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Jimmy Throwing Trash to the Left
Guidelines for Trash Collection

Guidelines for all Residents and Businesses with City Trash Collection

KNOW YOUR TRASH COLLECTION DAY
Place your trash out only on your scheduled collection day. If you are unsure of your collection day, call the Streets Department's CUSTOMER AFFAIRS UNIT at 215-686-5560 or visit http://citymaps.phila.gov (see instructions below). Your trash is to be placed on your property.

  • Visit the CityMaps website: go to http://citymaps.phila.gov
  • Click on "Service Areas"
  • Read the "Terms of Use and Disclaimer," click "I Agree"
  • Enter your address, click "Find"
  • Select "Rubbish Day" (and any other service areas of interest to you)
  • Click on "Find City Service Areas"
  • Schedule information will be displayed

PUT OUT YOUR TRASH AT THE CORRECT TIME
Regular Collection: Trash/recycling should be set out between 7:00 PM the night before collection day and 7:00 AM the day of collection, at your authorized pickup site. 
Early Collection (Vine St. to Bainbridge St., from Schuylkill River to Delaware River): Trash/recycling should be set out no later than 6:00 AM the day of collection at your authorized pickup site.

PUT OUT TRASH IN PROPER CONTAINERS
Place all trash in personal trashcans or sealed plastic bags, filled only to the 40-pound limit. Securely tie newspapers, wood scraps, cardboard boxes, and other loose items into bundles no more than four feet long and two feet thick. NOTE: Cardboard boxes may never be used as containers for trash, regardless of who collects it!

USE YOUR OWN CONTAINERS TO DISPOSE OF TRASH
City litter baskets are for pedestrian use only. Do not use them to dispose of your household trash.

KNOW WEEKLY LIMITS ON THE AMOUNT OF TRASH
Each household is allowed a maximum of (6) - 32-gallon receptacles or (12) - 30"x37" bags of trash each week. The weight limit for a bag or can is 40 lbs. The Total weight should not exceed 240 lbs.

BULK ITEMS
Appliances, such as stoves, washing machines, refrigerators, hot water heaters, and furniture are considered bulk items. You may dispose of up to two (2) bulk items per collection week.  Construction debris will not be picked up as bulk by The Sanitation Division because Contractors are responsible for removing their own debris.
Your bulk items will be picked up on the same day as your regular trash pick-up or 5 to 7 working days after they have been called in. They are picked up by a special crew using bulk trucks. To be assured that your bulk item is picked up, please call in advance of your collection day. You should call one day before your trash day to schedule bulk pickup. In most cases, you will have a better chance of having your bulk items picked up if you call ahead.

TIRES
You may dispose of up to two (2) tires per collection week. As with bulk items, please call in advance of your collection day. You should call one day before your trash day to report your tires for collection. Tires are picked up by a special crew using separate trucks than the regular trash or recyclables.

SANITATION CONVENIENCE CENTERS
Sanitation Convenience Centers are also available for your use. These locations accept for disposal any rubbish, recyclables, bulk items, or tires that would normally be collected at curbside. Please note that all relevant regulations on limits and types of materials still apply. All locations are open Monday through Saturday, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., except on City holidays.

  • Southwest Philadelphia - 1600 S. 51st St., off Grays Ave. 215-685-2600
  • Southwest Philadelphia - 3033 S. 63rd St., near Passyunk Ave. 215-685-4290
  • Northwest Philadelphia - 300 block Domino Lane, near Umbria St. 215-685-2501
  • Port Richmond - Delaware Ave. & Wheatsheaf Ln., north of Castor Ave. 215-685-1352
  • Northeast Philadelphia - State Rd. & Ashburner St. 215-685-8072

CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARD

  • Rubbish & Recycling Collections
    • On-time collection
    • Redress: The Streets Department will pick-up any missed collections on the next day.

NOTE: Property owners are responsible for informing tenants of these regulations.

Guidelines for Businesses with Private Trash Collection

OBEY THE TIMETABLE FOR PUTTING OUT TRASH
Trash must not be put out more than two hours prior to collection. For collection scheduled after business hours, trash must be put out no more than 30 minutes prior to the close of business. Dumpsters not licensed for public right-of-way placement must be kept inside the business premises until the proper setout time. Click HERE to view the Dumpster Law Page.

PUT OUT TRASH IN PROPER CONTAINERS
Regulations require rigid containers equipped with lids for all trash and garbage put out for private collection. Each lid must be securely closed when waste is in the receptacle and garbage containers must be fully leak-proof. Newspapers, wood scraps, cardboard boxes and other loose items do not require containment provided they are bundled securely enough to withstand wind and rain and do not violate the Fire Code (See the Philadelphia Code, Title 5). NOTE: Cardboard boxes may never be used as containers for trash, regardless of who collects it!

USE YOUR OWN CONTAINERS TO DISPOSE OF TRASH
City litter baskets are for pedestrian use only. Do not use them to dispose of your trash.

COMPLY WITH DUMPSTER LAWS
Laws governing dumpster usage and placement are in effect. Consult your SWEEP officer for specific rules pertaining to licensing, identification, and frequency of emptying, standards of cleanliness, proper closure, and screening requirement. Dumpsters may not be used for grindable food waste disposal.