Reading, PA Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Weekday hours
- 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Saturday hours
- 6:30-11:30 a.m.
- Sunday
- no collection permitted
- Restricted streets
- 10 downtown streets, rush-hour blackout
Summary
Reading collects solid waste and recycling 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays, with no Sunday collection and blocked hours on ten downtown streets.
All solid waste and designated recyclable materials shall be collected between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; 6:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays. No collection shall be permitted on Sundays. No licensed hauler shall collect solid waste and/or designated recyclable materials between the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and again between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on the following streets: Schuylkill Avenue; ... Penn Street; ... Mineral Spring Road.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-8: Current through August 10, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City-directed and licensed-hauler collection of solid waste and designated recyclable materials is limited to 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays, with no collection permitted on Sundays. On ten named downtown streets, including Penn Street, Walnut Street and Franklin Street, no licensed hauler may collect between 7:30 and 9:00 a.m. or between 4:00 and 5:30 p.m. The Public Works Director may temporarily change these hours for severe weather or other hazardous conditions.
Violations & Fines
Collecting outside the permitted hours or on a blocked street during rush windows is a violation of this Part, fined $100 to $1,000 per day under § 496-107.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does trash pickup run in Reading?
Why can't haulers collect on some streets during rush hour?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reading
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