N E W S R E L E A S E COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

Department of Environmental Protection
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Darlene Crawford
Deputy Press Secretary
(717) 787-1323

RIDGE ADMINISTRATION AWARDS GRANTS
FOR LOCAL RECYCLING PROJECTS, HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION

HARRISBURG (Dec. 23) – On behalf of Gov. Tom Ridge, Lt. Gov. Mark Schweiker today announced more than $15 million in recycling grants to support local recycling in 48 counties statewide.

Lt. Gov. Schweiker chairs the Governor’s Executive Council on Recycling Development and Waste Reduction.

"These grants are another example of governments working together to bring about positive change in communities across the state," Lt. Gov. Schweiker said. "Through these grants, and technical and educational support, Pennsylvania has developed one of the most successful recycling programs in the country."

Money for most of the grants comes from a $2 per ton recycling fee on each ton of waste disposed in Pennsylvania landfills and resource-recovery facilities.

Twelve grants totaling almost $600,000, awarded through the Pennsylvania Small Business and Household Pollution Prevention Reimbursement Program created by Act 190, reimbursed 50 percent of the costs of developing and operating household hazardous waste collection programs. Household hazardous wastes include old paints and paint related products, pesticides, pool chemicals, drain cleaners, and degreasers and car-care products.

Each Pennsylvanian produces an average of four pounds of household hazardous waste each year. If carelessly managed, the waste can create environmental and public health hazards.

The programs collected more than 2 million pounds from almost 20,000 residences. This is double the waste that was collected in the previous year.

The Northeast Pennsylvania Household Hazardous Waste Program, operated by Lehigh, Northampton, Schuylkill and Monroe counties, collected 240 tons from almost 3,000 homes. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Hazardous Waste program (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties) collected about 550 tons from 9,700 residences.

Household hazardous waste collections were also operated in other counties including Lancaster, Franklin, Berks, Crawford, Westmoreland, York, Cumberland and Luzerne counties.

Pennsylvania leads the nation in organized recycling efforts with more than 1,400 community-based recycling programs serving nine million residents. More than 65 percent of the programs are voluntary. Since 1988, the amount of municipal waste recycled in Pennsylvania has increased from 2 percent to more than 26 percent to about 2.5 million tons a year.

"Pennsylvanians continue to do their part to make recycling a success," Lt. Gov. Schweiker said. "This latest round of grants provides funds for municipalities to educate citizens on the importance of recycling, enables several local governments to improve their recycling centers, and provide alternatives for yard waste management.

"Business and industry also is pitching in. More than 65 million tons of waste was recycled or eliminated by 132 winners of the Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence since 1997."

The recycling program has provided more than $250 million in grants to support county and local waste-planning and recycling efforts since 1988. More than $25 million in grants and low-interest loans have been provided to support companies and local-government efforts to expand recycling markets and create economic opportunity.

Grants were awarded to:

• Allegheny County -- $11,500 to the City of Duquesne for recycling education; $255,820 to Elizabeth Township for curbside recycling and yard waste collection; $33,171 to Franklin Park, $85,788 to North Fayette Township and $5,432 to Ohio Township for curbside recycling; $18,738 to Marshall Township for yard waste composting; $39,375 to Moon Township, $42,205 to Reserve Township and $64,427 to Stowe Township for yard waste collection; and $82,485 to Penn Hills Municipality for yard waste collection and composting;

• Armstrong County -- $10,714 and $26,334 to Leechburg for processing equipment;

• Beaver County -- $91,270 to the City of Aliquippa for curbside recycling; $20,340 Brighton Township for yard waste composting; $19,872 to Midland for drop-off recycling; $31,950 to Patterson Heights for yard waste collection; and $120,339 to Raccoon Township for drop-off recycling and yard waste composting;

• Bedford County -- $14,275 to Broad Top Township for yard waste composting;

• Berks County -- $3,988 to Bernville for curbside recycling; $25,200 to Exeter Township, $13,680 Robeson Township and $39,744 to Wyomissing for yard waste collection; $13,719 to Mohnton for curbside recycling and yard waste collection; and $321,705 to the City of Reading for curbside and institutional recycling;

• Blair County -- $162,515 for drop-off recycling and yard waste composting and $18,440 to Allegheny Township for yard waste collection;

• Bradford County -- $58,500 for yard waste composting;

• Bucks County -- $22,929 to Bensalem Township for public area and multi-family recycling; and $18,000 to Richland Township and $39,254 to Lower Makefield Township for yard waste collection;

• Butler County -- $181,232 for drop-off and institutional recycling;

• Cambria County - $355,500 for drop-off recycling;

• Centre County -- $1.5 million for recycling center improvements;

• Chester County -- $162,604 for drop-off recycling and wood waste processing; $13,311 to the City of Coatesville and $2,457 to Schuylkill Township for curbside recycling; $71,073 to East Fallowfield Township for recycling center improvements; $19,012 to Easttown Township for home composting; $12,447 to West Whiteland Township for public area recycling; and $34,057 to London Grove Township for yard waste collection;

• Clearfield County -- $19,317 to Ferguson Township for yard waste composting;

• Clinton County -- $86,715 for recycling center improvements; $14,760 to the City of Lock Haven for yard waste collection; and $33,228 to South Renovo for yard waste composting;

• Columbia County -- $16,672 to Benton Township for yard waste composting; $36,996 to Bloomsburg for a recycling center and yard waste collection; and $21,375 to Scott Township and $18,445 to Beaver Township for yard waste collection;

• Crawford County -- $791,500 for drop-off recycling;

• Cumberland County -- $19,296 to Carlisle, $69,534 to East Pennsboro Township and $36,750 to Lower Allen Township for yard waste collection; $6,395 to Middlesex Township for curbside recycling; $11,358 to Shippensburg for recycling processing equipment; and $23,130 to New Cumberland for curbside recycling and yard waste collection;

• Dauphin County -- $13,439 for office recycling and $7,685 to Middle Paxton Township for curbside recycling;

• Delaware County -- $15,795 for drop-off recycling and recycling education; $36,979 to the City of Chester and $90,252 to Upper Darby Township for yard waste collection; $22,500 to Darby and $22,500 to Sharon Hill for yard waste composting; $100,135 to Lansdowne for curbside recycling and yard waste collection; $70,394 to Media for curbside and drop-off recycling; and $9,932 to Nether Providence Township for curbside recycling;

• Erie County -- $317,433 for recycling education; $80,500 to the City of Erie and $18,644 to Lawrence Park Township for yard waste collection; $10,058 to Harborcreek Township for home composting; $38,741 to Millcreek Township for home composting and institutional recycling; and $4,315 to Summit Township for curbside recycling;

• Fayette County -- $3,933 to Masontown for curbside recycling;

• Franklin County -- $102,474 for yard waste composting; and $43,333 to Southampton Township for yard waste collection;

• Huntingdon County -- $8,478 for institutional recycling; and $162,000 to Huntingdon for yard waste collection and a recycling center.

• Indiana County -- $499,615 for recycling center improvements;

• Jefferson County -- $157,923 for curbside recycling;

• Lackawanna County -- $12,321 to Moosic for curbside recycling; and $14,742 to Taylor for yard waste collection;

• Lancaster County -- $2,402 for curbside recycling; $32,742 to Columbia for yard waste collection; $41,538 to the City of Lancaster for home composting; $537,437 to Manheim Township for yard waste composting; and $30,870 to Manor Township for yard waste collection and composting;

• Lawrence County -- $133,102 for yard waste composting and institutional recycling;

• Lebanon County -- $61,035 and to the City of Lebanon $98,934 for drop-off recycling; and $32,742 to Cornwall, $82,279 to North Lebanon Township and $30,330 to North Londonderry Township for yard waste collection;

• Lehigh County -- $323,505 for yard waste composting; $138,787 to the City of Allentown for yard waste composting and recycling education; $20,579 to Coplay and $1,012 to Lynn Township for curbside recycling; $1,261 to North Whitehall Township for recycling education; and $13,500 to Salisbury Township for yard waste collection;

• Luzerne County -- $363,240 to Dallas Township for yard waste composting; $13,494 to Dupont and $1,699 to Laflin for curbside recycling; $145,717 to Exeter for recycling center improvements; and $49,500 to West Pittston for curbside and drop-off recycling;

• Lycoming County -- $91,177 for drop-off recycling;

• Mercer County -- $13,950 for recycling education;

• Monroe County -- $769,626 for drop-off recycling and recycling education; $1,025 to Delaware Water Gap and $3,574 to Hamilton Township for curbside recycling; and $103,905 to East Stroudsburg for recycling center improvements;

• Montgomery County -- $95,080 to Upper Moreland Township for yard waste composting; and $2,548 to Upper Merion Township for recycling education;

• Northampton County -- $380,493 to the City of Bethlehem for curbside, drop-off and recycling education; $40,500 to Bethlehem Township for yard waste collection; and $7,560 to Upper Mount Bethel Township for curbside recycling;

• Perry County -- $180,000 for drop-off and institutional recycling;

• Philadelphia -- $1,350,000 for curbside and commercial recycling;

• Schuylkill County - $89,552 to Mahanoy City for recycling education and collection equipment;

• Sullivan County -- $28,530 for recycling education and commercial recycling;

• Susquehanna County -- $827,733 for recycling education;

• Venango County -- $5,179 for composting education;

• Warren County -- $40,950 to the City of Warren for yard waste collection;

• Washington County -- $667 to reimburse 50 percent of the cost of having a host municipal inspector;

• Wayne County -- $5,942 for recycling center improvements; and $2,046 to Sterling Township for drop-off recycling;

• Westmoreland County -- $19,571 to Mount Pleasant Township for yard waste composting; and $57,310 to North Belle Vernon, $18,628 to the City of Monessen and $17,496 to Youngwood for yard waste collection;

• Wyoming County -- $964,354 for a recycling center; and

• York County -- $35,102 to Manchester Township and $35,586 to Springettsbury Township for yard waste collection.

For more information, visit the Pennsylvania homepage at www.state.pa.us or DEP directly at www.dep.state.pa.us (directLINK "recycling"). To see and hear how individuals and businesses are doing more to recycle visit www.GreenWorksChannel.org.

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