Recycling in Allentown, PA

Where this information comes from

Checked October 26, 2026

• Goodwill Keystone Area: Free Electronics Recycling (items we do and don’t accept) (opens in new tab) · Goodwill Keystone Area
  • Goodwill Keystone Area, with Reworld, takes old electronics including TVs for free at its stores and donation centers in 22 central and southeastern Pennsylvania counties. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Goodwill Keystone Area says its list of accepted electronics is accepted at all of its stores and donation centers. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Accepted computing devices: computers, monitors and peripherals (keyboards, mice, printers, all-in-one printer/scanner/copiers, networking equipment). Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Televisions, cameras and cable/set-top boxes are on Goodwill Keystone’s accepted electronics list. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Also accepted: VCR/DVD/Blu-ray players, gaming systems, stereos, radios, MP3 players, telephones and mobile devices with intact batteries. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Goodwill cannot accept phones, laptops, tablets or any device with a swollen, bloated, leaking or damaged battery, and does not take loose batteries. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Not accepted: Freon-containing devices, mercury devices and white goods such as refrigerators, ranges, water heaters, freezers, air conditioners, washers and dryers. Checked October 26, 2026.
• City of Allentown: Trash & Recycling Information — Curbside Rules / Trash Limits Rules 2025 (PDF) (opens in new tab) · City of Allentown Bureau of Recycling & Solid Waste · effective January 1, 2025
  • One bulk item (sofa, dresser, toilet, etc.) or 40 pounds of contained construction material is picked up, only on the second collection night. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Businesses, non-profits and organizations must pay the annual City trash fee to use City collection. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Residents schedule an appointment to have metal items or appliances picked up by calling 610-437-8729. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • There is a $20 fee for Freon or refrigerant appliances. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • There is no fee for other appliances or metal items. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Examples of metal items not to put at the curb include washing machines, refrigerators and ovens. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • The Recycling Drop Off Center is at 1400 Martin Luther King Jr Dr., next to the 15th St Bridge, open 24/7 to everyone. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • The drop-off center accepts corrugated cardboard and paperboard (shipping boxes, food and tissue boxes, egg cartons). Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Scrap metal and appliances that are at least 90% metal are accepted. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Not accepted at the drop-off center: Freon appliances, construction debris, wood, window glass, trash, mattresses, furniture, Styrofoam and TVs. Checked October 26, 2026.
• City of Allentown: Curbside Collection Service Overview (mailer PDF) (opens in new tab) · City of Allentown Bureau of Recycling & Solid Waste
  • Bulk items are only accepted on the second night of the collection week (Wednesday, Thursday or Friday). Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Mattresses and box springs must be wrapped in plastic for collection. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • The weekly limit is one bulk item such as furniture or a toilet. Checked October 26, 2026.
• City of Allentown: Electronics Recycling (opens in new tab) · City of Allentown
  • Appointment-only drop-off is available for City of Allentown taxpayers, who call 610-437-8729 to receive a voucher. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Accepted: computers, keyboards, monitors, printers, scanners, laptops and televisions; 1 TV per appointment and 3 TVs per address per year. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Not accepted: appliances such as microwaves and air conditioners, phones and cameras, and batteries. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • City staff do not help unload; residents must unload or bring help. Checked October 26, 2026.
• PA DEP: Electronics Recycling (Covered Device Recycling Act) (opens in new tab) · Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  • The Covered Device Recycling Act (Act 108 of 2010) requires manufacturers to provide recycling programs for desktop and laptop computers, computer monitors, computer peripherals and televisions sold to consumers in Pennsylvania. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • DEP says CDRA collection sites may be used by small businesses employing fewer than 50 employees; businesses with 50+ employees and public entities (schools, local government offices, religious organizations) are not covered and must make their own arrangements. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Businesses with 50 or more employees and public entities are not covered under the CDRA and must make their own recycling arrangements. Checked October 26, 2026.
• Covered Device Recycling Act, Act 108 of 2010 (P.L. 1083) (opens in new tab) · Pennsylvania General Assembly
  • Act 108 Section 504: no manufacturer or retailer may charge a consumer a fee or cost for collecting, transporting or recycling a covered device, unless a financial incentive of equal or greater value (such as a coupon or rebate) is provided. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Act 108 defines a consumer as an occupant of a dwelling unit who used the covered device mainly for personal or small business use; a small business is independently owned, employs 50 or fewer people and would otherwise lack access to electronics recycling. Checked October 26, 2026.
• PA DEP: Covered Device Recycling Act Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, Sept. 30, 2011) (opens in new tab) · Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  • Manufacturers must run ongoing recycling programs offering no-cost covered device collection to consumers, including home-based businesses; "no cost" means no fee unless a coupon or rebate of equal or greater value is given. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Collection locations that are not retailers and are not affiliated with a manufacturer recycling program may charge fees for covered devices. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Any collection location, even a retailer or manufacturer-affiliated one, may charge to recycle devices that are not covered devices. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Not covered: TVs with screens under four inches; telephones of any type including mobile phones; typewriters, workstations, servers, calculators, PDAs, GPS units, MP3 players and similar devices. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Devices contained in an appliance, and motor vehicle components, are excluded from the CDRA. Checked October 26, 2026.
• PA DEP: Covered Device Recycling Act (opens in new tab) · Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  • A covered computer device is a desktop or notebook computer, computer monitor or peripheral marketed and intended for consumer use. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Covered televisions include direct view or projection TVs with a viewable screen of four inches or larger (CRT, plasma, LCD, DLP, LED and similar), marketed for consumer personal use. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • A peripheral is a keyboard, printer or other device sold exclusively for external use with a computer that provides input to or output from it. Checked October 26, 2026.
• PA DEP: Electronics (Recycling and Disposal) (opens in new tab) · Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  • DEP points residents to its CDRA collection sites list (PDF), its HHW Collection Programs page for one-day electronics events, its curbside collection programs page, and the toll-free Recycling Hotline 1-800-346-4242. Checked October 26, 2026.
• PA DEP: 2026 CDRA Collection Sites (PDF) (opens in new tab) · Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  • DEP's 2026 CDRA Collection Sites list (by county, with addresses) tells consumers to contact a location first to see which electronics it accepts. Checked October 26, 2026.
• PA DEP: Electronics Recycling Collection Programs (opens in new tab) · Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  • DEP's electronics collection programs list warns that not all locations accept all items such as TVs, most municipal programs have residency requirements, and some have registration requirements or nominal fees. Checked October 26, 2026.
• PA DEP: Recycling in Pennsylvania (opens in new tab) · Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  • DEP's Recycling in Pennsylvania page describes the CDRA as covering desktop and laptop computers, tablets, televisions and more. Checked October 25, 2026 (automated check) · sources disagree.
• Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988 (P.L. 556) (opens in new tab) · Pennsylvania General Assembly
  • Act 101 Section 1510(c): anyone selling lead acid batteries at retail must accept used lead acid batteries from customers at the point of transfer, at least equal in number to those purchased, in exchange for new batteries purchased. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Retailers must post a notice stating that state law requires them to accept used motor vehicle or other lead acid batteries for recycling in exchange for new batteries purchased. Checked October 26, 2026.
• PA DEP: Household Hazardous Waste brochure 2520-PA-DEP2315 (PDF, rev. 2022) (opens in new tab) · Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  • DEP: take spent lead acid batteries back to where you bought them; state law requires dealers to accept old batteries when you buy new ones. Checked October 26, 2026.

“Checked” means we read the official page on that date. Things can change, so call before you go.