When you recycle your glass bottles in Southwestern Pennsylvania, chances are, they鈥檒l end up back on store shelves in about 30 days. Allegheny County does a decent job with glass recycling, especially when it comes to cultivating a localized, circular economy, but experts say there is significant demand and room for growth.
鈥淚 want people to know that recycling works,鈥� said Sarah Alessio Shea, deputy director of the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC). 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a lot of conversation and concern that recycling does not work and that there鈥檚 not a value in doing it鈥ut when you talk about paper, cardboard, aluminum, glass; these are all materials that can be recycled multiple times, if not endlessly. The economics is great. The environmental impact is amazing.鈥�
Since 2019, PRC has collected over 4,230 tons of glass through their recycling programs, Shea said. PRC works with more than 100 partners 鈥� including Michael Brothers Hauling & Recycling, CAP Glass, and Owens-Illinois which are among the local organizations supporting the region鈥檚 circular glass economy.