Recycling Information

General Recycling Information

Recycling is collected every week, on the same day as your garbage collection.

Guidelines for Recycling

  • Place all items loose in bins provided by the borough. 
  • Recycling that is in plastic bags or contains plastic bags will not be collected. 
  • Loose recycling will not be collected. All materials (including cardboard) must be placed in your recycling container in order for the borough to collect them.

The borough will provide one free recycle bin per household. If you need a bin, call the Borough of Swissvale Administrative Office or complete our Recycle Bin Request Form. For more information about recycling requirements visit Swissvale's Solid Waste and Recycling Ordinance.

Materials Recycled

  • Cardboard (must be free of food debris, break down any boxes)
  • Glass Bottles and Jars (all colors, labels may remain on)
  • Metal Cans (steel, tin and aluminum cans. Must be rinsed, labels may remain on)
  • Paper (newspapers, office paper, brown paper bags, junk mail, magazines, paperboard)
  • Plastic Bottles and Containers (number 1 through Number 5, and Number 7)

Additional Recycling & Disposal Information

Leaf / Yard Waste

Leaf/yard waste must be separated from other trash and recyclables for collection. Leaf collection runs from approximately the first week of November until the first week of December unless winter weather necessitates trucks be converted for salting/snow removal. Collection days follow the street sweep schedule, Monday through Friday. Sweep all leaves out to the curb. All leaf waste is shredded and disposed of at a DEP permitted leaf composting site. Since the leaves are deposited at a leaf composting facility, do not place grass clippings, tree branches, other yard waste or trash in your leaf piles. Any contaminated leaf waste will not be collected until all materials other than leaves are removed.

Hard to Recycle Items

Check out Hard to Recycle and E-Waste events where you can safely dispose of or recycle items such as tires, large appliances, computer equipment, and latex paint. For dates, fee structure and locations visit the Pennsylvania Resources Council website.

Composting

Composting is nature's way of recycling. Attend a Backyard Composting Workshop offered by the Pennsylvania Resources Council to learn how to turn your kitchen scraps and yard debris into rich, home-made compost for your gardens and lawn. Participants receive a composting bin with class attendance. For more information or to find a class near you, visit the Pennsylvania Resources Council website.

Pharmaceutical Collections

The Swissvale Borough Police Department has installed a prescription drop box in the lobby of the Borough Building at 7560 Roslyn Street. Residents and non-residents are encouraged to drop off leftover or expired prescription and over-the-counter drugs. This is not a drop box for illegal drugs, needles, lotions, inhalers, aerosol cans, thermometers, or hydrogen peroxide. The box is accessible during office hours Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.