Trying to Get Rid of That Old TV? Household Chemicals? Now is Your Chance

The Pennsylvania Resources Council announces its 2024 collection schedule for hard-to-recycle items and dangerous chemicals.

March 15, 2024

Virginia Linn,

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Pittsburgh Magazine’s Sean Collier recently lamented about the number of old TVs he’s seen left on curbs or tossed along roadsides littering our environment.

The City of Pittsburgh has banned the disposal of TVs, computers and other electronic devices since 2010; abandoned televisions, in particular, can leak harmful substances such as lead, mercury and even small quantities of arsenic and must be collected by professional recycling and disposal agencies.

Now is your chance to dispose of these properly.

Just in time for spring cleaning, the Pennsylvania Resources Council and its partners have announced its 2024 schedule for the collection of hard-to-recycle items and household chemicals with the aim of keeping these out of landfills, forests, off roadsides and other places. There are fees involved, but think of the good you’re doing for the Earth.

Everything from TVs to tires to cans of paint to video game consoles to microwaves and pesticides can be collected.

All events listed below take place from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and are drive-through operations. Place items in your car trunks or truck beds and stay in your vehicle while contractors unload the materials. PRC accepts cash, checks, credit and debit cards. You must register in advance for both of these special collection events at www.prc.org/collectionevents or by calling 412-488-7490.

Hard-to-Recycle Collections

Individuals, for a $5 participant fee, can drop off an unlimited number of phones, computer towers and peripheral equipment (keyboards, laptops, mice, etc.), expanded polystyrene packaging material, microwave ovens, video game consoles/DVD players.

For an additional fee, you can drop off televisions and computer monitors, printers, fluorescent tubes, small Freon appliances and tires (with and without rims).

2024 hard-to-recycle collection schedule:

April 20 – Karns City High School, Butler County
May 11 – Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills, Allegheny County
July 27 – Leetsdale industrial Park, Allegheny County
Sept. 28 – Settlers Cabin Park, Allegheny County
Oct. 5 – Next Tier Connect @ Pittsburgh East in Monroeville, Allegheny County

Household Chemical Collections

You can drop off automotive fluids, household cleaners, pesticides, paints, and other household chemicals. A $20 fee covers disposal of up to 10 gallons/50 pounds of material per vehicle. Loads exceeding those limits will be charged an additional fee at the discretion of the on-site staff. There also are additional fees for a fire extinguisher ($12) and a pound of liquid mercury ($15).

2024 household chemical collection schedule: