Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Upper Macungie
Trash Day
Weekly collection Monday through Friday, depending on your designated neighborhood zone.
Recycling
Collected weekly on the same day as your regular trash collection.
Yard Waste
Curbside collection occurs semi-annually (once in May and once in October); year-round drop-off is available at the Grim Road Yard Waste Site.
Set Out Time
Place carts curbside the night before your scheduled collection day.
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Refuse and sewer charges are combined onto one single quarterly township invoice, and bills can be paid online without transaction fees.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Mail, Check
Pro Tip / Discount
A discounted refuse rate is available for qualifying senior citizens.
Typically dark-colored with municipal logo (UMT Cart) Bin (Trash)
All trash must fit inside the UMT cart with the lid completely closed. Wheels must face the house. Items outside the cart require a purchased Bulk Waste sticker.
Accepted Items
- ✓Everyday household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Food wrappers
- ✓Styrofoam
Yellow-lidded UMT Cart Bin (Recycling)
Items must be clean, dry, and placed loosely inside the cart. Do not put recyclables in plastic garbage bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics #1 through #6 (rinsed)
- ✓Corrugated cardboard (broken down)
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Printed paper and magazines
Do NOT Include
- ✕Shredded paper
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Hazardous waste
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕E-waste
- ✕Food waste
Yard Waste Bin
For curbside pickup (May/Oct), place in open containers (max 32 gal/60 lbs) or tied bundles. Grass clippings, plastic bags, and stones are prohibited.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Shrubbery trimmings
- ✓Tree limbs and branches (max 48 Inch x 18 Inch x 18 Inch bundled)
- ✓Garden residue
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
One item per week
Placement
Place your scheduled bulk item at the curb the night before your collection day, ensuring it is at least 3 feet clear of carts and mailboxes.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (couches, chairs)
- ✓ Mattresses and toilets
- ✓ Refrigerators and freezers (doors removed)
- ✓ Air conditioners
Not Accepted
- ✕ Televisions and computers (E-waste)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Hazardous chemicals and wet paint
- ✕ Automotive parts and tires
One bulk item per week is free, but residents with additional excess debris beyond their carts can purchase up to four Bulk Waste stickers per year from the Municipal Township building.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday prior to or on your scheduled service day, your collection will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
The Yard Waste Drop-Off Site is closed on all observed Upper Macungie Township holidays as well as federal holidays.
If the holiday falls on a weekend, your standard collection schedule usually remains unaffected.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring
MayThe first of two annual curbside yard waste pickups usually occurs in May. Bundle branches securely (no more than 4 feet long) and place leaf waste in open 32-gallon containers the night before.
Autumn
OctoberAs the leaves begin to fall across Lehigh County, Upper Macungie schedules its second curbside yard waste collection. Remember that leaves in plastic bags will not be collected; they must be in open containers.
Winter
December - JanuaryPost-holiday Christmas trees can be disposed of at the Grim Road Yard Waste Drop-Off site. You must ensure all ornaments, tinsel, and stands are completely removed before dropping the tree off.
Local Tips & Community Info
Upper Macungie Curbside Refuse & Carts
In Upper Macungie Township, residential waste and recycling collection is managed through an exclusive municipal contract with Whitetail Disposal. The township utilizes an automated cart system, providing newly constructed homes with standard containers. Residents must ensure their carts are placed at the curb the night before their scheduled collection day. For the automated arm to work safely, bins need a three-foot clearance from mailboxes, vehicles, and other carts. Always face the wheels toward your house. If you produce excess garbage, any bags left outside the cart will be ignored. However, you can purchase a second container directly from the municipal building for a one-time fee.
Approved Recycling Practices
The local recycling program strictly accepts loose, unbagged items inside your yellow-lidded cart. Acceptable materials include flattened cardboard, printed paper, glass jars, tin cans, and plastics numbered 1 through 7. The township heavily emphasizes keeping contamination out of the stream. Never place flexible packaging, plastic grocery bags, or styrofoam peanuts in your recycling bin. Doing so can cause massive jams at the processing facility. Remember that dirty recycling is considered contaminated, so all food containers must be rinsed and dried completely before disposal.
Scheduling a Bulk Item Pickup
Households are permitted to discard one large bulk item each week at no extra charge, provided it can be safely lifted by two workers. However, you cannot simply leave it at the curb; you must schedule the pickup with Whitetail Disposal. Requests must be submitted by 11:00 AM the day before your regular service day. Items like tables, chairs, and couches are perfectly fine, but mattresses and toilets have special rules. All mattresses must be fully enclosed in a plastic disposal bag to protect workers from sanitary hazards.
Yard Waste Drop-Off & Annual Curbside Collection
Handling landscaping debris is easy with the Upper Macungie Yard Waste Drop-Off Site. Open seasonally with specific hours, the facility accepts shrubs, branches, and leaves, though grass clippings must be kept separate. All materials must be emptied from plastic bags upon arrival. Additionally, the township organizes a one-time curbside yard waste pickup event annually. During this specific collection, residents can place a maximum of six 32-gallon containers of yard debris at the curb, and any loose branches must be securely bundled.
Holiday Delays & Weather
The collection calendar observes four primary holidays that will shift your pickup schedule by one day: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving Day. If your normal garbage day falls on or after one of these holidays, you can expect the truck to arrive one day later than usual. When in doubt about a specific holiday week, it is always best to place your bins out the night before and leave them there until serviced.
Drop-off Facilities
UMT Yard Waste Drop-Off Site
Intersection of Schantz Rd & Grim Rd, Allentown, PA 18106
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the trash collection provider for Upper Macungie Township?
Whitetail Disposal is the contracted waste hauler for the township.
Can I get a second trash can for my home?
Yes, residents can purchase a maximum of two trash and two recycling carts per property directly from the township building.
How do I throw away a mattress in Upper Macungie?
You must schedule a bulk pickup with Whitetail Disposal by 11:00 AM the day before your collection, and the mattress must be wrapped in plastic.