The incident happened on the 2000 block of West York Street.
Officials say an item that looked like a firecracker was on top of that container.
The Philadelphia Bomb Squad arrived and cleared the scene before 4:30 p.m.
Homes in the area were evacuated during the investigation. Residents have since returned to their homes.
It is not clear on how the device ended up on the highway.
There were no injuries reported.
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