Recycling Resources

Click the links below to learn more about recycling programs in our community as well as and statistics statewide and across the United States! And please call the office to with any questions at 724-628-6882 or refer to our other pages on Allowed Recyclables, Recycling Pickup and Dropoff Details, and Why Recycling Matters.

Fayette County, PA Recycling Webpage (County Hosted)

Here you can find county-wide lists of recycling drop off programs and contact information. According to the county website, "Our Mission is to work with local municipalities, schools and businesses to help establish recycling programs; educate the public about the benefits of composting and waste reduction; provide curbside, drop-off and special recycling events and assure adequate and proper disposal of all municipal solid waste generated in Fayette County."

Fayette County Recycling Convenience Center (Facebook Page)

This is the Facebook page for our county recycling center. They are a drive-through, self-serve facility that aims to make recycling accessible for all citizens. They accept common recyclable items as well as hard-to-recycle items. Contact them for details and hours of operation.

Statewide Recycling Data

Want to see just how much recycling really happens in Pennsylvania? The DEP’s Statewide Recycling Data report shows that in 2023, over 5.31 million tons of materials were collected and processed across the state — enough to cut out more than 7.45 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions. That’s like taking 1.66 million cars off the road for a year, or powering nearly 1.45 million homes. And here's the kicker: recycling tonnage is now above pre-pandemic levels, with 38 counties increasing and 29 decreasing from the previous year. Curious how your county stacks up, or what kinds of materials are doing the heavy lifting? Dive into the details—you’ll get graphs, comparisons by county, and a full picture of Pennsylvania’s recycling game.

National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling

Every day in America, we toss out a staggering amount of stuff—and the EPA’s National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling breaks it all down in eye-opening detail. In 2018, the U.S. generated over 292 million tons of trash—that’s about 4.9 pounds per person per day—yet less than a third of it was recycled or composted. The report also shows how far we’ve come since the 1960s and how much more we could be doing, with recycling efforts in 2018 alone reducing emissions equal to taking 42 million cars off the road. If you’re curious about where all our waste really goes and what impact recycling has, this page is packed with facts you’ll want to check out.

Report Shows Only 21% of U.S. Residential Recyclables are Captured, Points to Policy and Investment as Immediate Solutions

Did you know that only 21% of residential recyclables in the U.S. are actually captured? That’s the striking headline from a recent report by The Recycling Partnership, which shows the rest ends up in the trash—even when most of it could be recycled. It turns out many people don’t even have recycling services (especially in apartment buildings), and in places where the service does exist, the communication about what can and can’t be recycled is often confusing or missing. The report recommends policies like Extended Producer Responsibility and more investment in infrastructure, education, and access—all fixes that sound completely doable. If you want a clear look at where the biggest losses happen (spoiler: it’s everywhere) and what we should be doing about them, this is totally worth your time to dive into.