Glass Recycling Pop-Up Coming To Lower Merion Township

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — The Pennsylvania Resources Council is hosting a traveling glass recycling program in Lower Merion Township.

The PRC’s Traveling Glass Bin Program is part of council's broader glass recycling collaborative. From Saturday to Thursday, Dec. 14, the Lower Merion Township Transfer Station will host the glass recycling event.

It is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. The event is closed Sunday.

Residents can drop off glass bottles, jars and jugs of all colors (no color sorting required). Containers should be empty and rinsed, with lids and labels still on.

Bags and boxes used to deliver glass must be discarded off-site.

"Since scheduling the first bin appearance in Allegheny County three-plus years ago, PRC and partners have collected 4,000 tons of glass to become new bottles, jars and jugs,” according to PRC Executive Director Darren Spielman. "We’re excited to offer the recycling opportunity to residents of Delaware and Montgomery counties as a pilot program to gather data to enable us to expand the program across the state."

"Glass is still one of the most recyclable materials we generate in our homes, and the market for glass recycling is very strong," according to Glass Program Coordinator Ethan Woodfill. "When you take the time to use glass-only drop-off sites, nearly 100 percent of the glass collected is recycled into new bottles and jars, while curbside programs are only able to capture up to 70 percent of glass for recycling, and a bottle, jar or jug dropped in the bin today could be recycled and back on a store shelf in less than 30 days."

PRC launched its glass recycling campaign in 2019 with a series of pop-up events in response to the elimination of glass in numerous curbside programs. Last year alone, PRC’s program enabled 45,000 households in western Pennsylvania to drop off glass bottles, jars and jugs for recycling

The Lower Merion Township Transfer Station is located at 1300 N. Woodbine Ave. in Penn Valley.