Drop-Off Recycling Locations

With more than 22,000 curbside residents, 125 drop-off recycling bins and more than 500 commercial establishments throughout the county, Centre County residents along with Penn State continue to recycle.

As well as continuing to recycle the required materials by state law (Act 101), Centre County residents are provided with a yearly Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event and year-round electronics recycling.

Twenty years after the implementation of a major recycling program, Centre County’s recycling rate has climbed to over 50 percent and continues to rise. Most drop-offs have compartmentalized containers for six categories: newspaper and telephone books, steel and aluminum cans, clear glass, green glass, brown glass and all plastic bottles.

Special collections are scheduled at the Centre County Solid Waste Authority Transfer Station at 253 Transfer Road (near the Nittany Mall) for household hazardous waste and used electronics. Call 238-7005 or 238-6649 for information.

For independent refuse and recycling service, contact the following companies:

• Bellefonte Borough, 355-1501

• Carson Disposal, 238-6895

• Centre County Solid Waste Authority transfer station, 238-7005

• Snow Show Township, 387-6252; State College Borough, 234-7135

• Newman Hill Inc., 355-1212

• Veolia Environmental Services (for collection in College, Ferguson, Harris and Patton townships), 234-7198.

PREPARING RECYCLABLES

Materials must be recyclable, prepared and properly separated.

• Remove lids and tops from cans and bottles and rinse containers.

• Keep newspapers, mixed office paper and magazines separate and dry.

• Do not recycle broken glass.

• Recycle plastic bags at the supermarket.

• Compost yard waste or contact your municipal office about collection.

For additional information and a list of collection locations, call the Centre County Solid Waste Authority at 238-7005, 238-6649, or visit www.centrecountyrecycles.com

CURBSIDE RECYCLING

Curbside collection is done weekly, on the same day as trash pickup. Residents should have recycling bins and trash containers set out by 7 a.m.

State College Borough and Bellefonte Borough residents should contact the Centre County Solid Waste Authority at 238-6649 with collection questions. If yo• live in College, Ferguson, Harris or Patton township; your regional trash hauler (237-3713) will assist you. Residents of other municipalities should contact their private trash haulers.

• Glass bottles and jars (includes green, blue, brown and clear glass): Rinse thoroughly; labels do not need to be removed; no broken glass; no window glass, drinking glasses, cookware or light bulbs.

• Metal cans and foil: includes aluminum cans, aluminum foil and foil pans, steel cans, empty paint cans, empty aerosol cans and license plates. Rinse thoroughly; no partially filled aerosol cans; no scrap metal, pots or pans.

• Plastic bottles: includes narrow-neck plastic bottles, milk jugs, soda bottles, shampoo bottles and cleaning-supply bottles. Rinse bottles, remove lids; no widemouth tubs, margarine and yogurt containers, toys, cups and plastic bags.

• Newspapers and telephone books: includes dry newspaper, newspaper inserts, telephone books and clean, dry paper. Bundle with string or stack in paper grocery bag; no office paper or magazines.

• Magazines: bundle with string. No office or copy paper.

• Mixed office paper: includes copy and computer paper, writing or typing paper, colored bond paper, white envelopes and cereal boxes. Place in a paper bag.

PAINT

• Do not pour down household drains or throw liquid paint in the trash. Solidify first, then dispose of paint. If small amount of paint is left, remove lid (outside, with good ventilation) and let dry. The can may be recycled with metal cans. If you have more paint than would dry in the air, there are several options:

• Fill a cardboard box with clay-based cat litter, pour the paint onto the litter and let dry. Dispose of this dried mixture with the trash.

• Use a paint solidifier, carried by some local hardware and paint stores. When dried, put out for trash collection.

• The Centre County Solid Waste Authority’s Transfer Station will accept up to 5 liquid gallons per person, per day. There is a minimum fee of $5.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE

Some household products, such as chlorine bleach, drain cleaner, paint thinner or pesticides, are hazardous and need to be disposed of properly. Purchase only what yo• need, and use until the container is empty. If there is material left over, the product may be disposed of with your regular trash. For further information, call the Centre County Cooperative Extension office at 355-4897 or the county department of emergency management at 355-6745. If you have questions about industrial hazardous waste, call the Department of Environmental Protection at 717-327-3636.

APPLIANCES Scrap metal and appliances, such as air conditioners, machines or furnaces, are accepted at the Solid waste authority transfer station, from any resident for free.

ELECTRONICS RECYCLING

Do not trash your outdated consumer electronics. Computers, televisions and peripherals contain materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium and chromium. These materials need to be handled properly so they are not released into the environment. Visit www.centrecountyrecycles.com for information on preparation of electronics for proper recycling.

PENN STATE AND BENEFIT RECYCLING PROGRAMS

• American Association of University Women Used Book Sale, which is held for four days in May at the Snider Agricultural Arena at Penn State, recycles thousands of books. The event benefits organizations that promote education and provide services for girls and women in the community.

• Trash to Treasure is a cooperative effort between Penn State and the Centre County United Way. Proceeds benefit the 39 local Centre County United Way member organizations. The sale is held on a Saturday in May in Beaver Stadium. Early bird admission (7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.) is $5; free admission continues from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

How to recycle for Trash to Treasure: Any student who lives on campus can donate material at the end of fall and spring semesters. Drop-off details are posted in residence halls and apartment complexes.

• The Spring Fling rummage sale, which is held at the Snider Agricultural Arena at Penn State, benefits the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. The free public sale is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in mid-April, although early risers preview the sale, for $5, from 7:30 a.m. until the doors open. Small appliances, CDs, videos, computers, clothing, furniture, lawn and garden items, toys and sporting goods draw huge crowds. In the last five years, Spring Fling has raised more than $75,000 for the Centre County Youth Service Bureau.

• Penn State Newspaper Recycling

Penn State created a recycling initiative to deal with the volume of newspapers generated by the readership program. The recycled newspapers are marketed by Veolia Environmental Services and a portion of the profits (more than $59,000 since 1997) is donated to the Penn State Newspaper Readership Trustee Scholarship Fund and the General Scholarship Fund. This recycling effort comprises additional recycling barrels and designated newspaper roll-offs staged within the residence hall complexes resulting in the capture of 1.5 tons of newspapers per day. With a recycling capture percentage rate of 65 percent, this initiative represents the most successful recycling program at University Park. Recycling sites on campus: Brumbaugh Hall; Nittany Community Center; Nittany Apartments; Stone Hall; and Beaver Stadium (football weekends).

• Skills of Central PA Inc. holds a permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection to recycle and process computers, fax machines, scanners and printers that are at the end of their useful life. They do not accept televisions, typewriters, terminals, office copiers or other household electronics unrelated to your computer. For information on drop-off locations, visit www.skillsofcentralpa.org or call 238-3245.

RECYCLING CLOTHING, FURNITURE, INSTRUMENTS

Hand-me-downs, secondhand items, “white elephants,” and gently used clothing are spared from clogging landfills when recycled. Many charitable organizations find willing consumers for used but serviceable “stuff.”

• Bicycle donations: Trips for Kids, Central Pennsylvania, Tammy at 867-1670 for pickup.

• Furniture donations: Interfaith Mission Inc., 234-7731 for pickup.

• Eyeglass donations: Ferguson Township Lions Club, state Route 45, Pine Grove Mills. Call 238-9948 for drop-off locations.

• Musical instrument donations: Kiwanis Club, 643-4757, 935-1031, 717-247- 4169.

• FaithCentre, 141 S. Allegheny St. or 110 W. High St., Bellefonte, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, 355-2238.

• Goodwill Industries, 424 Westerly Parkway, State College, noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday; Peebles Plaza, Philipsburg. Furniture pickups are scheduled for Tuesdays and Fridays, 237-1848.

• Millheim Outreach Center/Community Action, 103 Mill St., Millheim, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week, 349-5850.

• State College Woman’s Club Thrift Shop, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, 902 S. Allen St., State College, 238-2322.

• St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store, 526 Westerly Parkway, State College, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, 867-3131.

• CentrePeace Inc., 3013 Benner Pike, Bellefonte, 353-9081.

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