Introducing the New Township Curbside Service — now you can easily recycle your food waste and yard brush for composting!

Starting on July 13, 2026, place accepted items in a bucket at your curb every Monday alongside scheduled brush collection.

This option:

• Is free and available to all residents who receive Township trash removal services
• Uses any 5-gallon bucket(s) with a tight-fitting lid
• Requires no sign up or registration
• Is a great composting option if you aren’t able to compost in your own backyard

Why compost?

• Composting is nature’s way of recycling.
• It is one of the most powerful actions we can take to reduce our trash and build healthy soil.
• It transforms our waste into a beneficial, value-added soil supplement that can fertilize plants and lawns and improve water retention.
• The township saves money by composting food waste and brush rather sending it to the incinerator.



Program details:



• Free and available to all residents who receive Township trash removal services
• To start, place accepted items (next page) in a 5-gallon bucket curbside by 6 AM on Mondays with scheduled brush collections. Brush and food waste will be emptied into the same truck and taken to a commercial composting facility.
• You may use your own 5-gallon buckets, tight-fitting lids, and paper bag liners; they do not need to be Township-provided. Paper bag liners are optional, but encouraged to help keep buckets clean.



Curbside Composting Kit Giveaway on June 14th



• Time: 9 AM to 1 PM
• Location: Twp. Building (1014 Darby Rd, Havertown)
• Additional Information:
• The first 900 households will receive one indoor countertop compost collector.
• The first 2,500 households will receive a 5-gallon bucket and lid, bucket decals, and a pack of paper bags (one kit per household).
• Can’t make it? After the giveaway, kits will be available while supplies last at the Township Building during summer business hours (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM on Monday through Thursday and 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM on Fridays). You can also purchase a 5-gallon bucket and lid at most home improvement retailers.



Expanded Brush Guidelines:




Starting July 13th, paper bags, weeds, and yard waste will be accepted!



• Must be untreated products such as sticks, branches, brush, woodchips, grass clippings, weeds, and garden trimmings
• Branches must not be more than one-and-a-half inches in diameter or three feet in length
• Must be placed in an unlined trash can or brown paper bag that can be easily lifted and weighs less than 40 pounds
• Must not be in a plastic bag or tied with twine



Helpful Tips:



• Line your compost bucket with a paper bag to aid in cleanliness.
• Rinse your bucket after each collection.
• Don’t add liquids for collection.
• Place pizza boxes under the bucket. Remove wax paper and plastic.



Frequently Asked Questions:



• Will it smell?
  A well-sealed collection bucket should successfully contain odors when the lid is closed. Countertop collection bins can be emptied into the collection bucket if an odor escapes. A properly managed backyard bin should NOT smell. Tip: Store the curbside collection bucket away from direct sunlight.


• Will it attract animals or bugs?
  Animals/bugs are attracted to food, but a well-sealed collection bucket or a secure compost bin will deter pests, similar to a trash can with a lid. For backyard composters, to avoid unwanted flies, cover any food with a layer of leaves and ensure it is damp but not soggy.


• I can’t make it to the giveaway event on June 14. Can I still get a composting starter kit?
  Yes! After the giveaway event on June 14, composting kits will be available while supplies last at the Township Building during summer business hours (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday through Thursday and, 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM on Fridays). You can also purchase a 5-gallon bucket and lid at most home improvement retailers.


• Where does our waste go?


• Brush and Food Waste:
  Beginning on July 13, 2026, brush and food waste will be collected in the same truck on Mondays and sent to Kitchen Harvest at Linvilla Orchards to be composted.
• Recycling:
  Recycling is collected once a week and sent to Republic Services in King of Prussia, PA. There, collected materials are sorted and 90% is sold for either recycling or repurposing.
• Leaves:
  In the fall, leaves are collected throughout the Township, taken to the Public Works Yard and hauled to American Biosoils in Douglassville, PA where they are turned into compost or mulch.
• Trash:
  Trash is collected twice a week and, like all of Delaware County, sent to and burned at Reworld waste-to-energy facility in Chester, PA. A portion of the trash and all ash after incineration is sent to Rolling Hills Landfill in Earls Township, Boyertown, PA.