Lower Merion, PA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Section 82-13.1.E(1) of the Township Code sets the collection schedule the Director of Public Works must follow: a once-per-week collection of nonrecycled municipal waste and leaf waste, and a biweekly collection of recyclable commingled items and newspaper. Collections begin at 7:00 a.m. under Section 82-13.1.E(2), and containers may be placed at curbside no earlier than 7:00 p.m. the night before and must be retrieved by 9:00 p.m. on collection day under Section 82-13.1.E(3). For containers, Section 82-13.1.H(2) requires recyclable commingled items enumerated in Section 82-6.C(1), such as glass, aluminum, steel and plastic containers, to go into 32-gallon recycling containers the Township supplies.

Nonrecyclable waste containers, by contrast, must be watertight, tapered, galvanized metal or plastic, capped at 48 gallons and 50 pounds when full, under Section 82-13.1.H(1). Eligibility for Township collection is capped: apartments with more than 50 units are not eligible for Township collection and disposal service at all under Section 82-13.1.B(1)(c), while commercial, institutional and industrial establishments are never eligible under Section 82-13.1.B(2) and must arrange private recycling collection.