Westmoreland Cleanways suspends electronics recycling

Westmoreland Cleanways temporarily is halting drop-off of electronics at its Pleasant Unity recycling center because of a covid-19-related shutdown of a company that processes the items.

Executive Director Ellen Keefe said Thursday that Westmoreland Cleanways learned the out-of-state electronics processor shut down because of a suspected covid-19 infection.

She stressed that the suspected infection did not occur locally and that the recycling center at 355 Pleasant Unity Mutual Road will remain open to accept other items, including glass containers, fluorescent light bulbs, cardboard, newspapers, office paper, Freon-containing appliances, tires, lead acid batteries and scrap metal. Fees apply for some items.

For now, the recycling center will not accept television sets, computers, monitors or other electronics and small appliances.

“It is anticipated that the disruption will last no more than three weeks and that electronics collection will resume in mid-July,” Keefe said.

According to Keefe, Westmoreland Cleanways shipped about 120,000 pounds of discarded TVs for processing since May 11, when it relocated recycling operations from Innovative Park, off Route 30, to the Pleasant Unity site.

She said the recycling center has been operating under sanitary and social distancing guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the covid-19 pandemic.

Visitors to the center are expected to wear masks and to empty items from their vehicles. Assistance will be available for older or disabled visitors.

The recycling center is open noon to 5 p.m. Mondays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.

Administrative staff continue to work from an office at Innovative Park.

Visit westmorelandcleanways.org for more information.