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




How do I participate?


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

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.

Accepted Materials


  • fruits and vegetables, including peels, pits, and seeds
  • grains and baked goods
  • coffee grounds, filters, and tea (emptied from bags)
  • paper plates, cups, napkins, and paper towels
  • wooden/bamboo cutlery
  • dairy, nuts, and eggshells
  • cooked or processed foods, fried foods, and table scraps
  • flower and houseplant trimmings
  • hair and fur
  • cold fireplace ash and sawdust (excluding charcoal and treated wood)
  • pizza boxes without wax paper and plastic (can go under the bucket)

Unacceptable Materials:


  • no plastic
  • no “compostable” plastics (including starch-based)
  • no meat, bones, or seafood
  • no produce stickers, twist ties, or rubber bands
  • no gum or cigarettes
  • no used tissues, diapers, wipes, or items containing bodily fluids
  • no pet waste, kitty litter, or chicken bedding
  • no medicine, medical waste, chemicals, herbicides, pesticides, or treated wood

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.

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.

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.

Curbside Composting Program coming to Haverford Township


• Posted | 06/29/2026 •








Page Updated | 06/10/2026