Medical Equipment Recycling Program

How the Program Works

The Medical Equipment Recycling Program (also known as MERP) is an initiative of the UPMC Horizon Community Health Foundation. MERP accepts donations of gently used medical equipment from area residents who no longer need it or from organizations which have collected the items and reuses them by loaning the equipment to community members who need it. MERP also accepts donations of certain unused medical supplies, such as adult diapers, bed pads and bandages, which are made available to anyone who needs them. Anyone in the community can take advantage of the program – they do not have to be UPMC patients to use MERP’s services!

When equipment is received or returned, MERP staff clean, inspect, and repair the equipment as necessary to ensure that it is in an excellent condition. When ready, the equipment is made available to loan out. This process provides no-cost equipment to those in the surrounding area who have financial or other needs preventing them from obtaining equipment on their own and saves equipment from being discarded before the end of its lifespan. A single piece of equipment, cared for in this way, can serve dozens of people during its useful life.

The goal of MERP is to improve general community health by ensuring that residents have the equipment they need to live safe, active and independent lives. You can participate in MERP’s work in a number of ways. If you have unused medical equipment or supplies that are in good condition, you can donate it to MERP for others to use. You can sign up to be a volunteer repairing equipment or assisting customers. You can also make a financial donation to help support MERP and the costs of obtaining, cleaning, repairing and loaning equipment to the community. Your support makes a difference!