New Bulk Refuse Collection Policy - Effective 1/1/2024
The Borough of West Reading provides residents with a refuse and recycling program for continuity of service and cost savings through one contractor. Residents are billed on a quarterly basis for these services in conjunction with water and sewer services.
An increase in the number of bulk items placed out for collection has, in part, caused an increased refuse disposal rate for residents' community wide. Therefore, the following guidelines are being established to provide better convenience as to the date of disposal while implementing a fee to offset the cost of bulk item disposal.
- Residents may purchase a small, medium, or large bulk tag, per item at Borough Hall for items that are too large to fit in your trash container. Examples of acceptable bulk items by size can be found here.
- Residents must provide contact information, the date and address for collection, and a description of the item(s) to be collected. Payment options include cash, check or charge, a 3.5% processing fee will be assessed on credit and debit card transactions.
- A limit of two bulk items per household may be collected per week and may be placed out for collection on any regular refuse collection day.
- Tags must be purchased a minimum of 48 hours prior to collection.
- Bulk tags must be affixed to the item that you want to dispose of. It is the responsibility of the resident to securely affix the tag to the item.
- Bulk items may weigh no more than 75 pounds nor exceed 5 feet in length. Larger items may be dismantled to fit these parameters while remaining a single tag item.
- Refunds are not issued in the event that paid-for bulk items are taken by someone other than the borough refuse hauler.
- Metal pickup is free for residents but must be scheduled in advance. Metal pickups occur on Mondays, the deadline to schedule a pickup is Wednesday afternoon. To schedule a metal pickup please call Borough Hall at 610-374-8273. Appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioning units, dehumidifiers, water coolers, and freezers must have the freon removed, and have a Certified Freon-Free sticker to be picked up. If purchasing a new appliance, ask the company delivering the new appliance to take the old appliance. The Freon Hotline can provide information on how to properly remove freon from your appliance at 1-888-GO-FREON (1-888-463-7366). Or you may contract with a local scrap hauler to dispose of your appliance.
Items Not Accepted for Curbside Collection:
- Computer Equipment (desktop, laptop or tablet, keyboard, monitor, printer) (can be recycled at Staples, free of charge)
- Televisions (can be recycled at most stores that sell them, free of charge)
- Paint Cans (unless empty and dry)
- Tires, Motor Oil
- Propane/Gas Tanks (even if empty)
- Hazardous Materials (including oil-based paint cans)
Contact the Berks County Recycling Office at 610-478-6362 for the disposal of hazardous materials. The Berks County Solid Waste Authority sponsors the annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program.
If you experience missed stops, please contact Borough Hall at 610-374-8273 to report the matter, and Borough Hall will be in contact with the hauler to report the missed stop.