Bristol, PA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest curb set-out
- After 6:00 p.m. the evening before collection
- Curb removal deadline
- 7:00 p.m. on the day of collection
- Default pick-up point
- Alley at rear or alongside, wherever practicable
- Excluded alleys
- Behind 400 and 500 blocks of Jefferson Avenue; 1000 block of Pond Street
- Maximum fine
- $1,000 plus costs per offense
Summary
In Bristol Borough, Pennsylvania, refuse is picked up from the alley at the rear of a property wherever practicable. Where it is not, receptacles go to the curb in front, but not until after 6:00 p.m. the evening before collection, and they must come off the curb by 7:00 p.m. on collection day. Two alleys are excluded.
Wherever practicable, pick-ups shall be made from alleys at the rear or alongside of premises served, but where such pick-up is not practicable, pick-ups shall be made from the curb in front of premises served, but such receptacles shall not be placed at the curb until after 6:00 p.m. the evening before the day of collection, and shall be removed from the curb by 7:00 p.m. the day of collection. Provided, until further notice, the following alleys are to be regarded as not suitable for alley pick-up of refuse: Alley behind 400 and 500 blocks of Jefferson Avenue. Alley behind 1000 block of Pond Street.
Full Breakdown
Section 20-110 of the Bristol Borough Code sets the set-out window. Pick-ups are made from alleys at the rear or alongside of the premises served wherever practicable. Where an alley pick-up is not practicable, the pick-up is made from the curb in front of the premises. Curb placement carries a clock: receptacles cannot be placed at the curb until after 6:00 p.m. the evening before the day of collection, and they must be removed from the curb by 7:00 p.m. on the day of collection.
The Borough also names two alleys as not suitable for alley pick-up until further notice: the alley behind the 400 and 500 blocks of Jefferson Avenue, and the alley behind the 1000 block of Pond Street. Refuse from premises served by those alleys is not collected from the alley.
Section 20-106 adds the container and removal duties that go with the timing. Residents, householders and proprietors of business establishments who receive collection service must place refuse in one or more watertight vessels or receptacles, in the location designated for pick-up (curb in front or alley at rear, as specified in regulations on the subject), on the day specified for pick-up or the night before. All receptacles must be promptly removed from the sidewalk, curb or alley immediately after collection is completed.
Borough Council holds the power to adopt regulations carrying out Part 1 under § 20-105, so the designated location for a given street is fixed by Council regulation. Collection itself runs between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. under § 20-107.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Chapter 20, Part 1 is a summary offense brought before a magisterial district judge. Conviction carries a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs, and a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days in default of payment (§ 20-117). Each day a violation continues, and each section found violated, is a separate offense. Leaving receptacles on the sidewalk, curb or alley after collection falls under § 20-106.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I put my trash out at the curb in Bristol Borough?
Which alleys in Bristol Borough are not used for refuse pick-up?
Who decides whether my block is served from the curb or the alley?
What happens if I leave my cans out after collection in Bristol Borough?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bristol
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