Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for State College
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.
Black/Gray Cart (Property of State College Borough) Bin (Trash)
All household refuse must be bagged and stored in appropriate carts. Place the cart 3 feet from obstructions, cars, and trees. Carts must be ready by 7:00 AM on collection day (or 6:00 AM during the summer).
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household refuse
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Food waste (if not using the organics cart)
Red Bin (Provided by CCRRA) Bin (Recycling)
Paper products MUST be bagged/bundled together inside the red bin. Cardboard MUST be flattened and placed next to the bin. Set out by 7:00 AM (or 6:00 AM between Memorial Day and Labor Day).
Accepted Items
- ✓Mixed paper and newspaper (bagged or bundled inside bin)
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and jars (rinsed, lids attached)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (rinsed, lids attached)
- ✓Steel and aluminum cans
- ✓Corrugated cardboard (flattened and placed beside the bin)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Miscellaneous plastics (tubs, trays, clamshells)
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Medical waste and medicine
Yard Waste Bin
Small yard waste and grass must go into the organics cart. Brush larger than 2 inches in diameter is collected curbside on Mondays by appointment only. Do not bag organics in standard plastic bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Hedge clippings
- ✓Food scraps and kitchen organics
- ✓Loose leaves (seasonally)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Mondays only, strictly by appointment.
Placement
Place items at the curb (or by your usual dumpster) by 6:00 AM on Monday. Do not place bulk items out more than 48 hours prior to the scheduled collection day.
Accepted
- ✓ Refrigerators and stoves
- ✓ Washing machines and dryers
- ✓ Furniture, sofas, and mattresses
- ✓ Scrap metal and riff-raff
Not Accepted
- ✕ Building materials (earth, rock, stumps)
- ✕ Tires (requires special paid arrangement)
- ✕ Tree limbs weighing over 40 pounds
- ✕ Electronic devices (must go to CCRRA drop-off)
Standard bulk pickup for typical household furniture and appliances is provided at no extra cost. Unscheduled tires or excessive building materials left out may be forcibly removed by the Borough for a fee (labor, equipment, and disposal costs).
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
State College Borough frequently utilizes an alternate collection date system for holidays rather than a standard rolling one-day delay. For example, Thursday Thanksgiving collections are often advanced to the Wednesday prior.
Yard Waste Exception
If a legal holiday falls during the week, the scheduled Monday bulk item and brush collections are completely canceled for that week and will resume the following Monday.
Always check the 'Dates that Impact Residential Collection' schedule on the Borough website, as alternate makeup days for refuse and recycling are manually scheduled by Public Works.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Bundle Your Paper Products
Unlike modern single-stream systems where everything is tossed loosely, CCRRA requires you to bag or bundle all mixed paper, magazines, and newspapers together before placing them inside the red recycling bin. This prevents paper from blowing away and littering State College streets.
Lids Can Stay Attached
When recycling plastic bottles, jugs, glass jars, or metal cans in State College, you do not need to remove the lids, caps, or labels. Simply rinse out the food or liquid residue thoroughly and screw the caps back onto the containers.
Keep Cardboard Outside the Bin
Do not wedge, fold, or stuff corrugated cardboard shipping boxes into your red recycling bin. All corrugated cardboard must be completely flattened and stacked securely on the ground directly beside your bins at the curb.
Seasonal Information
Summer
Memorial Day - Labor DayTo protect sanitation workers from severe summer heat, collection crews start their routes an hour earlier. During this period, all refuse and recycling containers must be placed at the curb by 6:00 AM rather than the standard 7:00 AM.
Fall
September - DecemberDuring the designated Fall Leaf Collection season, Public Works crews canvas the Borough zone-by-zone to vacuum loose leaves from the curb. Rake leaves within 5 feet of the curb line, but do not bag them or sweep them directly into the street.
Winter
December - MarchWhen placing your carts out during the winter months, ensure they are kept completely clear of snow and ice banks. Do not place carts in the street where they could interfere with municipal snow plows; keep them in a cleared area of your driveway apron.
About State College Waste Management
State College's Unique Dual-Entity Waste System
State College Borough employs a highly specialized, hybrid waste management system. While the Borough's own Public Works Department handles all residential trash and organics collections with their municipal trucks, the curbside recycling program is exclusively managed by the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority (CCRRA). This divided approach ensures that both refuse and recyclables are processed by dedicated experts in Centre County.
The Innovative Curbside Organics Program
Diverting food waste from landfills is a major priority in State College. The Borough operates a comprehensive, optional cart-based organics recycling program. Participating households can place food scraps, kitchen waste, grass clippings, and hedge trimmings directly into the provided organics cart. To facilitate this inside the home, the Borough even supplies a specialized kitchen collector bin. Organic materials do not need to be bagged, but if you prefer to line your bin, only certified 100% compostable bags are permitted.
Navigating the Red Bin Recycling Mandates
CCRRA's curbside recycling utilizes a specific red bin system with strict source-separation rules. Unlike single-stream communities where everything is tossed loosely, State College residents must bag or bundle all mixed paper, magazines, and newspapers together before placing them inside the red bin. Furthermore, corrugated cardboard boxes must be completely flattened and placed on the ground beside the bin, rather than stuffed inside it.
At-Door Service Options and Disability Exemptions
Recognizing the varying mobility needs of its residents, the Borough offers specialized 'At-Door' collection services. Residents with physical disabilities who cannot bring their heavy carts to the curb can apply for a free medical exemption, allowing sanitation crews to collect refuse directly from the side of the house. Other residents who simply want the convenience can also opt into this premium at-the-house service for an additional fee, provided a clear, three-foot level path is maintained.
Mondays Only: Brush and Bulk Waste Rules
Unlike municipalities that offer open-ended or simultaneous bulk collection, State College collects bulk items (like furniture and white goods) and large brush exclusively on Mondays by appointment only. Residents must submit an online request or call Public Works by 5:00 PM on Sunday to get on the route list. There is a strict cap of no more than three bulk items per scheduled collection.
Drop-off Facilities
Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority (CCRRA)
253 Transfer Road, Bellefonte, PA 16823
Materials Accepted
Glenn O. Hawbaker Recycling Center
Hawbaker Industrial Drive, State College, PA
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Is recycling mandatory in State College, PA?
Yes. Recycling is legally mandatory for all residents and businesses within the Borough. You must utilize the red bin curbside system provided by the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority (CCRRA).
Can I throw away grass clippings in my trash cart?
No. The Borough operates a cart-based Organics/Compost program. Grass clippings, food waste, and hedge trimmings should be placed in your organics cart for composting, diverting them away from the landfill.
How do I throw away a mattress or television?
You can schedule a mattress for the Monday bulk collection by contacting Public Works before 5:00 PM on Sunday. However, under state law, televisions and electronic devices are strictly banned from curbside refuse collection and must be taken directly to the CCRRA drop-off facility in Bellefonte.
What time do I need to put my bins out at the curb?
Normally, all refuse and recycling containers must be at the curb by 7:00 AM on your collection day. However, during the summer months (specifically between Memorial Day and Labor Day), you must have them out an hour earlier, by 6:00 AM.