Township strives to become eco-friendly

By Dominick DiRienzo
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, September 18, 2003

What's good for Ed McKee also happens to be good for the environment.

The 72-year-old Cranberry man puts his yard waste and kitchen scraps in a backyard composter given to him by the township after he took a composting class in the township municipal building.

The 116 composters given away by the township this year could keep 40 tons of waste out of landfills, said Lorin Meeder, township water supply and sewage treatment manager.

"We thought it sounded like a pretty good idea," McKee said. "Naturally, it helps out the landfill, and it does us some good, too."

Thanks to the township's large commercial sector and its affluent population, Cranberry leads Butler County in waste generation, said Michele Nestor, a municipal solid waste consultant to both the township and county.

Butler County's average waste per person per day outpaces national averages by about a half-pound, Nestor said. The national average is 4.57 pounds, compared to 5.17 pounds in Butler County in 2000, she said.

Paper is the leading source of waste, she said. To make matters worse, the county's recycling rate is just 10 percent to 12 percent. The state has set a 35 percent rate as the goal.

Boosting recycling rates could translate to more state grants -- as much as $100,000 annually in Cranberry -- officials say. Meeder estimates that Cranberry will get $54,000 from the state for recycling efforts this year.

Some efforts to improve efficiency could include contracting with a single waste hauler to limit the number of trucks traveling through neighborhoods.

Nestor hopes other communities will follow Cranberry's lead.

Cranberry has begun recycling at the municipal building, using longer lasting and more energy efficient bulbs in traffic signals, applying golf course management techniques and working on water conservation efforts.

Butler County in 2002 produced 188,386 tons of waste and recycled 48,966 tons, said Sheryl Kelly, county recycling and waste management coordinator.