Recycling and Waste Disposal
Household Hazardous Waste Collection
The Chester County Solid Waste Authority conducts collection programs for household hazardous waste products and for electronic equipment. The dates and locations of collections are listed in these annual calendars.
Recycling – It’s the law…and it makes good sense
Recycling is mandatory in Schuylkill Township, but did you know that every time you recycle you contribute money to running the township and holding down taxes? Since 2001, through the Pennsylvania DEP’s Recycling Performance Grants programs (Act 904), the township has received a total of $398,843!! These grants are based on the total tons of recycled materials collected and reported within the township. Every waste hauler in our township is required to collect your recyclables and report to the township what and how much was collected, and these figures are reported to DEP annually.
By township ordinance (see Chapter 303 of the township code) there are penalties for not recycling – anywhere from a fine ($100 to $1,000 plus court/legal fees) up to imprisonment for 30 days. Each violation is a separate offense each and every day the violation continues, and the penalties will be imposed for each and every separate offense. See Township Code §303-21. Haulers in Schuylkill Township are required to offer a recycling program to residents in accordance with township code §303-5.
Trash
All residents and commercial, industrial and institutional establishments in Schuylkill Township are mandated to contract private contacts with registered waste haulers to remove all municipal waste generated on their property a minimum of once a week. An alphabetical list of registered haulers is available by clicking on this link.In residential areas, waste must be collected a minimum of one time per week; recyclable materials must be collected a minimum of one time every week, and leaf waste collection is to be offered a minimum of once per month in the spring, including the months of March, April and May, and once per month in the fall, including the months of October, November, and December. Per Township Code §303-18 E. (6), haulers may not collect or transfer materials before 6:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m.
Schuylkill Township does not provide bulk item pickup services. Bulk item pickups must be scheduled through your waste hauler. Open burning is prohibited in the township.
Recyclable Materials
Residents must separate recyclable materials from the municipal waste and place them for pickup in a separate, reusable metal or plastic container which clearly identifies the contents as recyclable materials. Your waste hauler should provide a recycle container. Recycle bins are also available for purchase at the township building from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for $10 each.
What CAN be Recycled Curbside?
Recyclables are commodities. Dirty or contaminated, they are worthless. Clean and properly prepared recyclables have value and may be turned into new products. Most haulers in Schuylkill Township use the “single-stream” recyclables collection method. Single-stream (also known as “fully commingled” or “single-sort”) recycling refers to a system in which all paper fibers, plastics, metals, and other containers are mixed in a collection truck, instead of being sorted by the depositor into separate commodities. In single-stream, both the collection and processing systems are designed to handle this fully commingled mixture of recyclables, with materials being separated for reuse at a materials recovery facility.
CANS— Aluminum (i.e. soda), Tin (steel) cans; all food cans (i.e. vegetables, fruits, pet food, juice, coffee, etc., including large economy size), aluminum pie tins and foil. All items must be rinsed and cleaned. NO Pots, Pans, wire hangers, can lids or covers.
GLASS— empty bottles and jars made of clear and colored glass. Excluded are non-container glass, mirrors, automobile glass, plate/window glass, dishware, light bulbs, crystal, porcelain and ceramic products.
PAPER— Newspaper, magazines, catalogues, junk mail, office paper and computer paper. NO waxed paper, coated paper or tissue paper.
PLASTIC #1 through #7 — bottle and jar containers (i.e. milk, water, soda, detergent, shampoo.). Rinse and crush. EXCLUDED are bottle caps/lids, motor oil bottles, plastic cups, flowers, pens, toys, and plastic wrap. Click here * to see what these numbers mean
CARDBOARD— Schuylkill Township accepts cardboard at the municipal complex located at 111 Valley Park Road, Phoenixville. The containers for use by Schuylkill Township residents are located in the upper parking lot of the complex. All cardboard is accepted with the exception of wax coated cardboard (for example: milk cartons). Boxes should be broken down and all cardboard flattened before placing in the bins. No Commercial Dumping is allowed in these bins.
Schuylkill Township receives recycling performance grants based on how much of these materials our residents recycle. The more you recycle, the greater the grant!
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) products may be recycled at specific sites. Events for HHW collection are staged by Chester County. Check for dates at the Chester County Solid Waste Authority’s website.
What CAN NOT be Recycled Curbside?
Garbage, Plastic Shopping Bags (take to your local supermarket), Hazardous Chemicals, Batteries/Electronics, CDs/DVDs, Light Bulbs, Toys or Sporting Goods, Milk or Ice Cream Cartons, Food-Tainted Items and Styrofoam™.
Beginning in January 2013, Pennsylvania state law prohibits electronic wastes (e.g., TVs, computer components, etc.) from inclusion with regular trash. Electronic wastes must now be disposed of at a certified electronic waste collection site.
Chester County has provided this list of regional e-waste collection sites (pdf).
Household hazardous waste such as used motor oil, pool chemicals, cleaning products, etc. may be dropped off at a County collection event. The dates and locations of collections for 2017 are listed
For more information on recycling and safe disposal, visit the Chester County Solid Waste Authority resource page.
Commercial, Industrial and Institutional Establishments
In Schuylkill Township, commercial and industrial is defined as any establishment engaged in non-manufacturing or non-processing business including but not limited to, stores, markets office buildings, restaurants, shopping centers, and theaters. Multi-family dwellings, town homes, mobile home parks, hotels, motels, mixed-use properties (combined business/residential on a single parcel) and farms which use commercial dumpsters are considered commercial or industrial establishments. Institutional establishments are any organization devoted to the promotion of a particular cause or program, especially one of a public, educational, or charitable character. Owners and/or managers are required to provide for each occupant a written description of its recycling program which clearly describes what can be recycled and how the collection system works.
All commercial, industrial and institutional establishments in Schuylkill Township must recycle at least 3 materials. In addition to high grade office paper, cardboard, and leaf waste, all commercial and institutional establishments may recycle glass, used oil, cans and plastics. Contact your waste hauler to determine what commercial/institutional materials can be recycled.
Leaf Disposal and Composting
Leaves and debris should not be placed in the stormwater drainage area of township streets as clogged catch basins can impede the normal flow of stormwater drainage. Residents can assist in the care of catch basins with the following steps:
Do not sweep leaves and other lawn debris into the street as they will eventually wash into the catch basin.
Remove fallen leaves and other debris from the street whenever you find them there.
Ask neighbors to patrol their areas of the street for leaves.
Recycle leaves and limbs at the composting centers (see below).
Curbside pickup of leaves is not done by Schuylkill Township. Residents should contact their waste hauler for yard waste collection dates. By Township ordinance, haulers should schedule yard waste pickup in the fall. You may be required to put leaves and debris in recyclable bags which are available, while supplies last, at the township office for 10 cents a bag. Never rake leaves into or near stormwater drains, ditches, creeks or the river.
Burning in Schuylkill Township is prohibited by township ordinance and by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Schuylkill Township maintains a leaf composting yard for the residents of the township. The compost yard is located at 333 Pawling Road (in the Valley Forge Sewer Authority complex). The compost at the Township’s yard is free to residents. Loading is your responsibility.
The compost yard is open to Schuylkill Township residents only. Proof of residency may be required. Leaf drop-offs and compost pickups are by appointment only Monday through Friday between 7:30 am and 2:30 pm. Please call the Township office at 610-933-5843 to schedule an appointment. Please note that access is dependent upon the availability of personnel. Road projects and emergencies may prevent the yard being opened on a particular day. Contractor loads will not be accepted at any time.
Schuylkill Township’s compost yard only accepts leaves. Yard waste such as grass clippings, weeds, shrubs, tree limbs or branches, and construction materials of any kind are not accepted. The township has the right to reject any or all material brought to the compost yard.
Small shrubs and limbs must go to the Phoenixville Compost Site. It is open for residents of the Township for this type of yard waste. Please contact the Borough of Phoenixville for hours of operation and material acceptance information. Free compost is also available there for township residents.
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