Changes coming to trash, recycling collection in Pittsburgh starting next week - WTAE Pittsburgh
Changes coming to trash, recycling collection in Pittsburgh starting next week
There are two major changes moving forward into the new year, centered on loose recyclables and cardboard.
The start of a new year means new changes when it comes to trash and recycling pickup for residents within the city of Pittsburgh.
On Thursday, city leaders announced changes to its recycling and trash collection policies in an attempt to be more eco-friendly moving forward. The changes will take effect at the start of the new year.
"We want to reduce the level of litter, but also reduce those negative environmental impacts there," said Tobias Raether, the environmental enforcement manager with the city of Pittsburgh.
There are two major changes moving forward into the new year, centered on loose recyclables and cardboard.
The city will no longer accept recycling in plastic bags. Instead, residents must place their recyclables loosely in the bins at the curb. City officials say they've handed out more than 90,000 blue bins over the last few years. Moving forward, any recycling placed in a plastic bag will not be picked up and will be cited for a violation.
In addition to the plastic bags, the city will no longer be picking up cardboard boxes on non-recycling weeks. Previously, the city would collect cardboard in order to keep the streets clean, but that will stop in 2024.
"Any cardboard that is put out in the off weeks will be left now. In the past, we've taken it to try to clean up the streets, but we want that material to go to recycling," said Shawn Wigle, with the Bureau of Environmental Services. "We get paid for that material. If we have to landfill it, unfortunately, there's a cost to the city."
City officials say cardboard will be treated no differently than recycling bins full of bottles and cans. Boxes must be flattened and bundled into manageable sizes for crews to collect on the designated weeks.
Residents that violate the garbage and recycling collection rules will likely receive a collection notice door hanger with a list of the violations found at their location. The city says they hope that the notices will lead to compliance, but Environmental Services may follow up with citations if they continue to occur. In those cases, the fine structure starts at $50 for an initial violation.
These changes go hand in hand with the city's plastic bag ban policy enacted earlier this year. Officials say to properly dispose of plastic bags and films, people should place them in their trash or take them to a plastic bag recycling drop-off bin.
The city says they will be more strictly enforcing the plastic bag ban at the start of the new year. The first violation for business that aren't complying is a warning, the second violation may come with a $100 fine. Any additional violations will be fined $250.
If you have questions about your recycling dates and times, you can visit the Bureau of Environmental Service's website. Residents can also call the city's 311 line with questions.