Pennsylvania Resources Council operated two fall collection events in Allegheny County, addressing a persistent challenge in municipal waste management: disposing of materials rejected by standard curbside programs. The September 27 event at Settlers Cabin Park and the October 18 gathering at Northgate High School represented continuation of a program that began in 2003. Since launching these hard-to-recycle collections, PRC has responsibly managed over 3.3 million pounds of electronic waste along with thousands of tires, appliances, and fluorescent tubes.
Both collections ran from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and accepted electronics, tires, and small Freon appliances—items that pose environmental hazards when improperly discarded. Colcom Foundation joined the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Allegheny County Health Department, and eight other sponsors in funding the 2025 campaign.
Material Recovery Through Fee-Based Collections
The events charged tiered fees based on item complexity and disposal requirements. A $5 entry fee covered unlimited quantities of cell phones, computer peripherals, expanded polystyrene packaging, microwave ovens, and video game equipment. Televisions, monitors, printers, fluorescent tubes, small Freon appliances, and tires carried individual per-item charges.
Pennsylvania Resources Council maintains E-Stewards Enterprise certification from the Basel Action Network, requiring adherence to responsible electronics recycling standards. Participants registered in advance through the organization’s website or by calling 412-488-7490. Payment accepted cash, credit cards, or checks.
Foundation Support for Regional Waste Infrastructure
Cordelia Scaife May established Colcom Foundation in 1996 with a focus on environmental conservation in southwestern Pennsylvania’s fourteen counties. The foundation’s support enabled Pennsylvania Resources Council to maintain collection infrastructure that addressed gaps in municipal recycling capacity.
Fee revenues covered less than 25 percent of program operating costs. Foundation grants, state funding, and county partnerships financed the remaining expenses. This funding structure allowed the organization to process materials requiring specialized handling while keeping participation costs accessible.
The foundation’s environmental grantmaking concentrates on watershed remediation, land conservation, and waste diversion programs across Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. Pennsylvania Resources Council received operational support that extended beyond single-event funding, enabling year-round program development and community education initiatives.
Quantifiable Environmental Outcomes
Pennsylvania Resources Council’s hard-to-recycle collection program processed over 3.3 million pounds of electronic waste since launching in 2003. The organization also facilitated safe disposal of 6 million pounds of household chemicals through parallel collection events during the same period. Across all its programs, the organization diverted more than 23.6 million pounds of materials, educated 405,000 people, and engaged 4,000 businesses in waste reduction services.
Electronic waste contains toxic materials including lead, mercury, and cadmium. Without proper recycling channels, these substances contaminate soil and groundwater. Tires abandoned in landfills or illegal dumpsites harbor disease-carrying mosquitoes and release toxic chemicals during fires. Small Freon appliances contain refrigerants that damage the ozone layer when released into the atmosphere.
The partnership between Colcom Foundation and Pennsylvania Resources Council demonstrates how philanthropic support scales local environmental infrastructure. By subsidizing collection costs, the foundation enables broader community participation in proper materials disposal.
