The UPMC Horizon Community Health Foundation’s Medical Equipment Recycling Program, also known as MERP, operates three locations across Mercer and Lawrence County, loaning durable medical equipment, at no cost, to area residents. Devices donated to MERP, including wheelchairs, walkers, bedrails, shower chairs, and other equipment, are sanitized, cleaned, inspected and refurbished and then made available for borrowing. This program allows medical equipment to have an extended lifetime serving many different individuals rather than being scrapped after a single use, saving patients the cost and time often needed to acquire the equipment from elsewhere.
In 2024, MERP provided substantial benefits to the community, loaning 5,725 devices to 3,415 customers across the region.
MERP has locations in Greenville and Farrell in Mercer County as well as in New Castle in Lawrence County. The service is free to use, but an application must be completed online or at the location before equipment can be borrowed.
