Recycling in Pennsylvania
Where to recycle, donate or get rid of things in 55 cities and towns across Pennsylvania. Pick your city, or search for your item. We also pick up anywhere in the state.
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Pennsylvania rules
- Act 108 Section 506: two years after the section took effect, no person may place a covered device or any of its components in municipal solid waste. Source: Covered Device Recycling Act, Act 108 of 2010 (P.L. 1083) (opens in new tab)
- Since January 24, 2013, no one may dispose of a covered device (TVs, computers, monitors, peripherals) with municipal waste; residents must recycle them. Source: PA DEP: Covered Device Recycling Act Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, Sept. 30, 2011) (opens in new tab)
- The CDRA disposal ban took effect January 24, 2013: no person may dispose of a covered device or its components with municipal waste. Source: PA DEP: Covered Device Recycling Act Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, Sept. 30, 2011) (opens in new tab)
More Pennsylvania rules (57)
- The disposal ban covers desktop and laptop computers, monitors, peripherals and televisions only; it does not apply to other electronic devices. Source: PA DEP: Covered Device Recycling Act Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, Sept. 30, 2011) (opens in new tab)
- Covered devices and their components must be recycled and may not be taken to or accepted by landfills or resource recovery facilities. Source: PA DEP: Covered Device Recycling Act Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, Sept. 30, 2011) (opens in new tab)
- Licensed waste haulers and transfer stations may not intentionally accept covered devices for disposal from any source. Source: PA DEP: Covered Device Recycling Act Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, Sept. 30, 2011) (opens in new tab)
- Any person who violates the CDRA may be assessed a penalty of up to $1,000 for a first violation and up to $2,000 for later violations. Source: PA DEP: Covered Device Recycling Act Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, Sept. 30, 2011) (opens in new tab)
- DEP explains e-waste may not simply be trashed because it can contain lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and other toxic components. Source: PA DEP: Electronics (Recycling and Disposal) (opens in new tab)
- DEP suggests donating electronic devices that still work. Source: PA DEP: Electronics (Recycling and Disposal) (opens in new tab)
- DEP lists manufacturers in violation of the CDRA (not on its registered manufacturer list); the CDRA prohibits sale of their covered devices to Pennsylvania consumers. Source: PA DEP: Electronics Recycling (Covered Device Recycling Act) (opens in new tab)
- Retailers selling covered devices must tell customers how and where covered devices can be recycled, e.g. by posting DEP's recycling hotline (800-346-4242) or website. Source: PA DEP: Covered Device Recycling Act Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, Sept. 30, 2011) (opens in new tab)
- Intact electronics can generally be recycled or reused; broken or damaged devices may be hazardous waste needing special handling. Source: PA DEP: Electronics Recycling (Covered Device Recycling Act) (opens in new tab)
- Under Act 108, covered televisions exclude mobile telephones, and computers exclude typewriters, workstations, servers, mobile phones, calculators, PDAs and MP3 players. Source: Covered Device Recycling Act, Act 108 of 2010 (P.L. 1083) (opens in new tab)
- Act 101 Section 1501(a): a municipality (other than a county) with 10,000 or more people must run a source-separation and collection program for recyclables. Source: Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988 (P.L. 556) (opens in new tab)
- Act 101 Section 1501(b): municipalities of more than 5,000 but under 10,000 people with density over 300 per square mile must also run a recycling program. Source: Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988 (P.L. 556) (opens in new tab)
- Mandated municipalities must require residents to separate at least three materials chosen from clear glass, colored glass, aluminum, steel and bimetallic cans, high-grade office paper, newsprint, corrugated paper and plastics. Source: Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988 (P.L. 556) (opens in new tab)
- Commercial, municipal and institutional establishments in mandated municipalities must separate high grade office paper, aluminum, corrugated paper and leaf waste. Source: Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988 (P.L. 556) (opens in new tab)
- Residents of mandated municipalities must separate leaf waste unless they compost it; less dense municipalities that ban leaf burning may be exempt from leaf collection. Source: Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988 (P.L. 556) (opens in new tab)
- Mandated programs must have a scheduled curbside (or similar) collection day for separated materials at least once a month. Source: Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988 (P.L. 556) (opens in new tab)
- Every municipal waste landfill, resource recovery facility or transfer station must have at least one drop-off center for at least three recyclables chosen from the same list, which includes corrugated paper. Source: Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988 (P.L. 556) (opens in new tab)
- Statewide recycling began in 1988 with Act 101, which requires larger municipalities to recycle. Source: PA DEP: Recycling and Disposal (Residents) (opens in new tab)
- DEP says more than 11.6 million residents (at least 94 percent) have access to recycling, through about 1,050 curbside programs and 870 drop-off programs. Source: PA DEP: Recycling and Disposal (Residents) (opens in new tab)
- Act 101 set a $2-per-ton fee on waste disposed at municipal waste landfills and waste-to-energy facilities, funding local recycling grants. Source: PA DEP: Recycling in Pennsylvania (opens in new tab)
- For curbside recycling details, DEP tells residents to contact their local hauler or municipality. Source: PA DEP: Recycling and Disposal (Residents) (opens in new tab)
- For bulky items, DEP tells residents to contact their refuse hauler, or their county recycling coordinator if they have no hauler. Source: PA DEP: Recycling and Disposal (Residents) (opens in new tab)
- DEP's recycling guidelines booklet says local scrap businesses accept metals. Source: PA DEP: Guidelines for Recycling in Your Community (web booklet, PDF) (opens in new tab)
- Some haulers and municipalities run curbside collection for special wastes restricted from regular trash (electronics, HHW, tires); each has its own requirements and costs. Source: PA DEP: Special Waste Materials Curbside Collection Programs (opens in new tab)
- No person may put a used lead acid battery in mixed municipal solid waste; it must go to an automotive battery retailer or wholesaler, an EPA-permitted secondary lead smelter, or an authorized collection or recycling facility. Source: Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988 (P.L. 556) (opens in new tab)
- Required retailer notice: "It is illegal to discard a motor vehicle or other lead acid battery." Source: Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988 (P.L. 556) (opens in new tab)
- A retailer that fails to post the required notice after a warning faces a civil penalty of $25 per day. Source: Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988 (P.L. 556) (opens in new tab)
- DEP: alkaline and zinc-carbon batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt) are no longer considered hazardous and may go in normal household trash. Source: PA DEP: Household Battery Recycling (opens in new tab)
- Before recycling or disposal, tape battery terminals with non-conductive tape or bag batteries individually to prevent fires. Source: PA DEP: Household Battery Recycling (opens in new tab)
- Before taking batteries to a recycling outlet, contact it to confirm it accepts your type and ask about fees. Source: PA DEP: Household Battery Recycling (opens in new tab)
- Depending on chemistry and type, batteries may be accepted at Pennsylvania HHW collection events. Source: PA DEP: Household Battery Recycling (opens in new tab)
- DEP names retail collection points that may include Batteries Plus, Home Depot, Lowe's and Staples, plus outlets such as Call2Recycle (DEP does not endorse them). Source: PA DEP: Household Battery Recycling (opens in new tab)
- DEP points residents to Call2Recycle's drop-off locator for single-use and rechargeable batteries and cell phones. Source: PA DEP: Household Hazardous Waste (opens in new tab)
- Most jewelry stores will recycle silver oxide watch batteries when replacing them. Source: PA DEP: Household Battery Recycling (opens in new tab)
- For damaged batteries, contact the battery or device manufacturer for handling information. Source: PA DEP: Household Battery Recycling (opens in new tab)
- Waste Tire Recycling Act Section 106: no one may knowingly mix whole used or waste tires with solid waste for landfill disposal, and landfills may not accept whole tires for disposal (exceptions apply, e.g. if shredded). Source: Waste Tire Recycling Act / Small Business and Household Pollution Prevention Program Act, Act 190 of 1996 (P.L. 1478) (opens in new tab)
- No person may give whole used or waste tires to a waste tire hauler without a valid DEP authorization. Source: Waste Tire Recycling Act / Small Business and Household Pollution Prevention Program Act, Act 190 of 1996 (P.L. 1478) (opens in new tab)
- No one may set up a program to collect whole used or waste tires without DEP approval. Source: Waste Tire Recycling Act / Small Business and Household Pollution Prevention Program Act, Act 190 of 1996 (P.L. 1478) (opens in new tab)
- DEP lists ongoing waste tire collection programs sponsored by counties, municipalities or authorities, plus one-time events and a list of waste tire processors. Source: PA DEP: Waste Tire Program (opens in new tab)
- DEP states no waste tire grants are available at this time. Source: PA DEP: Waste Tire Program (opens in new tab)
- Some haulers or municipalities collect tires curbside as a special waste; residents should contact their provider for requirements and costs. Source: PA DEP: Special Waste Materials Curbside Collection Programs (opens in new tab)
- DEP: household hazardous waste is unused household products that may explode, catch fire or harm the environment, e.g. paint, pesticides, pool chemicals, drain cleaners, batteries and motor oil. Source: PA DEP: Household Hazardous Waste (opens in new tab)
- DEP lists ongoing HHW programs and one-time events by county; most municipal programs have residency requirements and some charge nominal fees or require registration. Source: PA DEP: Household Hazardous Waste Collection Programs (opens in new tab)
- Contact the program before dropping off HHW to learn what it accepts and when it operates. Source: PA DEP: Household Hazardous Waste Collection Programs (opens in new tab)
- If no collection program is available, HHW may legally go in regular trash if label directions are followed, liquids are evaporated or absorbed, residue is packaged against leaks, and it is set out in small quantities over several collections. Source: PA DEP: Household Hazardous Waste (opens in new tab)
- Under Act 101 as amended by Act 190 of 1996, HHW programs may operate if registered with DEP; most collect annually at drop-off sites, others year-round. Source: PA DEP: Apply to Establish a Municipal Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program (opens in new tab)
- Act 190 allows 50% funding for HHW collection programs run by municipalities and non-profits. Source: PA DEP: Apply to Establish a Municipal Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program (opens in new tab)
- Very small quantity generators (businesses making under 100 kg of hazardous waste a month) can use registered HHW programs like households. Source: PA DEP: Apply to Establish a Municipal Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program (opens in new tab)
- If no HHW services are available in your area, DEP says to contact your county recycling coordinator. Source: PA DEP: Recycling and Disposal (Residents) (opens in new tab)
- DEP: latex paint is not hazardous and can go in regular trash once poured into absorbent material and completely dried. Source: PA DEP: "Green" Painting Tips brochure 2520-PA-DEP2400 (PDF) (opens in new tab)
- DEP: oil-based paints, stains and varnishes are hazardous; take them to a household hazardous waste collection program if available. Source: PA DEP: "Green" Painting Tips brochure 2520-PA-DEP2400 (PDF) (opens in new tab)
- DEP: if possible, recycle or dispose of paint-related waste at your local HHW collection site. Source: PA DEP: "Green" Painting Tips brochure 2520-PA-DEP2400 (PDF) (opens in new tab)
- PaintCare's state list (California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington) does not include Pennsylvania: there is no PaintCare paint stewardship program in Pennsylvania. Source: PaintCare: Paint recycling and drop-off locations (state list) (opens in new tab)
- PaintCare runs paint recycling programs only in states with paint stewardship laws. Source: PaintCare: Paint recycling and drop-off locations (state list) (opens in new tab)
- The Mattress Recycling Council operates statewide mattress recycling programs only in California, Connecticut, Oregon and Rhode Island; Pennsylvania has no state mattress program. Source: Mattress Recycling Council (opens in new tab)
- MRC operates recycling programs in states that have passed mattress recycling laws. Source: Mattress Recycling Council (opens in new tab)
- With no Pennsylvania mattress law, there is no MRC/Bye Bye Mattress program for mattresses or box springs in Pennsylvania. Source: Mattress Recycling Council (opens in new tab)