While some municipal services are overlooked or taken for granted, people get pretty attached to others.

In York Township, residents love their leaf and branch drop-off, said Diane Mitchell, administrative assistant for the township's public works department.

Township residents can bring unwanted leaves and downed branches to the township, and workers feed the material into a large machine that chews it up and makes mulch. Residents can pick up the mulch for free, adding to the popularity of the program, Mitchell said.

But the used "biogrinder" the township bought about 10 years ago is almost dead, she said, and the township is relying on a recently awarded state grant to fund the purchase of a new unit.

The state's Department of Environmental Protection recently announced it has awarded $17.8 million in recycling grants to 131 municipalities and counties for developing and implementing recycling programs. York Township is one of them.

Mitchell said the $222,917 grant will almost cover the $240,000 cost of a new shredder, which officials expect to be delivered later this year.

"When we had bad weather after that snowstorm in October, the (program) was pretty much backed up," she said. "For our people, that would be one of the biggest things if we would have to drop that program."

While the grant might save York Township's beloved program, other communities across York County were also awarded grants. Many of the recipients, having already implemented curbside recycling programs, are also looking to improve their bio-materials cleanup.

Here's a list of the recipients:

-- Fairview Township, $86,946, leaf waste collection and education;

-- Hanover Borough, $180,056, curbside collection program and education;

-- Penn Township, $249,783, leaf waste program;

-- Red Lion Borough, $147,906, leaf waste collection;

-- Spring Grove Borough, $58,561, leaf waste collection;

-- West Manheim Township, $196,934, leaf waste and curbside recycling;

-- Windsor Township, $124,124, leaf waste collection;

-- York City, $230,044, leaf waste program and curbside recycling;

-- York County Solid Waste and Recycling Authority, $250,000; curbside recycling, for the purchase of recycling bins;

-- York Township, $222,917; leaf waste program.

- Reach Christina Kauffman at ckauffman@yorkdispatch.com.