Recycling and Waste

Media Borough recycles weekly. The west side of the Borough (everyone west of Jackson Street) is collected on Tuesdays. The east side of the Borough (everyone east of Jackson Street) is collected on Thursdays. If collection falls on New Year's Day, Independence Day or Christmas, the Recycling will be collected the following day.

All Media businesses are required to recycle and must arrange for their own recycling pickup.

What to Recycle
--Glass bottles and jars (clear, green and brown)

--Metal food and beverage cans (aluminum and steel-soda, beer, pet food, soup, coffee cans, etc.)

--Plastic bottles #1 through #7

--Paper (newspaper, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, soft cover books, old telephone books, Kraft paper bags, food boxes and office paper)

--Cardboard (corrugated and non-corrugated)-NO WAX COATED PLEASE

***DO NOT RECYCLE: Bagging material, Mirrors, window or auto glass, light bulbs, ceramics, oil or antifreeze containers, plastic bags, coat hangers paint cans, hard cover books or any household item (such as toasters, cooking pots or pans, etc.)***

Where to Recycle
Please place recycling container at your curbside. If you did not receive a recycling container or need an additional one, call Media Borough. If you miss a curbside collection, you can also take recyclables to the Media Borough Recycling Drop-off Centers at the Media Borough Municipal Garage off of Brooke Street and at Rose Tree Park.

How to Recycle
Recyclables may be commingled in the recycling container.
--Glass containers-remove lids and caps. Labels are okay. Rinse and place in recycling container.
--Metal containers-rinse and drain. Place in recycling container.
--Plastic containers-remove lids. Labels are okay. Rinse, place in recycling container. Flatten to save space.

Recycling FAQs
Q: Why do I not sort my recyclables, and why do they go into one trash truck?
A: We do not have to sort our recycling because J. P. Mascaro, the Borough's recycling hauler, uses "single stream" recycling where all materials are put in the same truck and then sorted at the recycling station. Single stream recycling goes into one container making it is easier for residents to collect.

Q: How is single stream recycling processed?
A: Our materials are taken to a recycling facility where they are sorted by different state of the art recycling machines and sold to various industries to be made into new products.

To keep the recycling process strong it is important to purchase products that are made from recycled materials. The Media Borough office uses recycled office paper and purchases other recycled office products whenever possible.

Q: How successful is Media's recycling program?
A: Approximately 70% of Borough residents recycle. This is an excellent rate of recycling. In 2009 this amounted to 509 tons, not including recycled yard waste. Reported commercial recycling in 2009 was 1,428 tons. Residential and commercial recycling have both steadily risen since 2002; residential has seen a 50% increase in that time and commercial reported recycling, 80%.

It is important that we continue to increase our recycling. Studies have shown that most households and businesses could double the recycling they now put out for collection. Recycling improves our overall environment and offers many other benefits.

Q: What are the benefits of recycling?
A: Recycling benefits our whole community in many ways. It pulls materials out of the waste stream and reuses them, thus decreasing pollution and lowering our carbon footprint. We also benefit financially; through PA DEP's 904 Municipal Recycling Program Performance Grant program the Borough is reimbursed around $20,000 per year. The more we recycle, the more we profit.

If you have questions about recycling in Media, please contact the Borough at 610-566-5210.

Household Hazardous Waste

See link below

Other Recycling Options
The website, www.Earth911.com , offers a comprehensive directory of local recycling and proper disposal options for a variety of materials, including hard-to-recycle items such as fluorescent tubes. It also features an online newsletter with articles on recycling and other environmental topics.

Licensed Commercial Haulers Listed
Commercial haulers are required to obtain a license to operate in Media Borough (no fee is charged). Haulers must provide recycling to clients in order to obtain a license. A list of commercial trash and recycling haulers that are currently licensed to operate in Media Borough is now posted on the Media Borough website. Please see link below for the list.
If you are a hauler not listed here, but feel you should be, please call the Recycling Coordinator at Media Borough Offices, 610-566-5210, ext. 239.
If you are a Media business and wish to contract with a hauler not listed here, please have the hauler contact the Recycling Coordinator at 610-566-5210, ext. 239.