Pittsburgh trash, recycling collection changes go into effect Monday

PITTSBURGH — From plastic bags to cardboard boxes, if you live or work in Pittsburgh, some big changes are coming in how and when you can recycle.

“We will no longer take cardboard boxes on the non-recycling weeks,” said Shawn Wigle, superintendent of environmental services in the Department of Public Works. “We’re going to leave those on the off weeks. If it’s not your recycling week, those will be left.”

The changes to the trash and recycling collections in 2024 have been a hot topic for the past few years. The city says many residents asked for the changes.

In the past, if people put cardboard boxes on non-recycling weeks, the city would collect them to keep the streets clean. After Sunday, that won’t be the case anymore.

Residents are being asked to flatten and bundle the cardboard boxes — and only put them out when it’s your designated week. Trash and recycling collection schedules are available online.

The city is also changing how it collects recycling — by distributing over 90,000 blue bins. Instead of putting the items in a plastic bag and leaving them at the curb, residents can put the loose items in a bin and put the bin out by the road.

City representatives went door to door, leaving information about the changes to educate residents. If they don’t comply, they’ll get a warning. If it happens again, they could face fines.

The good news: the city has multiple drop-off locations if residents can’t wait until their recycling week.

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