The Pennsylvania Resources Council recently concluded its 20th season of hosting household chemical collections in Western Pennsylvania which enabled 3,900 households to properly dispose of 383,175 pounds of household chemicals, including pesticides, household cleaners, pool chemicals, aerosol cans and other products.

The 20-year effort has resulted in the responsible management of 6.5 million pounds of chemical products dropped off by 60,000+ households since the program launched in 2003.

“A typical home contains 100 pounds of hazardous chemicals, according to the EPA, and while many of these products are safe, problems arise when you use or dispose of them improperly,” says PRC Executive Director Darren Spielman.  “At each event, a certified contractor processes the materials for proper disposal.  Materials are recycled or safely managed.”

“While the majority of materials dropped off at collections are common products such as automotive fluids, paints and cleaning products, we have received strychnine, liquid mercury and bags of DDT,” says Spielman.  “We are proud of our 20 years of hard work protecting the environment from hazardous waste – safeguarding habitats and communities.  We thank the many supporters over the past two decades who have helped PRC to serve more than 60,000 households, and we look forward to serving many more in communities across the state in the future.”

The 2022 PRC household chemical collection campaign was sponsored by Allegheny County Health Department, Allegheny County Parks Department, Beaver County Commissioners, Cambria County Solid Waste Authority, City of Pittsburgh, Fayette County Commissioners, Fayette County Conservation District, Washington County Planning Commission, Colcom Foundation, LANXESS, PA Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania American Water, PPG and Pittsburgh Penguins, UPMC, Concurrent Technologies Corporation, Fayette County Recycling Convenience Center, PPG Paints Arena, Washington Wild Things, Washington County Family Entertainment, and 100.1 FM and AM 1020 KDKA.

PRC household chemical collection events will resume in Spring 2023.

For information, visit PRC’s Household Chemical Collections webpage.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA Resources Council website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates, follow PRC on Twitter or Like them on Facebook.  Click Here for PRC’s Events Calendar.  Click Here to support their work.

PRC is Pennsylvania’s oldest grassroots environmental organization founded in 1939.  PRC has worked to protect resources for future generations through environmental education, recycling, waste diversion programs, anti-litter campaigns, watershed and other initiatives.

NewsClips:

-- Warren Times: ‘Warren Hooligans’ Again Do Their Part In Roadside Cleanup Effort

-- ABC6: Meet The ‘Litter Lifters,’ A Team Keeping Streets Clean In Chester County

-- StateImpactPA/Inside Climate News: Microplastics Pervade Even Top-Quality Streams In PA, Study Finds

-- Warren Times: Warren County To Shut Down Remaining Recycling Sites

Related Article:

-- Keep PA Beautiful Marks America Recycles Day Nov. 15 With Cigarette Litter Recycling, Composting Program  [PaEN]

-- Master Watershed Stewards Help Purge Plastics On The Lower Susquehanna River  [PaEN]

-- EPA Accepting Proposals For $100 Million In Recycling Infrastructure, Education Grants Funded By Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

[Posted: November 14, 2022]

11/21/2022