Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Peters Township
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.
Gray cart with gray lid Bin (Trash)
All trash must be bagged before being placed in the cart. The lid must close completely. Have your cart at the curb by 6:00 AM on collection day, keeping it at least 3 feet from vehicles and mailboxes.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household trash
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Chip bags
- ✓Paper towels
- ✓Yard waste (must fit inside the cart)
Township-issued Recycling Cart Bin (Recycling)
Single-stream collection. Do not bag your recyclables. Remove any plastic film from boxes and flatten cardboard completely. Remove lids from glass items.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics by shape: bottles, jars, jugs, cups, and tubs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum, bi-metal, steel, and tin cans
- ✓Paper, junk mail, magazines, and newspaper
- ✓Flattened cardboard and paperboard boxes
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags (including blue bags)
- ✕Berry or clam shell containers
- ✕Shredded paper
- ✕Styrofoam or fast food wrappers
- ✕Ceramics
- ✕Loose plastic caps or metal lids
Yard Waste Bin
General yard waste must fit inside your standard garbage cart year-round. Only during the 5-week Fall Leaf Bag Collection can leaves be placed outside the cart in compostable paper lawn bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small branches
- ✓Grass clippings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Once a month (First full pickup week of the month)
Placement
Place items at the curb by 6:00 AM on your regular service day during the first full week of the month. For glass items like tables or doors, completely tape all edges and tape a large 'X' across the glass.
Accepted
- ✓ Household appliances (freon removed & tagged)
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, dressers, chairs)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Carpet/padding (rolled and taped/tied, max 4 feet long)
- ✓ Toilets (must be separated into 2 pieces)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Extra trash bags
- ✕ Large cardboard boxes
- ✕ Yard waste outside the cart
- ✕ Electronics
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Tires and auto parts
If you have more than two items or need a pickup outside the designated week, you can schedule a special collection at least 48 hours in advance by calling WM at 1-800-866-4460 for a $75 base fee plus individual item rates.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a major holiday falls on a weekday, collections for the remainder of the week will be pushed back one day (e.g., Thursday collections move to Friday). If the holiday falls on a weekend, there are no delays.
Yard Waste Exception
Fall leaf collection operations may shift slightly due to Thanksgiving, but residents must still follow the 6:00 AM placement rule.
Always consult the Waste Management holiday schedule to confirm your exact delay.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Recycle Plastics by Shape, Not Number
Peters Township asks you to look at the shape of the plastic rather than the recycling triangle. Only recycle plastic bottles, jars, jugs, cups, and tubs. Throw away clamshells, berry containers, and loose caps.
Never Bag Your Recyclables
While your regular garbage must be bagged to keep the cart clean, recyclables should always be tossed in loose. Plastic bags jam the sorting facility gears. Take your plastic grocery bags to your local Giant Eagle instead.
Prep Your Pizza Boxes Correctly
Pizza boxes are recyclable, but only if they are prepared properly. Remove all food waste, grease-soaked liners, and completely flatten the box before tossing it into your recycling cart.
Seasonal Information
Fall
Late October - Early DecemberDuring the five-week Fall Leaf Bag Collection, place leaves in paper yard bags at the curb by 6:00 AM. A separate WM truck will collect them on your normal trash day. Bags put out before or after this window will be left behind.
Fall
September - NovemberThe Township offers a premium Leaf Vacuuming Program. For an annual $150 season pass, the Public Works department will vacuum unbagged leaves directly from your curbside based on a specific route map.
Winter
JanuaryReal Christmas trees can be collected as one of your allotted bulk items during the first full pickup week of the month. Ensure the tree is cut into 4-foot sections and completely free of decorations.
About Peters Township Waste Management
Peters Township Residential Waste Program Overview
In Peters Township, Pennsylvania, residential solid waste collection is streamlined through a single-hauler contract with Waste Management (WM). Every household is provided with a 96-gallon gray cart for standard garbage collection, which is billed quarterly through Jordan Tax Service. To ensure smooth service, residents must place all household trash inside this specific cart—bagged and with the lid tightly closed—by 6:00 AM on their designated pickup day. Excess garbage left outside the Township-issued cart will not be collected unless it falls under a designated bulk pickup or special collection.
Navigating the First-Full-Week Bulk Item Collection
Getting rid of large household items in Peters Township is highly convenient thanks to the monthly bulk collection schedule. During the first full pickup week of every month, residents are permitted to leave up to two bulk items at the curb alongside their regular trash. You don't even need to call ahead to notify WM. Acceptable items include rolled carpet (under 4 feet), appliances with freon removed and tagged, and furniture. Just remember that a mattress and a box spring count as two separate items, maxing out your monthly limit.
At-Your-Door HHW and Electronics Recycling
One of the most valuable, yet often overlooked, perks for Peters Township residents is the 'Waste Management At Your Door' program. Included at no extra cost in your standard quarterly garbage fee, this service allows you to schedule front-door pickups for household hazardous waste (HHW) and electronics. Instead of hoarding old paint cans, motor oil, or broken televisions in your garage waiting for a county collection event, you can simply call 1-800-449-7587 to have them safely removed.
Fall Leaf Disposal and Year-Round Yard Waste Rules
Yard waste disposal rules in Peters Township require strict adherence to seasonal guidelines. For most of the year, all yard and leaf waste must be placed completely inside your regular gray garbage cart; any loose bags left curbside will be ignored. The only exception is during the five-week Fall Leaf Bag Collection (typically late October through early December), when residents can place paper leaf/lawn bags at the curb for a separate WM truck. Alternatively, residents can purchase a seasonal leaf vacuuming pass for $150.
Fire Station #1 Community Drop-Offs
If your recycling cart is overflowing after a busy week, Peters Township offers supplementary drop-off options right in McMurray. Located safely behind Fire Station #1 at 245 E. McMurray Road, residents have daily access to a specialized Glass Recycling Container and a Cardboard Compactor from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. These facilities are free to use and don't require any sorting for glass, making it incredibly easy to sustainably dispose of large cardboard boxes and empty jars.
Drop-off Facilities
Fire Station #1 Drop-Off (Glass & Cardboard)
245 E. McMurray Rd, McMurray, PA 15317 (Behind the station)
Materials Accepted
Woehler Landscape Supply & Recycling Yard
202 Buckeye Street, McMurray, PA 15317
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if my garbage cart breaks in Peters Township?
If your Township-issued cart is damaged, contact the Peters Township Municipal Building at 724-941-4180 to schedule a repair with Waste Management. However, if an additional cart you rented directly from WM is damaged, you must call WM at 1-800-866-4460.
Are excess trash bags considered bulk items during the first week of the month?
No. Trash bags, yard waste bags, and large cardboard boxes are explicitly excluded from bulk item collection. These items left outside of your container will not be picked up.
How can I dispose of old paint, chemicals, or an old TV?
Peters Township residents can use the 'Waste Management At Your Door' program at no extra charge. This service collects electronics and household hazardous waste directly from your home. Schedule a pickup online or call 1-800-449-7587.
Can I leave yard waste next to my garbage can?
No, except during the specific five-week Fall Leaf Bag Collection when leaves in paper bags are accepted. For the rest of the year, all yard waste must fit completely inside your Township-issued gray garbage cart.