Public Works Department

Procedures for Collection of Trash, Recyclables, Organic Yard Waste

Upper Moreland Township is a first class Township dedicated to recycling and waste reduction. Our residential trash and recycling operations target both environmentally responsible and cost effective programs designed to preserve resources for the future. During each trash day, three vehicles or more may pass by your residence. Generally, one truck will get your papers, one will collect your trash, and one truck will pick up your glass and cans. Yard waste is picked up on Mondays. Seasonally, leaf vacuuming is also possible (see area map). Any one of these trucks could show up at your curbside as early as 6:30 AM. Recycling is required by both State and Municipal law. Failure to recycle properly can result in fines or discontinuation of service.

The following outlines some of the general rules of our residential programs. Should you have any questions, call the Public Works Department at 659-4070 between 6:45 AM and 2:15 PM Monday through Friday.

Updated Paper Recycling Regulations

Paper is picked up on the same day as your trash. CARDBOARD IS RECYCLED WITH YOUR NEWSPAPER. Virtually all paper products may now be recycled. Paper products picked up by the same truck include: newspaper, cardboard, kraft (brown) bags, magazines, junk mail, office paper, phone books, pizza boxes, cartons from soda and beer, and many other types of clean paper products. Boxes may NOT be used as trash containers. To properly recycle cardboard:

1. Remove any contaminants (trash, styrofoam, etc.).
2. Flatten boxes.
3. Tie flattened boxes together with jute twine or placed in a single box (20 lb. max. per box).
4. Place out with recycling on trash day (slightly away from the rest of your trash).

PLASTIC BAGS MAY NOT BE USED FOR ANY TYPE OF PAPER RECYCLING

Newspapers, computer paper, and other items should (as before) be tied securely with twine, or placed in a brown shopping bag. The following cartons are not acceptable for paper recycling and should be included with your household trash.

Items Banned from Paper

• Cartons which contain beverage (milk, juice, drinks).
• Cartons containing frozen or refrigerated foods.
• Cartons with a foil or foil-like liner that cannot be removed.
• Waxed cardboard boxes.

(All of the above items go in your regular trash)

Remove any outer wrappings, inner bags, pouches, spouts, plastic handles, styrofoam, etc. Flatten the cartons. Do not include any metal, plastic, foil, glass items, or styrofoam. Covers of phone books do NOT have to be removed.

Trash and Garbage Regulations

1. Containers should be at curbside by 6:30 AM on pick up day, no more than 12 hours prior to pick up, and must be removed no later than 12 hours after pick up.
2. Containers may not be more than 50 lbs.; no larger than 50 gal. capacity. Containers must have removable lids and should be marked with the house numbers. Trash in boxes or drums is not permitted. Plastic bags must weight less than 20 lbs. each.
3. Garbage MUST be drained and wrapped to delay decomposition.
4. No organic yard waste may be placed out for regular trash pick up (see section entitled Yard Waste Regulations).
5. Construction or demolition material such as plaster, dirt, concrete, bricks, wood, drywall, fencing, roofing materials, cement blocks, etc. will not be picked up. Proper disposal of these items are the responsibility of the owner.
6. Tires, car parts, car batteries, will not be taken.
7. Ashes must be cool and put out in plastic bags only (1 bag per week).
8. Hazardous materials (oil-based paint cans, etc.) must be saved for a county-wide hazardous materials collection. For further information, call the Montgomery County Household Waste Collection Office at (610) 278-3618.
9. Rugs and padding must be cut to 4 foot widths, then rolled and tied securely. Each section should weigh less than 20 lbs.. (limit 1 room per pick-up).
10. Needles and syringes should be placed in a sealable plastic container such as a detegrent bottle or margarine tub. The sealed container can be placed in your normal household refuse for disposal

DO NOT PUT OUT MEDICINES, POISONS, CAUSTICS, EXPLOSIVES, ETC.

Permit Pickup for large metal items and electronics (E-cycling)

Due to a landfill ban, the Township requires permits be obtained before electronic or metal items are collected. Computers, TV’s, printers, stereos, microwaves, grills, appliances, open bed springs, stoves, hot water heaters, mowers, dryers, washers, and similar items fall into this category. Permits can be obtained 8:30am-4:30pm M-F at the receptionist’s desk in the Township building. Fees vary from $1 to $30 and up per item. Call 215-659-3100.

Bottle-Glass, “Necked” #1 & #2 Plastics, & Can Recycling

Glass, cans, and “necked” #1 and #2 plastics are picked up on trash day. Each residence may use the large green recycling bucket to mix acceptable plastics, glass bottles, and cans. Each bucket must weigh 20 lbs. or less, but multiple buckets can be placed out each week. These buckets are available for purchase at cost from the Township building receptionist. Please do not place the bucket out for collection until at least ½ full. If you choose, you may continue to use your old buckets for collection. You may also mix acceptable glass and cans together in your old buckets. It is strongly recommended that you put your house number on the bucket. Do not mix in paper products (see Paper Recycling).

Plastics, Glass, & Can regulations:

1. The full bucket weight cannot exceed 20 lbs.
2. Bottle glass, aluminum and tin can recycling is mandatory.
3. Glass: only clean & unbroken clear bottles, brown bottles, green bottles, and clear jars are acceptable. No trash, cigarettes, or food/drink residue should be in bottles. No plate glass, light bulbs, mirrors, or broken glass in recycling (put in regular trash)
4. Clean aluminum and tin cans are acceptable. Cans may be flattened. Maximum size is 2 quart (1/2 gallon). Pet food cans must be well cleaned.
5. Gasoline, oil, or fuel cans, or any type of aerosol or spray cans are NOT acceptable.
6. #1 and #2 plastic “necked” bottles may be recycled with the glass and cans. Recycle only empty bottles with a neck at the top and a number 1 or 2 in a triangle stamped on the bottom.

Pick Up Schedule

Trash Day

Plastic bottles, bottled glass, aluminum & tin Cans, newspapers, holiday wreaths (seasonal).

Mondays

Brush & Twigs, Garden Plants & Weeds, Tree & Brush Trimmings, Leaves, Grass, Christmas Trees (January & February)

Yard Waste Regulations

Organic Yard Waste... All organic yard waste must be placed curbside by 6:30 AM on Mondays (exceptions see Holiday Trash Schedule) and be in compliance with proper preparation methods listed below:

Brush... All brush and branches must be tied into bundles NO MORE than 4 feet in length and 2 feet in diameter. Bundles must weigh less than 50 lbs. Individual branches may not exceed 4 inches in diameter. Christmas trees are OK as is (max. 9'), but do not put in plastic bags. No tree or brush roots are acceptable. LIMIT: 6 BUNDLES PER PICK UP. *MUST BE TIED WITH MANILA ROPE OR JUTE TWINE ONLY, due to biodegradability. NO OTHER ROPE OR TWINE MAY BE USED.

Township Aproved Biodegradable Bags... ONLY TOWNSHIP APPROVED LEAF BAGS MAY BE USED FOR PICK UP OF YARD WASTE ON MONDAYS. Acceptable wastes to be put in bags include vines, small branches, twigs, leaves, pine needles, hedge trimmings, apples, grass, weeds, pine cones and garden plants. LIMITS: 50 LB. LIMIT PER BAG. No dirt, stone, grass edgings, wood chips, or stump/root grindings are acceptable for Township collection. No lumber or fencing of any type. See below for purchasing information.

Grass...Grass may be put out in approved yard waste bags. Lawnmower-cut grass only may be placed out for collection in trash cans* from the 3rd Monday in March to the 3rd Monday in October. No other materials, including any other organic yard waste listed above, may be mixed with the grass. *Trash cans must have holes in the bottom and weigh less than 50 lbs.per can*

ALL OF THE ABOVE ITEMS WILL BE PICKED UP ON MONDAYS ONLY. These guidelines have been implemented to allow the Township to dispose of yard waste at our composting facility instead of landfills, resulting in savings of hundreds of thousands of tax dollars!

An additional benefit is FREE LEAF MULCH. There is no limit on how much mulch you may take, but it is recommended to call 659-4070 to check availability before coming to pick mulch up.

Bag Purchasing... Only brown, 30-gallon biodegradable bags may be used for yard waste pick up. Brown paper type Yard Waste bags are biologically compatible with our composting process. Bags may be purchased at the various retail locations including Home Depot and Sears.

Holiday Trash Collection Schedule

There will be no trash pick-up on the following holidays:

• Good Friday (Moved to Monday after)
• Veteran's Day
• Thanksgiving Day (Moved to Monday after)
• Independence Day
• Christmas
• New Year's Day

Holiday Yard Waste Collection Schedule

There will be no yard waste collection on the following holidays:

• Martin Luther King Day
• President's Day
• Monday after Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day (Monday near)
• Labor Day
• Veteran's Day
• Monday after Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas
• New Year's Day

Snow And Ice Removal

When winter arrives, please make every effort to adhere to the following guidelines which are in place to help make walking and driving safe throughout the Township.

Commercial property owners should have a path cleared that is at least four feet wide by the end of the first business day after the day snow and ice has stopped falling. A business day is considered the hours between 7:00 AM and 9:00 PM, from Monday through Saturday, except holiday's. Icy patches should be treated with salt or sand.. Residents must also clear sidewalks and this should be done within forty-eight hours after snow and ice has stopped falling.

Please do not shovel or dump snow and ice onto adjoining properties or streets and, again, try to clear paths around your property as soon as possible after snowfall. Property owners can be fined if these guidelines are not followed.

Snow Plowing

The Township's Public Works Department is responsible for plowing and salting of roads in Upper Moreland. Whenever roads are snow covered or icy, or the forecast calls for inclement weather, please move your vehicles out of the street and onto private driveways so that plowing and salting operations can be done safely and efficiently. If you cannot move your vehicles to off-street parking spots, please follow the following system to help ensure that plowing and salting covers as much of your street as possible:

1. Unless your street permits parking on one side only, park vehicles on the "even" or "odd" numbered side of the street depending on the year. For example, in 2000, park cars on the even numbered side of the street, in 2001, parks on the odd numbered side.
2. 2. And remember, if a snow emergency is declared, all vehicles must be removed from snow emergency routes until the emergency is lifted. Snow emergencies are announced on KYW-1060 All News Radio as well as cable television channel 60 (ETV-1), Comcast Cable Channel 849, Verizon Channel 41; as well as the Breaking News Section of the Township Website. Street signs are posted on those roads which are designated as snow emergency routes.

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Documents, Forms & Permits

The most commonly used and requested forms are now available from the Codes Department. These forms can be viewed and printed right from your personal computer with the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Read More

Recycling Form

An online form for businesses to submit anytime during the month of January each year. Read More