Westmoreland Cleanways opens its new recycling center in Unity

Half an hour into the first day of operations at the new Westmore­land Cleanways recycling center in Unity, dozens of desktop computer monitors and disused televisions were piled up inside the main drop-off building.

“Man, this is great it’s back open. I’ve been waiting for it to reopen,” said Mark Nemeth of nearby Hecla, in Mt. Pleasant Township.

Nemeth was among the customers who formed a line of vehicles as they waited to drop off recyclables at the Westmore­land Cleanways facility at 355 Pleasant Unity-­Mutual Road, just south of Route 130 in Pleasant Unity. It opened for business Monday.

Ellen Keefe, executive director of the nonprofit environmental organization, admitted she had a few butterflies wondering how the new location would work out. She didn’t have to wait long for an answer.

“They were nearly backed out on the road when we got here, so we opened the gates a little early at 11:30 a.m. instead of noon,” Keefe said. “It’s been going very well so far.”

Westmore­land Cleanways’ former location off Route 30 in Unity closed in mid-­January.

Wearing a protective mask and gloves, plus a waterproof coat and hat to cope with the 40-degree temperature and steady rain, Keefe worked in the driveway near the drop-off building, logging what people were recycling.

“We have a lot more space here for vehicles to queue up,” she said.

The organization was at its former location for six years and had been looking for a larger location for four years. It appeared nobody was having trouble finding the new location: Vehicles were lined up four and five deep during the afternoon.

“We’ve had a lot of people dropping off TVs, glass, cardboard and tires so far,” Keefe said.

She noted that workers are following all of the guidelines prescribed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention amid the covid-19 pandemic.

Chris Hilty and Mike Rahuba, workers who helped unload vehicles, wore protective gloves and masks.

“We’ve been pretty busy,” Hilty said as he unloaded a truckload of old computer equipment.

Those dropping off recyclables must wear masks as well.

There is no residency requirement and no limit on the amount of material that can be brought to be recycled.

Among the items accepted are scrap metal; glass bottles and jars, which must be sorted with lids removed; tires; electronics, including small appliances; lead acid batteries; light bulbs and tubes; and paper.

No chemicals or household hazardous materials are being accepted. Keefe said the organization is planning to schedule collection of household hazardous waste, such as paint products, in the near future.

The center is open noon to 5 p.m. Monday; 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays; and 8:30 a.m. to noon the second Saturday of each month.

Fees are charged for some items. More information is available at the Westmoreland Cleanways website.