City of Bethlehem



	· Mayor · History · Parks & Recreation · City Council · Recycling · Neighborhood Programs · City Services Index · News Releases · Health Bureau · Police · Library · Sister City · Water and Sewer · Leaf Collection · Event Calendar · Contact City Hall · BEDCO · Properties · Welcome · Attractions · Shopping · Lodging · Dining · History · Directions · Contact Us · Regional Links	Bethlehem Proudly Recycles! Want to learn more? What's recycled at the Drop-Off Centers? Business and Curbside Recycling Household Hazardous Waste Yard Waste and Compost Other Materials Recycling saves money. By recycling more, you produce less trash. Ask your hauler for a "per bag fee." Pay only for what's removed. For a list of licensed haulers and their rates call . Compare and save! Recycling saves space. In 1998 alone, the residents of Bethlehem helped shed 11,646,526 unwanted pounds from the city's solid waste disposal. That's more than the combined weight of all of Bethlehem's 72,490 residents. This saved an area of landfill space four times greater than the size of the One Bethlehem Plaza building. Recycling saves resources. In 1998, Bethlehem residents recycling paper saved 52,356 trees and 21,558 gallons of water. Residents recycling glass saved 11,406 gallons of fuel (five delivery trucks worth). Recycling one glass bottle saves enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours. And making products from recycled materials requires up to 95 percent less energy than using new materials. Want to learn more? The City of Bethlehem's Recycling office gladly gives educational presentations to: Schools, pre-schools, & daycare facilities Youth groups Civic groups Condo & tenant associations Businesses Special events Curby the Recycling Robot would love to come visit your school or fair. He walks - he talks - he loves to recycle - and he especially loves kids. Bethlehem Drop-off Centers The Illick's Mill Recycling Drop-Off Center is conveniently located on Illick's Mill Road, between Center Street and Schoenersville Road (directly across from the municipal golf course). Hours: Monday through Friday: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Landfill Recycling Drop-Off Center is located at the IESI Bethlehem landfill on Applebutter Road. Hours: Monday through Friday: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday: 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sunday: Closed What's recycled at the Drop-Off Centers? These items are accepted at the Illick's Mill Drop-off Center [IMDO] and/or the Landfill Recycling Drop-off Center [LDO]: Clear, green and brown glass (with labels and caps) - [Both drop-offs] Food-grade cans of steel, tin, bimetalic and aluminum; empty aerosol cans; formed aluminum containers - [Both drop-offs] #1 through #7 plastics (remove caps) - [1-7 IMDO] [1 & 2 only, LDO] Newspapers (including inserts) tied in manageable bundles or in brown paper bags - [Both drop-offs] All books (hard & soft cover), magazines, catalogs, gift wrap, cards and shiny paper - [Both drop-offs] Corrugated cardboard and flatboard (tears brown or gray) - [Both drop-offs] Mixed office paper, envelopes (with or without windows), index cards, manila folders, carbonless forms, shredded papers, calculator tape, copier and computer paper, etc. - [Both drop-offs] Telephone directories - [IMDO] Scrap metals (includes anything that's at least half metal) - [Both drop-offs] Textiles (old clothes, paired shoes, curtains, purses, belts, remnants 15 X 15 or larger) - [IMDO] Commingled cans, glass, plastics, #1 & #2 with a neck, aerosol cans and formed aluminum containers (like pie pans) - [LDO] White goods, i.e. large appliances, certified freon-free - [LDO] These items are not recycled in Bethlehem: Mirrors, windows, plate glass, light bulbs, ceramics, aluminum foil, containers from toxic or flammable substances, Styrofoam, plastic bags, cellophane, vinyl, wet or weathered cardboard/paper, white paperboard, polycoated papers, aseptic packaging, carbon paper, waxed paper, groundwood paper, gummed labels, paper towels, napkins, tissue paper, photographic paper, synthetic paper, batteries, hazardous waste, closed vessels, TV's, computers, electronics, pillows, rugs, canvas, plastics not marked with a triangle and a number inside, wood, masonry, insulation, asbestos and furniture. Call the Recycling Office at to find if there are any possible outlets or alternates for these materials. Back to Top Business Recycling Pennsylvania Act 101 and the Bethlehem Recycling Ordinance 3821 call for all businesses and institutions to recycle mixed office paper, corrugated cardboard, aluminum, and leaves. Food-licensed stores and restaurants are required additionally to recycle food/beverage cans and glass. Businesses must source-separate their materials, store them separately from garbage in proper containers, and arrange for collection for recycling. This can be done in one of three ways: Hire a hauler to recycle; bring them to the city's Recycling Drop-Off Center; or take them directly to a market or broker. For more information call Donna Albright in the Recycling Office at . Curbside Recycling Bethlehem residents emptied rinsed, crushed, collected, recycled, and ultimately shed 4,019,600 pounds of cans, glass, and plastic containers at the curb in 1998. The Recycling Office wishes to thank residents for this incredible feat. The benefits of recycling come right back to our beautiful city and its residents in the form of grant moneys, better services, lower trash bills, and a cleaner environment. Keep up the great work! What to recycle at the curb: Cans: Aluminum, tin, steel, bimetal, or aerosol cans; formed aluminum containers (such as pie pans). No toxic or flammable materials. No paint cans. Glass: Clear, green, and brown food/beverage jars and bottles with caps. No drinking glasses, window panes, light bulbs, mirrors, ceramic, china, or porcelain. Plastic: Any #1 or #2 container with a neck (such as milk jugs, soda and water bottles, laundry product bottles, some cosmetic products). Remove caps. How to recyle: Rinse until clean and drain all cans, glass, and plastics. Place recyclables in your green container. Labels need not be removed. Metal caps, lids, and rings are also recyclable. Crush cans and plastics or nest cans to save space. Do not crush glass bottles or jars. Place your container at the front curb the night before your scheduled pick-up day. To find out your scheduled pick-up day call the Recycling Office at . Extra quantities of recyclables may be put out in any open, rigid, waterproof container with a capacity of 30 gallons or less. No bags or cardboard boxes, please. Write your address on your container. Additional containers are available at the Recycling Office in City Hall (10 East Church Street) or at the Illick's Mill Drop-Off Center for $4 each. Household Hazardous Waste Any resident of Bethlehem can use the FREE Household Hazardous Waste Program. For details simply call: . Remember: Never mix hazardous materials together. This could result in a dangerous chemical reaction. Keep all products in their original containers; do not remove the labels. Tightly seal all lids and caps. For containers that cannot be tightly closed: Place them in a sealed plastic bag. Keep materials away from children and pets. Back to Top Yard Waste What Do We Do With Grass Clippings? This is a common question received at the Recycling Office. Our answer is: "Grass-cycle!" That's right. Cut your grass and let it lay. It's an excellent source of nitrogen for your lawn and doesn't cause thatch, a root problem. Many people have found that it helps to get a mulching mower or to put a mulching blade on your current mower (conversion kits are available for many types of mowers). Mulching mowers and blades help to shred the grass into small pieces, thereby causing grass to decompose more quickly. Other ideas: Place grass clippings on your vegetable garden or around your hedges. Your soil will retain more moisture and be enriched with nitrogen. Create a backyard compost bin. There are many varieties in stores or you can make a bin of your own. For printed directions call the Recycling Office at . Remember to maintain a ratio of two-thirds brown material to one-third green material. Then, water and turn your compost regularly. Soon, you'll have rich dark humus to add to your garden. Compost Center: The City of Bethlehem Compost Facility is located at the intersection of Schoenersville Road and Eaton Avenue (directly across from Dun & Bradstreet and Martin Tower). Leaves are collected curbside, loose or in 30-gallon paper bags (available from the Recycling Office (City Hall), Recycling Drop-Off Center, or Compost Facility for 35 cents each or three for $1). No plastic bags, please. Hours: Monday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday: Closed Friday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. NOTE: You must be a resident of the City of Bethlehem to drop off materials. Mulch is available, free, to anyone from anywhere! What to compost: Branches - no larger than 4 inches in diameter and 6 feet in length. Small brush. Hedge trimmings. Garden plant residue. Leaves - loose or in brown paper bags, only! Christmas trees free of tinsel and ornaments. Back to Top Other Materials Tires Freezers Refrigerators Air Conditioners Dehumidifiers Batteries Pallets Motor Oil Antifreeze Styrofoam Peanuts Useable Furniture Plastic Grocery Bags Note: While the above listed items are not accepted at our Recycling Drop-Off facilities, you can call our office at , we will be more than happy to tell about local vendors who do accept them. Back to Top