Scranton operates city-run residential refuse collection through the Bureau of Refuse and Recycling within the Department of Public Works under Chapter 400 (Solid Waste) of the Code of the City of Scranton. Pickup is weekly per published route. Garbage may be set at the curb no earlier than the night before scheduled pickup. When a holiday falls on a weekday, all refuse and recycling collections are delayed by one day for that week. Observed holidays: New Year's Day, MLK Day, Easter Monday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Service is limited to residential customers; commercial properties must contract with private haulers and recycle at least once monthly.
Scranton's municipal refuse program is run by the Bureau of Refuse and Recycling within the Department of Public Works (101 W. Poplar Avenue, 570-348-4180, recycle@scrantonpa.gov, M-F 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). The legal framework is Chapter 400 (Solid Waste) of the Code of the City of Scranton on eCode360 at https://ecode360.com/SC1585 - specifically Article I (Collection) at https://ecode360.com/11607082 and Article II (Disposal and Fees) at https://ecode360.com/11607097. Pickup is weekly on routes published by the Bureau; residents call 570-348-4180 to confirm their assigned day. The set-out rule from Chapter 400 is curb no earlier than the night before scheduled pickup (i.e., not multiple days early). The keeping of rubbish or garbage in trucks, trailers, or motor vehicles in or on any street, sidewalk, or any lands within the City for a period exceeding one hour is also prohibited under Chapter 400 (an anti-dumping rule that catches contractors and movers staging debris). Holiday delays apply automatically: 'If a holiday falls on a weekday, all collections for refuse and recycling will be delayed by ONE (1) day' per DPW policy. Observed holidays are New Year's Day, MLK Day, Easter Monday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Commercial recycling is handled separately under Chapter 400 Article V (Recycling): 'Each commercial establishment, business, institution or municipal entity within the City must employ or contract with its own private hauler for collection and disposal of garbage, trash, recyclables, tires, white goods, appliances and yard waste. Each commercial establishment must recycle at least once each month.' PA Act 101 of 1988 (53 P.S. Β§4000.101 et seq.) is the state-level mandate that requires municipalities of 10,000+ population (Scranton ~76,000) to operate a curbside recycling program.
Setting refuse out earlier than the night before scheduled pickup, in non-conforming receptacles, or in a manner that violates Chapter 400 storage rules is enforced by the Bureau of Code Enforcement (570-348-4193) and the Bureau of Refuse and Recycling with citation before the Magisterial District Judge. Chapter 400 violations carry fines up to $300 per offense, with each day a violation continues constituting a separate offense. The Bureau may refuse to collect non-conforming set-outs. Commercial properties that fail to contract with a private hauler or fail to recycle at least once monthly are subject to the same Chapter 400 penalty. Illegal storage of garbage in vehicles on the street, sidewalk, or any land for more than one hour is an additional standalone violation. Repeat offenders on rental properties risk RENTAL Ordinance of 2022 (Chapter 373) inspection failures that jeopardize the rental license required to legally rent the unit.
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