Westmoreland County Recycling Guide
The Westmoreland Cleanways Recycling Guide has been updated as of 01/01/2021.
Use the index found near the front of the Westmoreland County Recycling Guide to find locations to recycle everything from air conditioners, unused medications, propane tanks, and yard waste. There’s even a glossary to explain the term “mobius” and other recycling tidbits. Easily search the Guide by hitting “Ctrl F” on your keyboard.
The staff at Westmoreland Cleanways attempts to keep the Recycling Guide up to date, however the recycling industry is constantly changing. Please notify us if a new recycling opportunity becomes available, or is a listing is incorrect.
Permanent Drug Take Back Collection
Due to the increase of prescription drug abuse, keeping unused opioids or other medications in the medicine cabinet is no longer safe or responsible. Medications, should also not be flushed down the toilet, and if possible, kept out of landfills. Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to filter out pharmaceutical compounds and trace amounts of over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs have been found in waterways create environmental hazards; impacting groundwater and rivers, harming wildlife, and potentially affecting sources of drinking water.
Drug enforcement regulations allow retail pharmacies, hospitals, narcotic treatment programs, law enforcement, and other convenient locations to collect controlled substances (How to Guide for Starting a Drug Take Back Program). These collections, called drug take-back programs, play a critical role in protecting public health by providing a safe method to easily dispose of unwanted and expired medicine free of charge. Understanding the importance of these sites, in 2013, Governor Tom Corbett launched a permanent drug take-back program, MedReturn, in Pennsylvania.
(If it is not possible for you to visit a MedReturn box, the Leftover Medicine Fact sheet provides two other options.)
Preparing items for disposal at a MedReturn location or the PA Dept. of Drug and Alcohol
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- All pharmaceutical drugs to be disposed must be in a sealed container such as the original container or a zip-lock bag. They cannot be put into the MedReturn box loosely.
- Personal information should be removed or blotted out with a permanent marker.
- Liquid pharmaceuticals cannot be disposed in MedReturn boxes. Pour liquid over coffee grounds, cat litter or soil; seal in zip-lock bag and dispose in trash.
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Items Accepted
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- Prescription and over-the-counter solid medications, creams, ointments
- Tablets and capsules
- Pet medicines
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Items NOT Accepted
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- Liquid medications
- Intravenous solutions
- Injectables, syringes, and needles (i.e. EpiPens) These items should be taken to a health care professional’s office or to a hospital for proper disposal.
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Compressed cylinders or aerosols (e.g., asthma inhalers)
- Iodine-containing medications
- Thermometers
- Alcohol & illicit drugs (i.e. marijuana, heroin, LSD, etc.)
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**Please check with your drop off location for a complete list of items accepted or not accepted.
Sharps Disposal
Properly disposing of sharps (disposable needles, syringes, lancets) is of vital importance for the safety of the homeowner, sanitation workers, and anyone else who may be exposed to inadvertent “sticks”. Most drug take-back programs will not accept them, nor will many health care professionals or facilities. The Sharps Disposal Information Sheet published by the Product Stewardship Institute recommends using a mail-back program offered by some medical waste disposal companies, or careful, proper disposal in the home trash.
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- Stericycle Sharps Mailback Disposal Service: https://www.stericycle.com/en-us/resource-center/blog/diabetic-sharps-disposal
- TerraCycle.com Mailback Disposal Pac: https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/collection-programs
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Habitat for Humanity ReStore
Habitat for Humanity affiliates seek to eliminate poverty housing as it uses volunteer, community labor in partnership with selected families to build decent, affordable housing. One way HFH raises funds to carry out its mission is through its chain of ReStores.
Habitat ReStores sell overstocked, discontinued, new and used building materials and other household items donated by manufacturers, stores, contractors and individuals. ReStores also accept donations of other good-quality household items, except clothing. They reserve the right to refuse donations if they are not salvageable.
Central Westmoreland
212 Outlet Way (WOW outlets)
Greensburg, PA 15601
Phone: 724-219-3736
Hours: Thursday & Friday- 10am-6pm, and Saturdays- 9am -3pm
The Allegheny Valley
225 Freeport Street
New Kensington, PA 15068
Phone: 724-337-8347
Hours: 9:00AM-4:00PM (closed Sundays)
Westmoreland County Blind Association
Offers:
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- Paper Shredding
- Hard Drive Destruction
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The Westmoreland County Blind Association offers secure and confidential document destruction services to businesses and individuals at a reasonable cost. The facility is secured, equipped with an access control system and is monitored 24/7.
All proceeds generated, fund programs that benefit the blind, sight impaired and intellectually disabled individuals. Call 724-837-1250 or visit the Westmoreland Blind Association for more information on this affordable service.
Keep in mind that shredding (or manually tearing) paper lowers its quality for recycling. Before you let it rip, think of your paper’s next life. Shredding a piece of paper (or not) may mean the difference between it becoming a well-read book or a disposable napkin! Think Before You Shred Guide.
Telephone Directory Recycling
Telephone directories can be recycled in your residential curbside recycling bin if your community has single-stream collection (most curbside programs have). For residents who do not have curbside recycling, check Westmoreland Cleanways Recycling Guide public drop-off locations near you.
Yellow Pages Opt Out provides an easy and secure way to control the number of Yellow Pages telephone directories received or to stop directory delivery entirely.
Paper Recycling
Paper can be recycled in single stream, curbside programs. If this is not available in your area, there are a few other options. Paper Retriever Bins are open to the public and located throughout the County. You can also contact local farms and animal shelters as newsprint, paper, and telephone books for animal bedding. If the paper will be used for animal bedding make sure there are NO STAPLES in the papers. Staples can be fatal to the animals. It is also possible to opt out of junk mail.
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