Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Phoenixville
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 Lid (Borough-issued toter) Bin (Trash)
All trash must fit inside the Borough-provided 65-gallon toter. Plastic bags left on the ground next to the bin will not be collected.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
- ✓Styrofoam
Green Lid (Borough-issued toter) Bin (Recycling)
Single-stream collection; no sorting required. Do not place unacceptable items in the bin to avoid contaminating the load.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics #1-7
- ✓Flexible plastic packaging (bread bags, pouches, shrink film)
- ✓Paper, cardboard, and newspaper
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Shelf-stable and refrigerated cartons
Do NOT Include
- ✕CDs and DVDs
- ✕Batteries and electronics
- ✕Food-tainted items
- ✕Ice cream cartons
- ✕Light bulbs
- ✕Toys or sporting goods
Yard Waste Bin
Place in the special brown-lidded Yard Waste Toter or in biodegradable paper bags. Collected every other week from April through October on your normal trash day. No household trash allowed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small branches and sticks
- ✓Weed clippings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on Mondays
Placement
Place your scheduled items at the curb by Monday morning. Mattresses must be fully encased in a plastic bag.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, dressers, tables)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs (must be bagged)
- ✓ Baby strollers and cribs
- ✓ Metal items
Not Accepted
- ✕ Electronics and TVs
- ✕ Hazardous chemicals
- ✕ Concrete, stone, and brick
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Dirt and sand
Pricing is based on item size (Small, Medium, Large). However, metal items are collected at no charge despite requiring a scheduled pickup.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When a major holiday interrupts the standard collection week, service days are adjusted according to the official Borough Holiday Calendar.
Yard Waste Exception
Bi-weekly yard waste collections follow the same holiday delay structure as the trash collection during its active season.
For exact real-time schedule adjustments, refer to the annual Holiday Calendar posted on the Phoenixville Sanitation webpage.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
No CDs, DVDs, or Toys in Recycling
Although you may think rigid plastics or discs belong in the bin, Phoenixville explicitly bans CDs, DVDs, sporting goods, and plastic toys from the single-stream recycling toter.
Bag Your Mattress for Bulk Pickup
When scheduling a Monday bulk pickup for an old bed, the Borough strictly requires that all mattresses and box springs be completely sealed in a protective plastic mattress bag before being placed at the curb.
Avoid Ice Cream Cartons
While Phoenixville accepts many standard shelf-stable soup and milk cartons, waxy ice cream cartons are strictly prohibited from the recycling toter due to their specialized coatings and food contamination risk.
Seasonal Information
Spring/Summer
April - OctoberBeginning the first week of April, the specialized brown-lidded Yard Waste Toter collection begins. This alternating bi-weekly service continues through October and accepts grass clippings, leaves, and small brush.
Fall
NovemberAs yard waste toter collection winds down in late October, the Phoenixville Compost Site shifts to its Fall/Winter hours. Ensure you pick up your free annual mulch allowance before the deep freeze arrives.
Winter
December - MarchFollowing severe winter storms, snow removal becomes the mandatory priority for the Public Works department. Expect potential delays in standard trash collection if roads are impassable, and ensure your toters are out of the plow paths.
About Phoenixville Waste Management
Exclusive Municipal Service and Toter Regulations
The Borough of Phoenixville manages its own residential trash and recycling collection through the Public Works Sanitation Department. By local ordinance, households are strictly required to use the official 65-gallon toters issued by the borough. Residents are entitled to one gray-lidded trash toter and one green-lidded recycling toter, with the option to purchase up to one additional of each. Any bags left outside the designated toters will be left behind by the collection crews.
Flexible Plastics Accepted in the Single-Stream System
Phoenixville’s single-stream recycling program allows all plastic containers numbered 1 through 7, as well as an unexpectedly wide range of flexible plastic packaging. Residents can place clean bread bags, bubble wrap, detergent pouches, shrink film, and snack food pouches right in their recycling toter. Unlike many municipalities that completely ban film plastics, Phoenixville provides this unique recycling flexibility to divert more materials from local landfills.
Comprehensive Compost and Yard Waste Programs
Phoenixville was awarded a state recycling grant to provide specialized brown-lidded toters strictly for yard waste. Collection runs from April through October, occurring every other week on your standard trash day. The collected green waste, including grass clippings and small branches, is transformed into mulch and compost at the borough's Compost Site on South 2nd Avenue. Notably, residents of Phoenixville are entitled to three cubic yards of this compost or mulch each year completely free of charge.
Navigating Bulk and E-Waste Pickups
The Borough collects bulk items on Mondays only, and you must schedule and pay for the service by noon the preceding Friday. While metal items are collected at no charge, other large furniture requires an advanced fee. Additionally, electronics and televisions are strictly banned from curbside trash in Pennsylvania; Phoenixville residents must utilize the Lanchester Landfill to dispose of TVs and computers, subject to specific limits and ID verification.
Drop-off Facilities
Phoenixville Compost Site
18 S. Second Avenue, Phoenixville, PA 19460
Materials Accepted
Lanchester Landfill (E-Waste)
7224 Division Hwy, Narvon, PA 17555
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an additional trash or recycling toter?
Phoenixville provides one trash and one recycling toter per household. You may purchase a maximum of one additional trash and one additional recycling toter (up to four total toters per household) directly through the Borough. If a toter is lost or stolen, the resident is responsible for buying the replacement.
Where can I safely throw out my old TV or computer?
Electronics are banned from curbside trash in Pennsylvania. Phoenixville residents can take up to one television (no projection TVs) and three computers to the Lanchester Landfill for free recycling. You must show ID proving residency and call ahead at (610) 273-3771 to arrange disposal.
Does Phoenixville collect mattresses with regular trash?
Mattresses are considered bulk items and are only collected on Mondays. You must schedule the pickup by noon on Friday and pay the required large-item fee. Additionally, all mattresses and box springs must be entirely sealed in a plastic mattress bag before being placed at the curb.
Can I get free compost or mulch for my garden?
Yes! Residents of the Borough of Phoenixville, as well as Charlestown and Schuylkill Townships, are entitled to three cubic yards of free compost, leaf compost, or mulch annually. You must visit the Compost Site on South 2nd Avenue during operating hours and load the materials into your own vehicle.