Scranton, PA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Section 360-5(18) of Chapter 360, Property Maintenance, treats container placement as a quality-of-life violation. Every property owner must supply approved containers for waste and trash and stay responsible for removing rubbish. The containers themselves must be durable, watertight and made of metal or plastic, fitted with tight-fitting covers, and kept clean and odor free at all times. The rule then controls timing and location: containers must be stored in the rear of the property so they are not visible from the public right-of-way, and they may only be moved to the front of the property after darkness falls the night before the scheduled pickup day.

Once the licensed hauler empties them, the owner or occupant must return the containers to the rear of the property before daybreak the day after pickup, so a container cannot legally sit curbside for much more than a day even on a normal collection week. The City's own example in the code spells out the timing: if a property's collection day is Wednesday, the resident may set containers out front once night falls on Tuesday, and must have them back in the rear yard before daybreak Thursday.

Violations are cited under code QOL-049, and Section 360-11 fixes the fine at $100, payable immediately, separate from any abatement charges the Licensing, Inspections and Permits Department assesses if it has to correct the condition itself. Section 360-9 caps stacked fines for the same recurring offense at three separate $100 tickets, after which Section 360-12 authorizes a District Justice citation carrying $300 to $1,000 and up to 90 days in jail.