No, paper must be separated from other recyclables. You may commingle glass, plastic, etc. but paper should be in either its own container or a paper bag beside the recycling bin.

The Township provides recycling containers only. The resident must provide their own refuse container with a capacity of no more than 48 gallons for a standard can, or no more than 20 gallons for a mini-can. Residents may purchase the refuse container of their choosing through any retailer. To request recycling containers, please fill out the Solid Waste change form.

Refuse and Recycling are collected every week. Recycling collection type is alternated week by week. Please visit the Lower Merion Trash & Recycling Guide and Schedule for more information. Please use the Address Lookup on the homepage, www.lowermerion.org, to determine your collection day.

Please fill out this form to ensure you are subscribed to the correct level of service.

Existing homeowners can use this form to add more cans or add Rear Yard collection to their subscription. Decreases in service level are only allowed during the month of December.

The basic 2026 Standard Level subscription is $465. 

For those who place refuse/recycling for collection at the curb, no further fees were incurred.

Residents may use many different sizes of trash containers up to a maximum of 48 gallons.

A single container 20-gallon capacity or less - weight limit of 25 pounds each

A single container 48-gallon capacity or less - weight limit of 50 pounds each

The Township provides collection and disposal services to all single-family dwellings, all two-family dwellings and all apartments containing four or fewer dwelling units. Collection by the Township is optional for residential buildings of five to fifty units, but not from dumpsters. The Township does not collect commercial waste.

Refuse and Recycling are collected once a week at curbside or from the rear yard by municipal employees. Residents are required to recycle plastic, glass, aluminum food and beverage containers (comingled) and mixed paper. Recycling collection type is alternated week by week. Please visit the Lower Merion Trash & Recycling Guide and Schedule for more information. Please use the Address Lookup on the homepage, www.lowermerion.org, to determine your collection day. Residents are charged a Solid Waste Fee based on their container subscription level. There is no limit on recyclables.

The SWF is an enterprise fund which is intended to be self-supporting through user fees charged for services to residential customers. The purpose of the SWF is to account for revenues and expenditures related to the state mandated disposal of refuse and recycling.

• Report a pothole: 610-645-6150
• Find out about snow removal and salting operations:

• During a declared snow emergency: 610-726-7127 (storm command center)
• After snow emergency has been suspended: 610-645-6150 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
• For police, fire, or medical emergencies:  911

• Report a missing or damaged street sign: 610-645-6150
• Request a new street name sign: 610-645-6150
• Request a no parking, speed limit or stop sign: 610-645-6260; Traffic Safety - Police
• Report a storm water problem: 610-645-6150
• Inquire about the Township’s recycling program: 610-667-1952 or 1953
• To find out when my trash is collected: 610-667-1952 or 1953
• Get a copy of the trash and recycling schedule: 610-667-1952 or 1953

For non-emergencies, please call the Public Works office at 610-645-6150 during normal working hours 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For non-emergencies after hours and on weekends, contact the Lower Merion Township Police Department at 610-649-1000.

 Stormwater Management - the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has lots of information of stormwater management programs and best practice.

Bulky items, large appliances and other items normally collected with a special pickup are:

Air Conditioner Antenna (TV) Auto Parts (150 lb. limit) Barbeque Grill Bed Frame Bicycle Box Spring (wrapped in a mattress bag) Cabinets Carpet (rolled) Chair Couch or Sofa Dehumidifier Dishwasher Dryer Doors Downspouts/Gutters Freezer (door removed) Golf Clubs Lawn Furniture

Laundry Tubs Luggage or Trunk Lawn Mower (with gas removed) Metal (misc.) Mattress (wrapped in a mattress bag) Padding (rolled) Pipes (4' maximum length) Refrigerator (doors removed) Radiator Stove Sink  Toilet Toys Trash Can(s) Washer Water Heater Wood (4' maximum length)

NO CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL
NO HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE
NO ELECTRONICS

Items other than those listed above may be subject to non-collection, in which case the fee for Special pick-up will be refunded.

Recyclables include commingled items, mixed paper, and textiles. Commingled items include green, brown and clear glass; #1 through #7 plastics; and metal and bi-metallic food and beverage cans. You may have lids on these items. Place your commingled items in the yellow recycling bin supplied by the Township.

Mixed paper includes newspapers, magazines, catalogs, "junk mail", telephone books, notebooks and school papers (including spiral bound books), soft and hardback books and textbooks, shopping and pet food bags (without plastic liners), chipboard packaging (including nonperishable food boxes), beer and soda cartons and six-pack packaging, cracker, cake and cereal boxes (without plastic pouches or inserts). Mixed paper is to be tied or placed in brown kraft-type paper bags next to your recycling bin.

Corrugated cardboard is also accepted.  Cardboard boxes must be broken down to 4' x 4' x12".

Textiles consist of clothing and fabric. Textiles are not collected by Township crews. They can, however, be taken to the Township’s recycling drop-off center located at the entrance to the Robert J. Koegel Public Works Complex, 1300 Woodbine Avenue, Penn Valley.

Leaves must be placed at the curb in compostable paper bags only for weekly collection on your normal collection day. Plastic bags not accepted. You may purchase the compostable brown paper bags from your local hardware stores or the Transfer Station at the Public Works Complex on Woodbine Avenue. The charges for the leaf bags are $0.52 per bag or $26 for 50 bags (plus tax).

Leaves are not to be raked, blown, or dumped in Township parks or properties. Leaves from residents' property are not to be raked or blown into the street. IT IS ILLEGAL TO BURN LEAVES IN THE TOWNSHIP.

Small shrubs and tree trimmings may be placed in compostable paper bags. Other trimmings no larger than four feet in length, six inches in diameter, and bundled no more than eighteen inches in diameter can be placed for collection. Branches may be brought to the Transfer Station if under four feet in length. Logs six inches to eighteen inches in diameter may be dropped off at the Transfer Station. This is free for residents, non-residents for a charge of twelve cents a pound. We do not accept logs over eighteen inches in diameter.

BURNING BRANCHES AND TWIGS IS ILLEGAL in the Township. 

While the Township does not accept motor oil for recycling, the following service stations will do so: Haliman Sunoco, Woodside & Lancaster Avenues, Ardmore; Fritsch’s Exxon, Montgomery & Woodside Avenues, Ardmore; Mike’s Amoco, 500 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford; and Laird’s Gulf, 949 Montgomery Avenue, Narberth.

You can also bring it to the Hazardous Waste Collection Day at the Koegel Complex in Penn Valley. This is usually held on Sunday in October and will be advertised well in advance on this website and on social media. 

You may increase your container selection to a higher level at any time during the year by filling out the Solid Waste Change form located at http://www.lowermerion.org/swchange.  You will receive an interim solid waste bill based upon the change that was selected.