For a little more than five years, residents in Somerset County were able to take their recyclables to the Giant Eagle parking lot for collection services.
That service has now ended.
FFFF, First Friday Four to Five, had set up shop at Giant Eagle on North Center Avenue for a ecological-friendly and recyclable items collection day the first Friday of each month under the leadership of founder Virginia Malcolm of the League for Human Decency.
The organization worked in partnership with JVS Environmental LLP, Friedens. Malcolm said the program was made possible by Giant Eagle’s willingness to allow it to operate on its premises, without interruption, and functioned smoothly each month.
“In the 20 months that we operated on the south side of Giant Eagle’s parking lot, after years of being situated at the center of the entrance to its property, we often had over 100 (138 was our record) cars line up to drop off their sorted recyclables between four to five one Friday per month,” Malcolm said. “Donors were very patient and appreciative. Occasionally, we even got a donation. Rarely did we ever get a complaint from those who brought us their recyclables.”
Malcolm said a recycling center, All-In Resource Management, opened Aug. 5, along Route 30 just east of Route 219. This facility is owned by JVS.
“Hopefully, the public will support it as ardently as it supported FFFF,” she said.
Malcom said FFFF had a very loyal core group of volunteers who, for the most part, worked quietly and hard.
“Operating 100% with loyal volunteers, including that of JVS of Stoystown in recent years, FFFF collected multiple types of recyclables and transported them to processing centers, some as far away as Pittsburgh,” Malcolm said in an email. “Hundreds of local residents regularly contributed their recyclables. Aluminum and other metals were sold, and all the monies collected were donated to various charities.”
She said that as the recycling industry has matured and expanded somewhat in western Pennsylvania, the public has become more engaged, and the system has become more streamlined.
“No more sorting of plastic items by the number in the triangle contained on its bottom, often visible only by a microscope in the bright sunshine,” she said. “The process consumed a perceived million hours of my time. In some ways, it is a relief that FFFF has ended, as, over the years, it required a lot of effort as well as storage space in my garage.”
She said, “For those of us who love and respect the environment, almost every minute was a joy and a labor of genuine love.”
All-In Resource Management is at 3179 Lincoln Highway, Stoystown, allinrm@outlook.com. The phone number is 814-703-6119. According to its website, it offers competitive pricing and convenient service for a wide range of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Ferrous metals contain iron as a main element, and often include other elements like carbon, nickel, or chromium to form alloys like steel. That includes: borings, car/truck engines, marine engines, cast iron, construction scrap, cuttings, cylinder cast, heavy machinery, light iron, shearing and steel.
Non-ferrous metals are alloys or metals that do not contain any appreciable amounts of iron: Alloy wheels, aluminum cans, batteries, brass, bronze, cables, copper, electric motors, lead, nickel, stainless steel, swarf (turnings, filings or shavings), tin, titanium and zinc.
The company also offers recycling services for paper, cardboard and electronics.
Accepted free of charge: Cardboard, paper, plastic No. 1 to No. 7, glass bottles and electronics. Tires accepted with fee: passenger, $5/tire, large truck/equipment, $15/tire.