Pottstown's Trash & Recycling: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles trash & recycling a little differently. In Pottstown, Pennsylvania, there are 9 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Recycling Requirements

Section 208(1) of the Borough Code spells out how Pottstown residents, churches and mixed-use properties must handle recyclables: separate them from trash, store them for pickup, and use the 65-gallon container the Borough supplies for every dwelling unit.

Key details: Container size: 65 gallons per dwelling unit. Mixed-use ratio: 1 container per two residential units. Container checked: at sale/rental turnover inspection. Commercial report due: February 1.

Failing to separate recyclables as Section 208(1) requires, or using the Borough-owned recycling container for trash, is punishable under Section 221 by a fine of $50 to $600 plus costs of prosecution per offense, with continuing noncompliance charged day by day. Section 223 also lets the Borough add a service charge for each occasion a unit is found using the recycling container for household waste.

Recycling Rules

Pottstown Borough Code Section 206 makes recycling mandatory, not optional, for every residence, church and mixed-use property that receives Borough waste collection. The Borough-run program covers recyclable materials, yard materials and leaf waste together, collected periodically by the Borough, its designated agent, or another licensed hauler under Chapter 20, Part 2 of the Borough Code.

Key details: Governing law: Borough Code Section 206. Container size: 65 gallons per unit. Fine range: $50 to $600 per offense. Commercial report due: February 1 yearly. Container ownership: stays with the property.

A first refusal to separate recyclables or misuse of the Borough recycling container for trash draws a written notice; conviction under Section 221 carries a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $600 plus costs of prosecution, and each additional day of noncompliance is a separate offense. Section 213(1)(C) lets the collector tag noncompliant containers and report repeat violations to the Borough Manager for penalty referral.

Dumpster Rules

Commercial, industrial and larger multifamily properties in Pottstown cannot use residential can service; Section 213(2) requires a Borough Manager-approved dumpster sized for the property's waste volume and compliant with the Chapter 27 zoning standard for dumpster enclosures.

Key details: Zoning standard: Chapter 27, Section 507(5). Shared dumpster: requires a zoning permit. Land-development exemption: under 250 sq. ft. disturbed. Approval authority: Borough Manager or designee.

Placing an unapproved or undersized dumpster, or letting one become a nuisance from odor or overflow, is a Chapter 20, Part 2 violation carrying the Section 221 fine of $50 to $600 plus costs of prosecution per offense, with each day counted separately. Operating a shared dumpster without the Section 213(3)(A) zoning permit and application fee is a separate zoning violation on top of the solid waste penalty.

This is one of the stricter rules in Pottstown's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Yard Waste Collection

Pottstown Borough Code Section 208(1)(B) requires every house, apartment and church to separate yard materials, prunings, leaves and other yard debris, from household trash unless the material is composted on-site. Separated yard waste must go out in biodegradable paper bags; plastic bags and grass clippings are refused at the curb.

Key details: Bag type required: biodegradable paper only. Grass clippings: never accepted. On-site composting: exempts separation duty. Fine: $50 to $600 per offense.

Ignoring the separation duty, or setting out yard waste in plastic bags, is enforced the same way as other Chapter 20 violations: a fine of $50 to $600 plus costs of prosecution under Section 221, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. The collector may also simply refuse to pick up improperly bagged yard debris, leaving it at the curb.

Illegal Dumping

Section 214 of the Borough Code flatly bans burying, burning or dumping municipal waste on any street, alley, public place or private property in Pottstown, and Section 222 lets the Borough clean up a violation itself and place the cost, plus a 10% penalty, as a lien on the property.

Key details: Fine: $50 to $600 per offense. Cleanup penalty: cost plus 10%, lien-backed. Notice required: 24 hours posted before abatement. Repeat offenders: no notice if 2x in 12 months.

Illegal dumping under Section 214 is enforced with the Section 221 penalty applicable to Chapter 20 generally: a fine of $50 to $600 plus costs of prosecution per offense, with continuing violations charged day by day. Separately, Section 222 lets the Borough abate the dumped material itself and bill the owner the removal cost plus a 10% penalty, collectible by lien or civil action, after 24 hours' posted notice, or with no notice at all for a property with two violations in the prior year.

Compared to other cities, Pottstown takes a harder line on illegal dumping. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Collection Schedule

Section 213 makes municipal waste collection mandatory for Pottstown residences, churches and mixed-use properties, caps what goes to the curb at four cans or bags per pickup, and Section 215 requires collection at least twice a week.

Key details: Can limit: 35 gallons, one-person liftable. Set-out limit: 4 cans/bags per collection. Minimum frequency: twice weekly. Dumpsters: not allowed for residential service.

A can exceeding 35 gallons, more than four cans or bags at the curb, or a dirty container generating odor complaints can be tagged by the collector and reported to the Borough Manager; two or more tagged violations trigger the Section 221 penalty of $50 to $600 plus costs of prosecution, charged per day the violation continues.

Bulk Item Disposal

Pottstown collects bulk waste items through a Special Collection program the Borough Manager schedules under Section 220 of Chapter 20, run through the Borough's existing municipal waste hauling contract. There is no fixed citywide pickup day; the fee for each bulk item is set by Borough Council resolution and billed separately from the regular residential service charge.

Key details: Program: Special Collection, Section 220(2). Scheduling: Borough Manager designates as needed. Hauler: Existing municipal waste contract. Fee: Set by Borough Council resolution. Improper disposal fine: $50 to $600 per day.

Bulk waste set out without arranging the paid Special Collection, or left at the curb outside a scheduled pickup, is treated as municipal waste disposed of in violation of this Part; Section 221 imposes a fine of $50 to $600 plus costs of prosecution, with each day the waste remains a separate offense, and the Borough may also bill the removal cost plus a 10% penalty to the property under Section 222.

Bin Placement Rules

Pottstown bars putting trash or garbage out for collection before 4:00 p.m. the night before the scheduled pickup, and every can or cart used for garbage or trash must be pulled back from the curb by 6:00 p.m. on pickup day. Section 113.6 of the Property Maintenance Code governs, and the Code Enforcement Officer can cite noncompliant properties.

Key details: Earliest set-out: 4:00 p.m. day before pickup. Removal deadline: 6:00 p.m. on pickup day. Governing code: 2018 IPMC, Chapter 5 Part 3. Enforcer: Code Enforcement Officer. Fine range: $100 to $1,000 (Section 112.4).

A citation for setting trash out too early or leaving cans at the curb past 6:00 p.m. is handled as a Property Maintenance Code violation under Chapter 5, Part 3. The Borough's local amendment to Section 112.4 sets the applicable fine range at $100 to $1,000, and the Code Enforcement Officer can issue a notice of violation before referring an uncorrected case for prosecution before a district magistrate.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Pottstown's noise ordinance, not its solid waste chapter, sets the actual pickup-hour limit: Section 803(2)(C) bars garbage and recycling trucks from collecting anywhere in the Borough before 6:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. (9:00 a.m. on Sundays and holidays).

Key details: Pickup window: 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.. Sunday/holiday start: 9:00 a.m.. Can/bag limit: 4 per collection. Detailed schedule: filed with Borough Secretary.

A hauler or municipal crew collecting outside the 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. window violates the noise ordinance's Chapter 6 penalty provisions, which carry a fine of up to $600 plus costs of prosecution and up to 30 days in the County jail on default of payment. Residents who set out more than four cans or bags at once risk having the excess left uncollected under Section 213.

The Bottom Line

Pottstown is tougher than many cities when it comes to trash & recycling. Out of the 9 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Pottstown, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Pottstown's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.