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Glass recycling coming to Washington

3 min read
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Every year, thousands of tons of glass bottles, jars and jugs end up in our landfill. Once that landfill is full, our trash will be hauled farther away, at greater expense. It only makes sense to find another use for that glass.

Recycling is the answer, and now Washington residents can do so.

Beginning July 1, glass bottles, jars and jugs can be deposited in a recycling bin at Washington Park. The bin will be located off Log Cabin Drive and accessible Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additionally, members of the Washington Rotary Club will assist with glass recycling on the first and third Saturdays of the month, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning July 1.

“Many people who work during the week will have a chance to recycle on those Saturdays,” said John Hopper, Rotary Club president. “And we will be there to assist those who need help.”

A cleaner and more sustainable environment has been one of the goals of the local Rotary club, which has also joined forces with Washington County Watershed Alliance and Clean & Tidy Washington County to clear litter and debris from neighborhoods, roadways and stream beds. The club is also involved in the effort to collect bottle caps that will be transformed into park benches.

Glass collected in Washington – as well as from bins in South Strabane and Peters townships and East Washington, and 15 sites in Allegheny County – is hauled to Michael Brothers in Baldwin, where it is crushed. It then goes to a facility in Mt. Pleasant, where it is sorted by color and then pulverized before being sent on to a manufacturer to be made into new bottles.

This recycling program, now in its third year, is managed by the Pennsylvania Resources Council. In 2022, more than 1,500 tons of glass were recycled.

Only glass bottles, jugs and jars are to be recycled. Not accepted are cut glass, bakeware, light bulbs, mirrors, porcelain and ceramics, stemware and TVs. No bags, boxes or other recyclables should be placed in the bin, and all trash must be taken away.

A recycling bin full of glass can weigh as much as 10 tons, and hauling is expensive. That cost is borne by the host municipality and its residents.

To pay for its first year of operation, the Rotary club has partnered with the city and with Range Resources, with each contributing $1,500. The balance of the estimated cost will be covered by a $5,000 grant from Owens-Illinois, a glass manufacturer.

“The less we can put into our waste stream and into the landfills, I think the better off we are,” Washington Mayor Scott Putnam said on May 4, when City Council approved participation in the program.

“We’re really grateful for the city’s support and for Range Resources’ donation, and for the Resources Council in obtaining the grant,” Hopper said.

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