Trash & Recycling

Trash & Recycling Collection

Convenient weekly curbside trash and recycling removal is provided to City residents. The rate for 2023 is $78 a quarter. There is a senior discount for those 65 and older who own and occupy their home – to receive this discount, please submit the “Senior Discount Form” which can be found below under Documents & Resources.

Up to six 32 gallon/30 pound bags of trash will be collected from each household per week. Bags must be tied or closed to prevent litter, spillage, or attracting rodents. Smaller bags, such as grocery bags, used to collect trash in the home must be placed in larger heavy plastic trash bags or trash containers for curbside collection. Large 96-gallon curb carts are available from the City’s hauler for an additional fee of $6/month, collected directly by the hauler. A curb cart is equivalent to three regulation trash containers.

Trash and recycling containers shall be set out after 6 p.m. the evening before collection, and removed by 8 p.m. the day of collection. Trash and recycling containers shall be stored to the side or rear of the property and not in front of the property.

Oversize Refuse

The weekly collection program allows each residential unit to set out one oversized item each week, which then limits the set out to four trash containers for that week. Oversized items include: sofas, stuffed chairs, furniture, mattress and box spring sets, or a roll of carpet no longer than 4 foot wide. An oversized item can be no heavier than what two men can lift and load into a trash truck. If in doubt, contact the Solid Waste Hotline at swhotline@cityoflancasterpa.gov or (717) 291-4744.

White Goods

These are large appliances including: refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, water coolers, clothes washers and dryers, water heaters, and microwaves. These will not be collected with weekly trash. The City offers a monthly collection program (see Calendar below) for these items with a $15 tag purchased from the Treasury Office, 39 West Chestnut Street. The City program ensures that the refrigerant gases are recovered in compliance with federal air quality regulations.

Medical Waste

Medical waste generated in the home must be properly managed to protect people, animals and the environment. Clothing, bedding, bandages and other waste soiled with body fluids can be discarded by placing in a sealable bag and disposing in the trash. Please follow these guidelines for other types of medical waste:

Sharps – for safe disposal of sharps (needles, lancets, etc.) please place in a specially made container available for this purpose from pharmacies. Sharps may also be placed in an opaque hard plastic container with a screw cap. Place sharps in the container along with a small amount of rubbing alcohol or bleach to disinfect. To dispose, secure cap with tape and place container in the trash. Do not place in recycling container.

Prescription Drugs – outdated or unwanted prescription drugs should be disposed of according to instructions on the drug label or may be delivered to drug take-back programs. The City of Lancaster Police Department has a prescription drug drop off box, located at 39 W. Chestnut Street. Never dispose of pharmaceuticals down the toilet or drain. To dispose in trash, remove the drug from its original package and mix with an undesirable substance like coffee grounds, cat litter or grease/fat. Place in a sealable bag or container and dispose in the trash. For additional information, visit www.disposemymeds.org.

Leaf Collection

Leaves in yard waste bags are collected alongside regular trash and recycling on specific weeks September – November. Please see the collection calendar linked below. Complimentary yard waste bags are available for Lancaster City residents at the Recycling Drop Off Center at 850 New Holland Avenue.

Per § 258-21 of the City of Lancaster Code, leaves may be swept from the public sidewalk into the gutters on the day prior to or on the day of the sweeping. Leaves on private property, such as side and front yards, however, shall not be swept or deposited in the public right-of-way, but shall be disposed of properly by the property owner or the person responsible for the property. Our Street Cleaning equipment cannot handle the volume of leaves in the street when residents sweep large amounts of leaves from their yard into the street. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

For more special waste disposal and recycling information, please reference the Penn Waste newsletter below.