, and help reduce air pollution. However, they do contain small amounts of mercury and their disposal has to be done with care.

To that end, the Allegheny County Health Department, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, is offering a free collection program for recycling compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.

“Our collection program gives consumers a disposal option that is safer for the environment and public health than discarding CFLs with household trash. An estimated 99.9 percent of the mercury will be recovered,” said County Health Director Dr. Bruce W. Dixon.

CFLs may be dropped off Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Clack Health Center, Building 5, Public Drinking Water and Waste Management Program, 3901 Penn Ave., Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh 15224.

The CFLs will be accepted for a limited time and should be transported and delivered in a way that prevents breakage.

Health officials note that CFLs are a win-win for the consumer and the environment. While CFLs cost more initially, the energy savings can pay back the higher upfront cost in as little as four months and save more than $60 over a CFLs entire life. In addition, CFLs cut pollution from power plants since less energy is needed to light them.

Recycling materials other the normal paper and plastics can sometimes be a challenge. Here are some suggestions:

Laptops and computers (but not monitors) can go, free, to “high tech scrap”, the computer recyclers’ bin at Construction Junction (412-243-5025).

Goodwill takes computers and peripherals. Parts that are functional and not too old are rebuilt and resold at attractive prices via the Goodwill computer store–reuse is even greener than recycling. Goodwill tackles ‘e-waste’, Tribune Review, 8-8-07.

Cell phones, laptops, digital cameras, PDAs and ink cartridges are worth good money and are often collected as fundraisers (phones are commonly worth $6-$30 each). GRC Wireless Recycling.

The local stereo recycling guy (see ads at the East End co-op in the co-op newsletter) picks up most stereo parts for free. Here’s his ad from the Co-Operator:

STEREO RECYCLERS — We buy old speakers, receivers, tape decks, turntables, etc., and put them back into circulation. We can repair and rebuild your worn out speakers. Don’t let unused stereo components sitting in storage end up in landfills. (412) 244-0337; shos15218 at comcast dot net

Paper and cardboard are always free for disposal at the city recycling areas (helping the city) or can be used to raise funds for charities when put in the fundraising bins (e.g. outside of Whole Foods).

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs can be dropped off at the following places:

CCI Center
64 South 14th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Free drop-off in the lobby

IKEA
Robinson Town Centre
Free drop off

Scott Electric
39th and Butler Street in Lawrenceville
.67 cents per bulb (also takes fluorescent tubes for a fee)

2008 HHW collection events
see their website for more information
Under .50 per bulb

Allegheny County Health Department
Clack Health Center, Building 5, Public Drinking Water and Waste Management Program
Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m
3901 Penn Ave., Lawrenceville.
Free – but for a limited time only!

For more on recycling, see this extensive site hosted by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.