Brighton Heights complex takes part in new recycling initiative
Photo by Justin Criado
Lynn Williams Apartments on 3710 Brighton Road in Brighton Heights received a recycling upgrade Wednesday, Feb. 25 as new bins and procedures were placed throughout the five-story complex as part of a Pennsylvania Resources Council initiative sponsored by the Alcoa Foundation.
By Justin Criado
The local Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC) installed new recycling bins and signage throughout the Lynn William Apartments, a 43-unit complex providing affordable housing for senior citizens in Brighton Heights Wednesday, Feb. 25.
Seven large recycling bins were placed throughout the five-story building along with proper signage and directions for collecting and recycling metal, plastic, glass, paper and cardboard.
Individual recycling bins were also handed out after a presentation that highlighted the new program.
“We’re focusing on a very simple message that every person, every household and every family has the potential to keep a tremendous amount of trash out of local landfills,” Justin Stockdale, PRC regional director, said.
The complex , which has the potential to keep 34,000 pounds of recyclables out of landfills each year, is the third of 15 complexes in Allegheny County, and first in Northside, to take part in the pilot program funded by Alcoa Foundation set to affect 1,300 residents.
“I think that the aim of this program is to find what works best to multi-unit residents because they fall through the cracks. Are the commercial institutions? Are the residential institutions?,” Mary Kate Ranii, PRC program coordinator, said. “There are rules for both of those so we’re looking to find the best practices for these types of buildings by doing things like streamlining the program with bins and signage and educational materials.”
On average, a person produces 4.4 pounds of waste a day, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, while 50 percent of such waste is readily recyclable.
“Recycling is very important to us at Lynn Williams Apartments, and we are excited to be working with the Pennsylvania Resources Council to make it easier for our residents to do the right thing,” Melissa Tarrant, National Field Coordinator at the Elderly Housing Development & Operations Corp, said in a statement. “Increasing our recycling rate allows us to decrease our waste hauling costs and to go green at the same time!”
Mary Kate Ranii (center), PRC program coordinator, and Ross Hirschfeld (left), PRC zero waste services specialist, hand out personal recycling bins to residents of Lynn Williams Apartments on 3710 Brighton Road in Brighton Heights Wednesday, Feb. 25.
