Bristol Township, PA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Article I of Chapter 170, the Bristol Township Recycling Ordinance, was adopted by the Township Council on 1-24-2008 as Ord. No. 2008-03, and § 170-3 was amended on 12-19-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-05. Under § 170-3, Bristol Township, or a person under contract with the Township, collects, transports, processes and disposes of all source-separated recyclable materials generated at residential properties in the Township. If the Township or its contractor is not doing that, every owner or occupant of a residential property must contract directly with a licensed collector or licensed waste hauler.

The duty to sort falls on the household. All persons residing in a residential property must separate recyclable materials from municipal waste, using the materials the Township specifies by regulation. The code lists yard waste, glass containers, aluminum containers, bimetallic containers, steel containers, newsprint, corrugated paper and plastic. Section 170-2 defines glass containers as clear, green or brown bottles and jars and expressly excludes plate glass, blue glass, and porcelain and ceramic products.

Other property types have their own duties. Multifamily housing properties, meaning more than four dwelling units in one building under common ownership, must run a recycling program under § 170-5 and inform residents of the dates, times and collection method at least once per year and at move-in. Commercial, industrial, institutional and municipal establishments must recycle corrugated paper, office paper and aluminum containers under § 170-4, with collection not less than once a month and a recycling report filed with the Managing Director.

The Managing Director, the Managing Director's designee and sworn Bristol Township police officers enforce the ordinance under § 170-9.