Pennsylvania county debuts municipal recycling map

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, now offers a Recycling Resources Map to help residents learn what can and can’t be recycled in their municipalities.

Allegheny County has been working for a few months to develop its Recycling Resources Map to help educate residents about recycling.
Allegheny County has been working for a few months to develop its Recycling Resources Map to help educate residents about recycling.
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Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County unveiled a Recycling Resources Map during a news conference Nov. 8 at the Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburgh. 

According to a news report from KDKA-TV news in Pittsburgh, the county’s Recycling Resources Map is an interactive tool that allows people to plug in an address and search for recycling services provided by municipalities and private operations in Allegheny County. 

“My office has received a number of inquiries about proper disposal of recyclables, which materials can and cannot be recycled, and how varying municipalities in Allegheny County handle recycling,” said Chelsa Wagner, Allegheny County Controller, during the news conference. “While it is difficult to provide short answers due to the number of municipalities in the county and changing standards for what is recyclable, my Recycling Resource Map will help to give residents peace of mind that they are recycling correctly and connect them with the proper resources to make sure recyclable items are handled responsibly.”

Wagner said the county has been working for a few months to develop this tool to help educate residents about recycling. She said Allegheny County has a total of 130 different municipalities. The new tool will help residents know what recycling services are offered in each municipality.

“With 130 municipalities, I don’t expect everyone in the county to be able to find the unique shape of their municipality easily, so you type in a particular address to find your location,” Wagner said. “You can then see detail in terms of what is accepted and what’s not. Each municipality is color-coded as an indicator as to whether they accept curbside recycling or not. Most in the county, 92 out of 130, do offer curbside recycling. And a number of municipalities that do not offer curbside recycling do offer drop-off sites.”

She added, “We tried to be as comprehensive as we could [with the map]. I think this tool will be as good as the feedback we receive for it.”

Click here to view the county's new tool.