Politics & Government
Dormont Pitches In to Reduce Waste
Despite last-place standing, Dormont still has a chance in recycling contest.
Carol Winter said the numbers are misleading: As the Dormont clerk, Winter said she's certain the borough recycles.
Although Dormont is trailing nine other South Hills communities in a recycling competition, Winter said she has noticed a steady increase in recycling throughout the borough.
“Our residents are really involved in recycling efforts,” Winter said.
Find out what's happening in Dormont-Brooklinefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Dormont officials have provided its residents with single stream, curbside recycling through
Allied Waste only collects recyclables from residential buildings containing three or fewer units, Winter said. Because of the borough’s many apartment buildings, Dormont’s low contest numbers aren’t reflective of its citizens’ recycling efforts, she said.
Find out what's happening in Dormont-Brooklinefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The contest, which began in November to raise awareness, compares the recycling tonnages of 10 South Hills areas each month. The combined communities have collected more than 3,110 tons so far this year, a nearly 15 percent increase from last year’s numbers. So far, Mt. Lebanon is leading the competition, with Peters Township and Upper St. Clair in second and third place, respectively.
“I’ve been charting local recycling trends for about six years now,” said Tom Kelley, Mt. Lebanon public works director, who said all South Hills communities have improved waste reduction efforts.
He pointed out that while Mt. Lebanon’s overall collection score of more than 800 tons dwarfs Dormont’s not-quite 128 tons, the two communities have different demographics.
In fact, Kelley said, all the communities participating in the contest have unique strengths and challenges. “Like South Park, who are up over 90 percent (from last year)” he said. “I don’t know what they’re doing over there, but it sure is working.”
Winter suggested that some of the larger communities might be collecting a higher tonnage through public recycling bins.
To even things out, Kelley said, contest participants are not only competing against other communities, but also against themselves. Beyond total tonnage awards, prizes will be given to communities who improve their own recycling numbers.
“We’re going to look at 2010 as a baseline year,” said Kelley. “We wanted to make it so every community, big or small, has some chance to win.”
Nonetheless, the contest isn’t really about winning, Winter and Kelley agreed. It’s about participation and spreading awareness.
“We just thought it would be fun,” Kelley said. “If you focus on a large area, you can really see the results (of increased efforts).”
Both Winter and Kelley attribute the rise in recycling to single-stream, curbside pickup programs. Single-stream collection allows users to mix a wide variety of recyclables in the same bin, as opposed to traditional programs that required more sorting. Another benefit of single stream programs is flexibility; Users can recycle more types of material.
“It used to be only glass and certain kinds of plastic,” Kelley said. “Aluminum cans sometimes even required a separate pickup. Now you can recycle all plastics numbered one through seven, corrugated cardboard, magazines… almost anything.”
Winter hopes that spreading word about the contest will nudge Dormont’s totals into the black. The contest isn’t over until January, she said.
“We’ve begun to really promote it in the newsletter and on the website,” she said. “Anything we can do to get the word out. I think everybody has that drive to win.”
For more information or to purchase a $6 recycling bin, contact the Dormont borough office at 412-561-8900.
Allied Waste for several years, and she attributed the borough‘s poor performance in the contest to two reasons: “We’re a small community,” she said. “And we do have a lot of renters.”
Carol Winter said the numbers are misleading. As the Dormont clerk, Winter said she's certain the borough recycles.
Although Dormont is trailing nine other South Hills communities in a recycling competition, Winter said she has noticed a steady increase in recycling throughout the borough.
“Our residents are really involved in recycling efforts,” Winter said.
Dormont officials have provided its residents with single stream, curbside recycling through
for several years, and she attributed the borough‘s poor performance in the contest to two reasons: “We’re a small community,” she said. “And we do have a lot of renters.”
Allied Waste only collects recyclables from residential buildings containing three or fewer units, Winter said. Because of the borough’s many apartment buildings, Dormont’s low contest numbers aren’t reflective of its citizens’ recycling efforts, she said.
The contest, which began in November to raise awareness, compares the recycling tonnages of 10 South Hills areas each month. The combined communities have collected more than 3,110 tons so far this year, a nearly 15 percent increase from last year’s numbers. So far, Mt. Lebanon is leading the competition, with Peters Township and Upper St. Clair in second and third place, respectively.
“I’ve been charting local recycling trends for about six years now,” said Tom Kelley, Mt. Lebanon public works director, who said all South Hills communities have improved waste reduction efforts.
He pointed out that while Mt. Lebanon’s overall collection score of more than 800 tons dwarfs Dormont’s not-quite 128 tons, the two communities have different demographics.
In fact, Kelley said, all the communities participating in the contest have unique strengths and challenges. “Like South Park, who are up over 90 percent (from last year)” he said. “I don’t know what they’re doing over there, but it sure is working.”
Winter suggested that some of the larger communities might be collecting a higher tonnage through public recycling bins.
To even things out, Kelley said, contest participants are not only competing against other communities, but also against themselves. Beyond total tonnage awards, prizes will be given to communities who improve their own recycling numbers.
“We’re going to look at 2010 as a baseline year,” said Kelley. “We wanted to make it so every community, big or small, has some chance to win.”
Nonetheless, the contest isn’t really about winning, Winter and Kelley agreed. It’s about participation and spreading awareness.
“We just thought it would be fun,” Kelley said. “If you focus on a large area, you can really see the results (of increased efforts).”
Both Winter and Kelley attribute the rise in recycling to single-stream, curbside pickup programs. Single-stream collection allows users to mix a wide variety of recyclables in the same bin, as opposed to traditional programs that required more sorting. Another benefit of single stream programs is flexibility; Users can recycle more types of material.
“It used to be only glass and certain kinds of plastic,” Kelley said. “Aluminum cans sometimes even required a separate pickup. Now you can recycle all plastics numbered one through seven, corrugated cardboard, magazines… almost anything.”
Winter hopes that spreading word about the contest will nudge Dormont’s totals into the black. The contest isn’t over until January, she said.
“We’ve begun to really promote it in the newsletter and on the website,” she said. “Anything we can do to get the word out. I think everybody has that drive to win.”
For more information or to purchase a $6 recycling bin, contact the Dormont borough office at 412-561-8900.
