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Frequently Asked Questions
Q.
What are your operating hours & holiday schedule?
Q. What do
I do with paint?
Q. The curbside driver missed my
bin?
Q. I understand we can
recycle narrow neck plastics. But why don't we recycle margarine
containers and other wide mouth containers?
Q. What can I do with old medications?
Q.
Which stores recycle plastic
bags?
Q.
Can I recycle my Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
(CFL's)?
Q.
How do I recycle my computer?
Q. I have a bunch of old books. Can I recycle them?
Q. What can I do with automotive waste, including tires?
Q. How can I set up recycling at my special event?
Q. Can I recycle my microwave?
Q. Can I recycle brown paper bags?
Q. What are your tipping fees?
Q. What can I do with batteries?
Q. What can I do with old chemicals?
Q. What is your tipping fee for shingles?
What are your operating hours?
Office:
Monday through Friday
8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Transfer Station (Trash):
Monday through Friday
8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday
8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Recycling (drop-off bins outside Authority's gates):
Anytime
Observed Holidays
New Year's Day
Memorial Day
Fourth of July
Labor Day
Thanksgiving
First Day of Deer Season
Christmas
What do I do with paint?
Please Note: There is a difference between
Latex Paint and Oil Based Paint.
Latex Paint. Latex paint, when dry, may be disposed of in your regular trash. See ideas below to dry latex paint.
If you are simply overwhelmed with latex paint, the Authority's Transfer Station is allowed to accept up to 5 gallons of latex paint per person per day. There is a $10.00 minimum charge for this service. Please note that the Authority will not accept latex paint at our Household Hazardous Waste events.
Oil Based Paint. Oil based paint, when dry, may be disposed of in your regular trash. See ideas below to dry oil based paint.
The Recycling & Refuse Authority's Transfer Station will not accept oil based paint in liquid form. If you are simply overwhelmed with oil based paint, the Authority holds a Household Hazardous Waste Collection each May. The Authority accepts oil based paint at this event.
In addition, ReStore in Bellefonte takes unopened cans of oil-based paint for reuse. Please call with details: (814) 353-2390.
Tips to dry paint:
- Get a sturdy cardboard
box and fill with clay-based kitty litter, pour the paint onto the kitty
litter and let dry. Then dispose of this dried mixture with your trash.
- Some local hardware and
paint stores carry a paint solidifier. Simply purchase, follow
directions and when paint is dried, put out for trash collection.
You might also want to visit a website that the paint industry has established.
Check out our paint page for other ways to dispose of your leftover paint.
The curbside driver missed my bin?
Sometimes missed collections are the result
of bad weather, i.e. snow. However, the most common cause of missing
your recyclables is that the bin is placed at the curb too late in the
morning. Our curbside workers are hard at work very early in the
morning. So please have your bin at the curb before 7 a.m.
It is also a good idea to write your address on your curbside bin. This will help on extra windy days.
I understand that we can recycle narrow neck plastics.
But why don't we recycle margarine containers and other plastic tubs?
Beginning March 16th, 2012, we will place a
recycling drop-off container at our office to collect items such as
margarine and yogurt containers. Information will be available on our
website early spring with more detials.
What can I do with old medications?
The following are Federal Guidelines from The Office of National Drug Control Policy.
1. Take unused, unneeded or expired medications out of their original containers and throw them in the trash.
2. Mix with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter. This will further ensure the drugs are not reused.
3. Do not flush prescription drugs down the toilet. Recycle container, after blocking out name and prescription number.
Which stores recycle their
plastic bags?
Many of the major retail stores and grocers provide bins for their customers
to recycle their plastic grocery bags and bread bags. Stores in the State College area that
recycle plastic bags include:
Giant-- both locations (N. Atherton & College Ave)
Wegman's Food
Weis-- All locations
Walmart-- Both locations
Can I recycle my Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL's)?
The Solid Waste Authority has a free CFL recycling program in place. Just drop the bulbs off at our office. However, we will only accept the unbroken, compact bulbs (the ones that look like ice cream cones). If you have larger bulbs to recycle, The Hite Company, located on Benner Pike will recycle your CFL’s if you have large quantities of them. Hite charges a nominal fee of $.50/bulb with a minimum of 15 bulbs.
State College Borough also accepts bulbs from their residents. Just drop them off at the Borough office located at 243 Allen Street or at their service facility located at 330 South Osmond Street.
If you choose to dispose of your old CFL’s, make sure to seal the bulb in two plastic bags before throwing it in the trash. CFL’s do contain a very small amount of mercury which may be released in the landfills and contribute to water and air pollution.
For information on CFL's, check out this Fact Sheet developed by the PA Department of Environmental Protection.
Where can I recycle my computer
and monitor?
The Recycling & Refuse Authority has opened a permanent
collection site for electronics. Just stop by our facility and drop
your old electronics off for free. Check out our
Electronics Recycling Guide for details on the program. In addition, there are also a few
local companies that will recycle your computer for you.
Skills of Central Pennsylvania
(free service)
State College, PA
(814) 238-3245
Computer Ministry, Inc
(free service)
State College, PA
(814) 571-5000 (please call ahead for drop-off)
Reclamere (for a small fee)
905 Pennsylvania Ave
Tyrone, PA 16686
(814) 684-5505
I have a bunch of old books. Can I recycle them?
Yes. Soft cover books go as they are but must be bundled for curbside pickup just like magazines. Hard back books can be recycled after the front and back covers are removed. Then they are handled just like soft cover &/or magazines. If you do not have curbside service, the books may be placed in one of our drop-off bins labeled "mixed paper".
What can I do with automotive waste, including tires?
Click here to visit our automotive waste page.
How do I go about setting up recycling at my special event?
Contact the Recycling & Refuse Authority and let them know what you are planning. They will work with you to include recycling at your event.
Yes. Residents may bring microwaves to the Transfer Station during normal operating hours and place in a location designated for Scrap Metal.
Can I recycle brown paper bags?
Yes. Brown paper bags are to be recycled with newspaper.
Click here to visit our refuse tipping fees page.
That depends. If you are a curbside customer, then you should bag or bundle your paper so it will not get wet or fly away. If you use the drop-off boxes around town or the commercial carts, there is no need to bag your paper. However, due to the nature of shredded paper, it should always be bagged in all cases.
What should I do with batteries?
Alkaline batteries, used mostly in toys and flashlights, can be thrown away with your regular trash.
Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion) and Small Sealed Lead (Pb) can be recycled. Drop off locations include Radio Shack and Wal-Mart. You may also bring your old rechargeable batteries to our office.
Lead Acid, (automotive, motorcycle, etc.) should be taken to any store that sells lead acid batteries.
If you are purchasing a new lead acid battery, most places give a discount off the purchase of the new battery when you bring the old one in.
What should I do with old chemicals?
The Authority offers a yearly Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event to properly dispose of your old chemicals. Our even is offered each spring and information regarding the yearly event will be posted on our homepage.
What is the tipping fee for shingles?
The Centre
County Recycling & Refuse Authority is currently accepting post consumer shingles
at the Dale Summit Transfer Station at a discounted rate of
$35 per ton.
These shingles are subsequently transported to an approved and
permitted facility for grinding and recycling. To qualify for this reduced
rate, the Acceptable Load should
include only the following:
shingles, nails & tarpaper.
Unacceptable
Load items include: any
organics, such as: craft paper, wood, leaves, grass, tree limbs, flashing,
coffee cups, soda cans/bottles.
Loads containing these items will be charged
the normal MSW tipping fee of $70 per
ton.
Please let the Scale Operator know if you have an
acceptable load of shingles that qualify for the reduced rate.