Recycling can be a confusing topic, especially in a rural community when we don’t always have the infrastructure in place. Fortunately, the County of Venango is in the process of creating a county-wide recycling center.

“We are working on finding the right location, but plan to have the facility running in less than two years,” said Erik Johnson, Venango County Recycling Coordinator. Currently, the County has recycling bins at Two Mile Run County Park, accessible to county residents, and also holds quarterly Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Collections Events at the Cranberry Mall.

Single-stream recycling has become a common method of collection, in which all papers, cardboard, plastic, glass and metal are thrown in the recycling bin together, to be sorted at the processing center. While this provides residents with convenience, the wrong items are often put into the recycling bin, causing problems and making it difficult for successful recycling.

“When in doubt, throw it out,” said Erik. “If you’re not certain if an item can be recycled, it is often better to throw it out to avoid contaminating the haul and making it difficult for the recycling process to work as it should.” As of recently, glass cannot be recycled through many recycling programs, including Two Mile Run and the Township of Cranberry, but Erik says this is hopefully temporary until the right infrastructure is put in place.

If you are already recycling at your home or business through a local waste hauler, we recommend making sure you are recycling correctly. If you are not recycling, check with your hauler to see if this is an option.

“Although we are working to provide the county with opportunities to recycle easier, it starts with the consumer,” said Erik. “We encourage everyone to reduce and reuse when they can, and make sure they are recycling properly.”

The next Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Collections Event is Saturday, June 8, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cranberry Mall, with another planned for September 28.  County residents can Pre-Register for these events by going the ECSR.NET or calling 1.866.815.0016.

Find more information and recycling tips by visiting www.co.venango.pa.us/278/Recycling and contact Erik at ejohnson@co.venango.pa.us with questions.

This article was published in the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce’s May 2019 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.