Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Swatara 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.
Mobile cart provided by Penn Waste Bin (Trash)
All trash must fit inside the mobile cart. Excess refuse requires a $4.50 official Swatara Township overflow bag. Place curbside by 6:00 AM on your collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Styrofoam
Penn Waste recycling bin Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag your recyclables; keep them loose in the bin. Cardboard must be flattened. Rinse all food and beverage containers before recycling.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics #1-#7 (bottles and jugs)
- ✓Clean corrugated cardboard
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Medical needles
- ✕Ceramics and drinking glasses
- ✕Greasy pizza box bottoms
Yard Waste Bin
Collected curbside only during specialized Spring/Fall sweeps by Public Works. Must be in brown paper bags. No grass clippings or plastic bags permitted.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Garden debris
- ✓Hedge clippings
- ✓Tree branches (under 8 inches diameter, less than 6 feet long)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
One large bulk item per week
Placement
Place your bulk item at the curb by 6:00 AM on your scheduled pickup day.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Large household items
- ✓ Non-Freon appliances
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Items too heavy for two people to safely lift
- ✕ Electronics (TVs, computers)
- ✕ Tires
One bulk item is included in the service. However, appliances containing Freon (like AC units and refrigerators) require a specialized truck, and you MUST call Penn Waste at 717-767-4456 in advance to schedule and pay any applicable fees.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday on or before your scheduled collection day, your service will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
The Kelker Street Composting Facility is fully closed on all observed Township holidays and Sundays.
If an observed holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no change or delay to the standard weekday collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Medical Needles Are Not Recyclable
Placing used medical needles into your single-stream recycling bin poses a severe health and safety hazard for Penn Waste sorting employees. Used sharps must be securely sealed in heavy plastic containers and thrown in your standard trash.
Say No to Plastic Yard Bags
Due to strict Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations, Swatara Township's composting facility cannot process plastic. If you put leaves or brush in plastic bags for curbside pickup, they will be left behind.
Treat Grass Clippings as Trash
Grass clippings are strictly prohibited from both the curbside yard waste collection and the Kelker Street Composting Facility. They decompose differently than leaves and often contain chemical fertilizers, so they must be bagged as regular refuse.
Seasonal Information
Autumn
Mid-October - NovemberThe Swatara Township Public Works Department operates a vacuum leaf collection program. Rake leaves to the curb line, but ensure no sticks, branches, or trash are mixed in, as they will damage the vacuum machinery.
Winter
JanuaryPenn Waste provides a post-holiday Christmas Tree collection as part of your bulk item allowance. Trees must be completely bare—remove all ornaments, lights, stands, and tree bags before placing them at the curb.
Spring & Summer
April - OctoberThe Kelker Street Composting Facility is open for drop-offs from April 1st through October 31st (closed Sundays and holidays). Remember to purchase your permit from the Municipal Building before visiting.
About Swatara Township Waste Management
Streamlined Mobile Cart Collection and Overflow Bags
Swatara Township partners with Penn Waste to manage residential refuse, utilizing an automated mobile cart system to keep Dauphin County streets clean. All household garbage must fit completely inside the Township-issued mobile cart. If you find yourself with excess waste after a project or holiday, you cannot simply leave standard garbage bags at the curb. Instead, residents must purchase official Swatara Township overflow trash bags for $4.50 each, available at the Municipal Building on Eisenhower Boulevard.
Scheduling Bulk Appliances and Heavy Items
Disposing of large household items like a mattress or sofa is highly convenient for Swatara Township residents, as Penn Waste allows one bulk item per week alongside regular trash. However, there are a few important caveats: the item must be liftable by two workers, and absolutely no construction debris is permitted. Furthermore, if you need to throw away an appliance that contains Freon—such as a refrigerator, freezer, or air conditioner—you must call Penn Waste customer service in advance to schedule a specialized pickup.
Seasonal Curbside Brush and Fall Leaf Collection
While Penn Waste does not provide weekly curbside yard waste pickup, the Swatara Township Public Works Department steps in to handle organic debris. The Township runs specialized curbside collections twice a year: once in the Spring and again in the late Summer/Fall. During these periods, leaves and sticks must be placed in brown compostable yard waste bags, while branches under eight inches in diameter must be cut to less than six feet. Due to strict DEP regulations, plastic yard bags are entirely banned.
Utilizing the Kelker Street Composting Facility
For residents whose landscaping needs fall outside the twice-a-year curbside collection windows, Swatara Township operates a dedicated Composting Facility at 780 Kelker Street. Open from April through October, the site accepts leaves, garden waste, and branches up to 20 inches in diameter. To drop off debris, residents must first purchase a seasonal or daily permit from the Municipal Building. In return, the facility offers free, single-grind woody mulch to residents while supplies last.
Drop-off Facilities
Kelker Street Composting Facility
780 Kelker Street, Harrisburg, PA 17113
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put extra garbage bags outside my mobile cart?
No, Penn Waste will not collect loose bags left outside the mobile cart for free. If you have extra garbage, you must purchase official Swatara Township overflow bags for $4.50 each from the Municipal Building.
How do I throw away a refrigerator or air conditioner?
Appliances containing Freon require special handling and cannot just be left at the curb. You must call Penn Waste customer service at 717-767-4456 in advance to schedule a dedicated pickup for these items.
Does Swatara Township collect yard waste every week?
No. Penn Waste does not provide weekly yard waste pickup. Instead, the Township Public Works Department runs specialized curbside branch and leaf collections in the Spring and Fall. Year-round, residents can use the Kelker Street Composting Facility.
Can I recycle my pizza boxes?
It depends. Penn Waste allows clean corrugated cardboard, so the clean top lid of a pizza box is perfectly recyclable. However, the greasy, cheese-stained bottom half must be thrown into your regular trash cart.