Issue
Recycling routes and education, composting, hazardous waste, and transfer stations.
City Council
Pittsburgh's recycling and trash crews still follow routes printed in paper binders. Now, council has agreed to move forward with software to replace them. The routes were last updated in 2008, and the longest recycling route runs about 10 hours. Still, in-vehicle navigation isn't part of the deal and needs a separate contract.
City Council
Online shopping has added recyclable packaging, but public works says recycling rates have stayed flat. On Dec. 29, council authorized a $100,000, one-year contract with Eastern Research Group to teach residents to recycle. A 2024 KDKA report put the city's rate at 17%, against a 30% national average. Even so, the city keeps its goal of 90% diversion by 2030.
City Council
Organics like food scraps and yard waste made up 24-28% of the county's municipal solid waste, a 2022 study found. Soon, three city departments will start phase two of a community composting pilot. It'll explore collection options, like curbside pickup on request or farmers market drop-offs. Still, a city official said the city can't afford pickup at every home.
City Council
Old paint, electronics, and household chemicals should be easier to get rid of next year. Council has moved forward with a recycling contract with Noble Environmental Specialty Recycling. It includes twice weekly drop-off hours at five neighborhood centers and curbside pickup on request, both for a fee. The one-year deal costs $571,250, but Noble hasn't released its fee scale yet.
City Council
A Hazelwood recycling facility sits 300 feet from homes and has a longstanding rat problem, a council member said. Its current owner is seeking a 2019 state permit to convert it to hold raw garbage. Now, she has proposed barring such sites within 500 feet of homes, businesses, schools, and parks. Next, the bill goes to the planning commission for its approval.