Municipal Recycling in Pennsylvania
Municipal recycling in Pennsylvania is governed by Act 101 of 1988, the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act. Act 101 spells out which municipalities must establish a recycling program, what items must be recycled, frequency of collections, educational requirements, and other components necessary for a comprehensive municipal recycling program.
Municipalities with 5,000* or more residents, and a population density of more than 300 persons per square mile, must have established a residential curbside recycling program, a commercial recycling program, a leaf waste collection program, and ordinances in place to enforce compliance with the municipality’s recycling program. Such municipalities are referred to as “mandated municipalities.” Municipalities with fewer than 5,000 residents may choose to establish voluntary recycling programs through action of the governing body of the municipality.
*Once a municipality is mandated, it remains mandated even if population drops below 5,000 in subsequent decennial censuses.
In Westmoreland County, 17 municipalities are mandated to recycle:
- City of Arnold
Derry Township
City of Greensburg
Hempfield Township
City of Jeannette
City of Latrobe
City of Lower Burrell
City of Monessen
Mount Pleasant Township
Municipality of Murrysville
City of New Kensington
North Huntingdon Township
Penn Township
Rostraver Township
Scottdale Borough
Unity Township
Vandergrift Borough
Mandated municipalities that are deemed in compliance with provisions of Act 101 and Act 140 of 2006 (refer to requirements listed below) are eligible to receive grant funds (referred to as 904 performance grants) based on the volume of recyclable material collected. Non-mandated municipalities are also eligible to receive 904 performance grant funds based on the volume of material collected.
Additionally, Act 101 requires residents, commercial and institutional establishments located in mandated municipalities to recycle those items specified in the municipal recycling ordinance.
Recycling in Pennsylvania is overseen by the Department of Environmental Protection. Counties may impose stricter regulations than those required by Act 101, but none may be lesser. Each county designates a County Recycling Coordinator to oversee recycling activities, although enforcement falls to the regional DEP recycling coordinator.
Reporting Requirements
Act 101 requires each Pennsylvania county to submit an annual recycling report to the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) by April 1. The DEP compiles a statewide recycling report, which is presented to the legislature; the legislature, in turn, uses the data to set environmental policy and direction for the Commonwealth.
All mandated municipalities must to report to the County in which it is located all recycling activities within its municipal borders during the prior calendar year. This report must include: residential recycling tonnage, commercial recycling tonnage, and leaf waste collected. All material collected for recycling should be reported; however, not all materials collected count toward 904 performance grant funds.
Recycling data can be obtained from a number of sources: recycling haulers, from commercial businesses who contract for recycling services, or other entities that track recycling tonnage.
Westmoreland County
Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling (WCR) serves as County Recycling Coordinator under an agreement with the Westmoreland County Commissioners. WCR collects and compiles the annual county recycling report based on data collected from municipalities, recycling haulers, and businesses.
Westmoreland County municipalities must submit their annual recycling reports to WCR for inclusion in the Westmoreland County annual report to comply with Act 101 reporting requirements.
Additionally, WCR performs all other duties of a County Recycling Coordinator as outlined in Act 101, such as offering technical assistance to establish or improve recycling programs, sample waste and recycling contracts, and educational material on proper recycling practices. WCR four core program areas include:
- Recycling Coordinator Activities (technical assistance to municipalities)
- Recycling (public, community-based recycling activities)
- Education (school and youth programs, public presentations and displays, multimedia outreach)
- Illegal Dumping and Litter Abatement
Municipal Recycling Resources
Recycling Laws
- Act 101 of 1988
- Act 101 Requirements
- Act 140 of 2006
- Act 140 Requirements*
- Building Financially Sustainable Recycling Programs: A Technical Report for Pennsylvania Local Governments – Prepared on behalf of the PA DEP by R. W. Beck, April 2005
- Reporting Recycling – Back to the Basics – Prepared by the PA DEP, 2010
- Municipal Recycling Program Elements – Prepared by PA DEP 2010
- Annual Report Data Collection Timeline– DEP
Annual Report Forms
- Annual Municipal Report Form – .xls
- Annual Municipal Report Form – .pdf
- Contact information
- Program information: hauler, materials collected, drop-off locations, frequency of collections, etc.
- If a municipality has no recycling program, please list waste hauler serving your community; mark NONE or NO RECYCLING across the form
- Weight collected (in tons) of each material. Be sure to list in correct column (Residential curbside; Residential drop-off; Commercial curbside; Commercial drop-off)
Commercial, Institution, or Hauler Report Forms
FM-11 – Commercial/Municipal/Institution Report Form: for use by industrial or commercial businesses or institutions to report recyclables to municipality or county
- Be sure to include post-consumer recyclables only (no millings, end cuts, manufacturing scrap, etc.)
- List the processor/recycler to whom the material was delivered
- Deduct any residue if verifiable (material collected and weighed with recyclables but separated out and thrown away)
- Sign and date form
FM-12 – Hauler/Transporter Form: for use by hauler or transporter with more than one customer or location
- One form per municipality
- List processor/recycler to whom material was delivered
- Deduct any residue if verifiable (material collected and weighed with recyclables but separated out and thrown away)
- Sign and date form
FM-13 – County-wide Report Form: for use by hauler or processor serving multiple customers within a county
- One line per municipality
- List processor/recycler to whom material was delivered
- Deduct any residue if verifiable (material collected and weighed with recyclables but separated out and thrown away)
- Sign and date form
Illegal Dumping/Littering*
- TRAP Program (Tire Recovery Assistance Program): Assist municipalities with financial assistance to dispose of illegally dumped tires collected along municipal roadways (as funding allows).
- Road Adoption Program: In conjunction with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Adoption Program; provide local assistance to individuals or groups wishing to clean up local municipal roads, parks, waterways, or other public spaces.
- Illegal Dumping: Supports residents who wish to clean up illegal dumpsites by pulling together community resources for supplies, hauling, disposal, and other needs as the project may require.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection (HHW)*
- Household Hazardous Waste Collection (HHW): Encourage residents to utilize HHW collection to keep toxic chemicals out of public waterways and sewer systems.
*Provisions of Act 140 require municipalities to facilitate projects for illegal dumping/littering and special waste disposal, or to support a private sector organization that does.
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