Old Electronics and Household Hazardous Waste
Sanitation receives discarded electronics at its convenience centers or a scheduled HHW event. Click here for a HHW schedule.
The Sanitation Division does not maintain a permanent household hazardous waste (HHW) receiving facility. HHW is collected at scheduled one‐day events throughout the year. At the HHW events residents may bring the usual range of HHW materials including: paints, lawn and garden chemicals, household cleaners, automotive fluids, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, etc. Also collected at these events are discarded electronics.
It is not permissible to set out discarded electronics in regular residential trash collection.
Grass-Cycling and Composting
Yard Waste Collection
During a six‐week period of the fall leaf season, yard waste is collected separately at curbside. Sanitation provides this scheduled service with public employees in November and December, all neighborhoods being served several times. All leaves must be placed by the residents into biodegradable paper bags and then placed at the curb. Purchase of the biodegradable paper bags is the responsibility of the resident. During most of the year, yard waste may be commingled with trash and set out for combined collection. No separate yard waste collection is provided by Sanitation.
The collected leaves are taken to the Fairmount Park Organic Recycling Center where it is combined with yard wastes resultant from the Park's operation. The operation is a windrow composting program. The compost and mulch produced are available in small quantities to Philadelphia residents free of charge.
Holiday Tree Recycling
Trees were able to be dropped off at the City's sanitation convenience centers for a two-week period, ending in mid-January, and at select locations managed by various neighborhood and civic organizations. To find a drop off location near you, click here.