Introducing Haverford Township Curbside Service — now you can easily recycle your food waste for composting!

Program details:

• Free and available to all residents who receive Township trash removal services
• 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.
• Place accepted items 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.

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

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.


• Can I still get a composting starter kit?
  Yes! Composting kits will be available while supplies last at the Township Building 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. 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.