Household Items To Be Recycled
How to Recycle Glass, Plastic & Other Common Items in York County
Where Can York County Residents Recycle?
Most municipalities (this would be the township or borough you live in such as Springettsbury Township or West York Borough for examples) offer a curbside recycling service that accepts most items listed below. Check with your municipality for details.
Most curbside recycling programs accept:
- Cans (Aluminum & Steel)
- Cardboard (Dry, flattened, no food contact)
- Cartons
- Glass Bottles & Jars
- Paper and Newspaper (Clean, dry, no food contact; brochures, envelopes, magazines, paperback books, etc.)
- Plastic Bottles & Jugs (#1, 2 & 5)
If you are a Penn Waste Customer, Click here to view Penn Waste’s recycling guidelines.
If you are a Republic Services’ Customer, Click here to view Republic Services’ recycling guidelines.
If you are a Hanover Borough Resident, Click here to view Hanover Borough recycling guidelines.
Some municipalities offer a recycling drop-off point. This could sometimes be at a township building or a place that is central to those that live in the municipality. This varies for each municipality and some drop-offs can only be used by the residents in that municipality. Please call your township or borough office to find out if there is one in your area.
Residents can drop off the items listed below at our recycling center.
Hours of Operation
Mon – Fri: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sat: 8:00 AM – Noon
Items Accepted
- Clothing & Shoes
Clean clothing and shoes accepted in the Salvation Army drop-off bin ONLY.
- Corrugated Cardboard
All sizes, dry and flattened.
- Food & Beverage Cans (Aluminum, Steel, Bi-Metal)
Rinse thoroughly to remove contaminants and residue. Labels do not need to be removed.
Items Not Accepted
- Aerosol Cans
- Paint Cans
- Paper
Newspaper, office paper, mixed paper, junk mail, envelopes, magazines, catalogs, post cards, etc.
- Paperboard
Cereal boxes, shoe boxes, tissue boxes, paper towel / toilet paper rolls, etc.
- Pizza Boxes
- Plastic or Glass Containers
Plastic, aluminum can, paper, cardboard, and bottle recycling may be available at the following locations. Visit their websites for the latest information on these services.
More Recycling Resources
- Commercial & Institutional Recycling Program Guide
View .PDF Guide - School Recycling Program Guide
View .PDF Guide - Community Event Recycling Guide
View .PDF Guide - Guidelines for Recycling in Your Community
A booklet for businesses and residents by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
View Online Booklet - Circular Merchant
An online tool and app that businesses and residents can use to list and find recyclable materials.
View .PDF Guide
York County Recycling at a Glance
- Act 101, PA’s Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling & Waste Reduction Act, makes recycling mandatory in 20 York County municipalities, based on the population/density of these communities.
- 64 of 72 municipalities have contracted curbside recycling service. Private subscription curbside recycling service is available to 2 additional municipalities.
- 13 municipalities offer drop-off recycling either as a stand-alone program or in conjunction with curbside programs. Most are designed to accept yard waste. Contact your municipality for more information on the details of available recycling drop-off services.
- YCSWA promotes “closed loop recycling,” an integrated approach to the management of waste emphasizing waste reduction, recycling, and resource recovery. The YCRRC waste-to-energy facility lets us process combustible municipal solid waste to generate electricity. The resulting ash is used as alternate daily landfill cover (displacing the use of virgin soil).
- The Authority assists municipalities, businesses, and organizations develop and implement waste reduction and recycling programs ; helps prepare recycling grant applications; identifies markets for recyclables; distributes recycling educational materials; and works with recycling haulers and municipalities to create viable recycling collection programs.
- The Authority also promotes “non-traditional” recycling through programs that focus on electronics recycling, Christmas tree recycling, and backyard composting.