Trash & Recycling Additional Info

Curbside Single-Stream Recycling Collection

Recycling
Place the following items in your recycling cart (with the yellow lid) for weekly collection:

• Plastics
  rinsed #1 through #7, no polystyrene foam; lids should be attached to drink bottles
• Flexible Plastics
  pet treat pouches, detergent pouches, case wrap, shrink film, grocery bags (empty and loose), retail bags, storage bags, jerky pouches, salad bags, wipes pouches, candy pouches, baby food pouches, bread bags, diaper bags, air pillows, bubble wrap, dog food bags, cereal bags, paper towel wrap, chip bags, meat bags. Flexible Plastics Flyer Click here to review the flexible plastics flyer.
  
• Glass
  rinsed clear, brown and green bottles and jars; lids removed
• Metals
  rinsed aluminum, tin and steel cans, and household metals, pots and pans
• Paper
  office and school paper, newsprint, junk mail, paper bags, phone books, magazines, catalogs, envelopes, wrapping paper (no metallic or bows), shredded paper should be bagged and placed in the trash
• Cardboard
  shoe, gift, and cereal boxes, corrugated boxes, cut or flattened as needed
• Food and beverage cartons
  milk, cream, egg substitutes, orange juice, soup, broth, and wine cartons, and juice boxes

NO GREASY PIZZA BOXES, FOOD WASTE, ELECTRONICS, TEXTILES, WOOD, OR YARD WASTE

Trash

• Place all waste materials in the all-green automated cart.
• Trash should be bagged before it is put in the cart. Bagging helps keep your cart clean and reduces windblown litter.
• Tires, hazardous waste, liquid paint, motor oil, and electronics are prohibited



Items that will not be collected as waste or recycling
Televisions and computer equipment, appliances that contain refrigerants, liquid waste, hazardous household wastes, medical waste, exposed needles, construction materials, dead animals, dirt, rock, building materials, tires, car parts.

How To Place The Carts At The Curb For Collection



• Carts must be within two feet of the curb edge by 5:00 AM on the morning of collection. Except for days on which refuse is being collected, all refuse containers must be kept to the side or rear of the premises. Municipal waste containers shall not be stored on front porches or within 3 feet of the front door. Exceptions: a. In high denisity residential areas, as defined in Chapter 190, containers may be kept along the front of the house or structure. A natural or manmade screen is encouraged. Manmade screens shall be in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 190. b. For single-family attached and semi-detached homes, containers may be kept along the front of the house or structure, upon request and approval by the Board of Supervisors, provided that such containers are obscured from view from the public street by a natural or manmade screen and located at a minimum of 5 feet from property lines. Manmade screens shall be in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 190. c. Where a waiver is obtained, by the Board of Supervisors, due to the infeasibility by topographic constraints or disability limitations. d. For residents that are approved for and utilized the Township's assisted collection program provided by the contracted hauler.
• Please place the cart at least 4 feet from any tree, utility pole, mailbox, fire hydrant, etc., and at least 5 feet away from any cars parked in the street. Carts must be placed at least 3 feet apart from each other.
• Do not lean anything against the container, as it cannot be lifted for dumping.
• Remember to place the arrows on the lid of the container toward the street and the handle toward the house.
• The automated truck arm has a reach of 6 feet. The arm requires 3' clearance around the cart for the lifting mechanism to work properly. Cars parked within 5 feet of the container will inhibit or even prevent collection.



MATERIALS PLACED OUTSIDE OF THE CARTS WILL NOT BE COLLECTED.



2025 SPECIAL CURBSIDE COLLECTIONS


Place items curbside for pick-up on your regularly scheduled collection day by 5:00 AM (ONLY during special collection weeks - refer to dates below) and they will be collected that week by a separate vehicle. Please call us at 610-253-7191 within 24 hours of a missed special pickup to request recovery service.

YARD WASTE COLLECTIONS: Weeks of June 2 and November 3


Unlimited amounts of yard waste (leaves, branches, twigs, flowers, roots, bushes, garden clippings). Place your yard waste in any clean open-top container or place in compostable paper bags (NOT YOUR AUTOMATED CARTS), and/or tie with cotton or hemp twine in bundles no larger than 3’ x 3’ x 3’, and weighing no more than 40lbs.

NO plastic rope, bags, or twine, grass clippings, tree stumps, loose soils, sod, any wood or tree limbs over four (4) inches in diameter, animal excrement, noxious weeds, or bamboo of any kind or soil.

METALS AND APPLIANCES COLLECTION: Weeks of April 14 and September 22


One item that can be carried by 2 men per collection. Appliances such as microwaves, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, refrigerators and freezers (remove doors; FREON no longer needs to be removed); washers, dryers, meatal dishwashers , steel or aluminum tire rims (w/o tires), hot water heaters, metal swing sets must be taken apart and tied up, bicycles, BBQ grills (gas, propane, and/or charcoal removed), and push-behind lawnmowers (oil and gas propane removed). No electronics or plastic dishwashers.

Metal items and appliances, as described above, can be taken year round to the Palmer Township Recycling Center, 3600 Hartley Avenue.

BULK ITEM COLLECTIONS: Week of March 3, May 12, September 8, and November 17


Each residence is allowed to place one (1) bulk item curbside during these collections. Bulk items are defined as items too large to fit into the trash cart; with the general rule of thumb being an item the approximate dimensions and weight of a standard size sofa, and that can be carried by two (2) men. Acceptable items include plastic dishwashers, furniture, mattresses and box springs (wrapped in plastic), rolled up and tied rugs no larger than 3’ x 6’. No electronics, construction materials or debris, large glass items (i.e. glass tables, china cabinets, or window panes), hazardous materials, tires, yard waste, grass clippings, or additional household trash.

If you can’t wait for a bulk item collection, you may request a special bulk item collection by contacting Waste Management Customer Service at 800-621-2100. Identify yourself as a resident of Palmer Township, PA to receive the Township’s $40 per item pickup price. Be sure to get the confirmation number in the event follow-up is needed.

LEAF COLLECTION: Eight weeks in the fall


Provided 8 weeks in the fall, usually between mid-October and mid-December, weather permitting. Leaves should be raked to the curb for collection by the Township's vacuum truck.

CHRISTMAS TREE COLLECTION: First three (3) full weeks in January


Please remove tinsel, ornaments, and tree stands. Artificial trees and trees in bags will not be collected.



One Day Holiday and Weather Emergency Delay Information For Trash And Recycling Collection
See the Holiday Schedule and Weather Emergency Page.