Erie, PA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

The City of Erie created its mandatory Recovery Program under Ordinance 59-1990, codified as Article 958, pursuant to the Pennsylvania Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act of 1988 (Act 101) and the Third Class City Code. The Director of the Department of Public Works, Parks and Property sets the actual collection regulations, covering the days and times of pickup and the manner, bundling, handling, location and timing of placement of recyclables (§ 958.04). Every resident whose household gets city trash service must separate recyclable materials, aluminum, bi-metal and ferrous containers, glass and plastic containers, paper, magazines, newspapers and leaf waste, from the rest of their municipal waste and set it out for collection under those regulations (§ 958.06).

Owners, landlords or their agents at multi-family properties with more than four dwelling units must instead run their own collection system: suitable sorting containers, an accessible location, and written instructions to tenants on how to use it. Collection of recyclables other than leaf waste happens at least one day every month. Once a resident sets recyclables at the curb they become city property (§ 958.07), and no one other than the City or someone it authorizes can collect them without prior written permission (§ 958.08); a resident can still donate or sell materials directly to a buyer instead.

Leaf waste has to stay out of both the trash and the recycling and follows its own separate collection schedule (§ 958.10). Lead acid batteries can never go in the regular trash; they must go to a battery retailer, wholesaler, EPA-permitted smelter or state-authorized recycling facility (§ 958.05). Recycling operators working in the City must log every delivery, including the hauler, source, material type, weight and buyer, and keep those records for five years for city inspection (§ 958.11).