Lower Merion, PA Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)

Beyond where a container sits, Chapter 82 regulates how residents prepare and maintain trash for pickup. Section 82-13.1.D(2) requires municipal waste to be placed for collection regularly rather than allowed to accumulate, and § 82-13.1.D(3) requires containers to be sealed with tightly fitting covers and never overfilled, specifically to prevent littering. Section 82-13.1.D(4) adds a preparation rule for garbage itself: it must be drained of all liquids and wrapped in paper before it goes into a container. Section 82-13.1.H(1) then sets the physical specifications for standard nonrecyclable waste containers: they must be durable, watertight, made of galvanized metal or plastic, tapered with the top wider than the bottom, kept in good and sanitary condition, and limited to a 48-gallon capacity and 50 pounds when full.

Larger volumes are not simply banned; § 82-13.1.H(6) allows additional containers up to 48 gallons each, or a smaller 20-gallon container at a lower weight limit of 25 pounds, and waste beyond 48 gallons must go into sealed plastic bags of no more than 50 pounds each inside the container. Other operational rules round out the chapter: § 82-13.1.D(5) bars Township collectors from entering buildings, garages or carports to collect waste, § 82-13.1.D(6) bars collectors from soliciting gratuities, § 82-13.1.D(7) requires driveways and approach routes to stay clear of vehicles and equipment on collection days, and § 82-13.1.D(8) requires dogs to be kept off the property on collection days.