PITTSBURGH’S CURBSIDE RECYCLING IS GOING BAG FREE!

from Squirrel Hill Magazine Spring 2022 Issue

EAT FROM A–Z

By Alicia Carberry and Omoye Aikhuele

City of Pittsburgh – Department of Public Works, Bureau of Environmental Services, Recycling Division

HELLO FROM THE CITY’S BUREAU OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES – RECYCLING DIVISION!

Here in the Recycling Division, we are shifting away from a bag-based curbside residential recycling program. While the blue bag has long been a part of Pittsburgh’s recycling program, plastic bags degrade recyclables and get caught in the sorting equipment at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Hazelwood.

In order to guide this shift away from using blue bags at the curb, we are distributing blue recycling bins citywide. Every residence serviced by the Bureau of Environmental Services will receive a 32-gallon blue recycling bin by the end of 2022—Squirrel Hill North and South received bins in the summer/fall of 2021.

Going along with this shift away from blue bags at the curb, our City Council is considering a ban on plastic bags at the point of sale. We want to underline the mantra “Reduce, reuse, recycle” and endorse the reduction of single-use plastic bags. We continue to strive to find more ways the City can encourage reuse and recycling to keep as much as possible out of our landfills. Many materials can journey towards a “next life,” even if not accepted for curbside recycling collection.

The Recycling Division receives many questions about composting options. Although curbside collection of food waste is not part of our current operations, we do accept yard debris at the curb in the spring and fall. Residents may also drop off yard debris year-round at our Streets Divisions in Homewood, Hazelwood, or Elliott. A handful of local businesses offer both business and residential compost services, and we maintain a directory on our website of companies and resources.

Additionally, the City’s Sustainability & Resilience Division is debuting community compost projects for events and facilities this year. We know we can do more to divert organic waste from the landfill! Please email us at recycling@pittsburghpa.gov to provide opinions and ideas. Happy Earth Day!

To learn more about the blue recycling bins program, recycling drop-off resources, and how to keep our colleagues safe when they are collecting your trash & recycling, visit us online at https://pittsburghpa.gov/ dpw/

To make a request for a smaller bin, please contact our colleagues at the city’s non-emergency response line, 311.