Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Middletown
Pennsylvania waste collection runs weekly, with exact days varying by local township, borough, or city routing schedules.
State Mandate
Follow Act 101 guidelines for mandatory community recycling.
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash fees are billed monthly on your Borough utility bill. Note that credit card payments are not accepted over the phone.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, ACH Auto-Pay, Mail, In-Person, Drop Box
Resident's Choice Bin (Trash)
Limit of four (4) 32-gallon bags or cans per week. Each container must weigh no more than 50 pounds. Place curbside prior to 6:00 AM on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household refuse
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
Resident's Choice or Hauler-Provided Bin Bin (Recycling)
Unlimited recycling is allowed. All containers must be rinsed out, and caps/lids should be removed. Do not bag your recyclables; leave them loose in the container.
Accepted Items
- ✓Corrugated cardboard
- ✓Metal food and beverage cans
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs (with a neck)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Window glass
- ✕Electronic waste
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires)
Yard Waste Bin
NO curbside pickup. Must be brought to the Middletown Borough Woody Waste Facility using a purchased annual access card. Grass clippings and construction lumber are strictly prohibited.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Twigs and brush
- ✓Branches (up to 12 inches in diameter)
- ✓Vines and shrubbery
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
One (1) bulk item per week on your regular collection day.
Placement
Place your single allowed bulk item at the curb by 6:00 AM on your regularly scheduled collection day. It must be reasonably manageable for a two-person crew.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Sofas and couches
- ✓ Large wooden furniture
- ✓ Standard household appliances (non-Freon)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Items too heavy for two people to lift
- ✕ Automobile parts and tires
- ✕ Hazardous waste
One bulk item is included in the base utility rate. However, exceeding this limit or disposing of extra standard garbage requires purchasing a tag from Borough Hall.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If your collection day falls on or after an observed Penn Waste holiday during the workweek, your pickup will be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Not applicable, as yard waste is drop-off only at the municipal facility.
If an observed holiday falls on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday), the collection schedule for the surrounding week remains unchanged.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring
March - MayStarting in early March, when the Woody Waste Facility reopens, the Borough offers free mulch and leaf compost at Susquehanna Street Park while supplies last. Be sure to bring your own shovel and containers.
Winter
January - FebruaryPlan your yard maintenance carefully, as the Woody Waste Facility undergoes an annual winter closure from mid-January to early March. Access cards are deactivated during this block.
Fall
October - NovemberDuring peak leaf-drop season, residents are responsible for transporting their own raked leaves to the Woody Waste facility. Do not sweep piles of leaves into the streets or gutters, as this clogs the borough's storm drains.
Local Tips & Community Info
Contracted Penn Waste Allowances and the Four-Bag Limit
In Middletown Borough, residential refuse collection is exclusively contracted through Penn Waste. Households pay a flat monthly rate of $34.75, which is conveniently billed directly onto their municipal utility invoice. Under this agreement, each residence is strictly limited to setting out four 32-gallon containers or heavy-duty trash bags per week. To protect the physical well-being of the collection crews, no single bag or can may weigh more than 50 pounds. If you anticipate throwing away more debris than the weekly allowance permits, you must visit the Borough Hall in advance to purchase specially designated extra service bags, as any unmarked surplus refuse will be left sitting at the curb.
Unlimited Recycling and the Mobile Cart Program
Unlike strict trash limitations, Middletown Borough encourages environmental stewardship by offering unlimited single-stream recycling. Homeowners can utilize their existing small bins or opt into Penn Waste’s complimentary mobile cart program, which provides a larger, wheeled container at zero cost. Permitted materials include flattened cardboard, glass jars, aluminum cans, and plastics graded one, two, or five. However, contamination is a serious issue. You must never place hazardous materials like medical waste, used needles, or garden hoses into these carts. Furthermore, plastic grocery sacks are strictly banned, so all recyclable materials should be deposited loosely into your designated container.
Weekly Bulky Item Protocol and Glass Safety
Upgrading your home furnishings is made easier with Middletown’s weekly bulk disposal allowance. Residents are authorized to place exactly one large object next to their bins each collection day. This covers items like standard mattresses, broken dressers, or worn-out sofas, provided they can be reasonably lifted into the truck by two workers. If you need to dispose of fragile bulk objects like large mirrors, glass doors, or windowpanes, safety regulations dictate that you must cover the glass surface heavily with masking or duct tape to prevent dangerous shattering during the mechanical compaction process.
E-Waste Directives and Holiday Schedule Shifts
Per the Pennsylvania Covered Devices Recycling Act, no electronic waste can legally enter the municipal trash stream. Laptops, computer monitors, and televisions must be driven directly to the Dauphin County Recycling Center located on South Cameron Street in Harrisburg. When planning your disposal routines, remember that Penn Waste requires all approved materials to be placed outside before 6:30 a.m. on your designated service morning. Keep in mind that routes are delayed by one business day following six major holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Drop-off Facilities
Dauphin County Recycling Center
1625 S Cameron St, Harrisburg, PA 17104
Materials Accepted
Middletown Borough Hall
60 West Emaus St, Middletown, PA 17057
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if my garbage was skipped this week in Middletown?
Assuming you followed the four-bag limit and placed your materials out by 6:30 a.m., you should immediately dial Penn Waste Customer Service at 866-575-8720 to report the oversight and request a truck return.
Can I throw away my old computer monitor with my regular trash?
No, under state regulations, electronics cannot be collected curbside. You must transport devices like televisions, laptops, and desktop computers to an authorized drop-off site like the Dauphin County Recycling Center.
How do I get rid of excess trash if I have more than four bags?
If you exceed your weekly 32-gallon container limit, you can purchase official extra service bags in person at the Middletown Borough Hall. Only waste packed in these specific municipal bags will be collected beyond the standard limit.