Bulk Trash Pickup in New York, NY: Rules, Limits and Fees
What New York picks up at the curb, how many items you get, what needs an appointment, and what it costs. Straight from the city, checked and dated.
What New York collects, and what you do with the rest
Every city route below is capped. Read the last two columns first: they decide whether the city takes your load at all, or only part of it.
| Route | What it costs | How much it takes | The condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curbside, regular collection day | Free for residents — large item removal is part of ordinary collection. | Up to six large items at the curb per collection day, collected free. Something counts as a large item if it is too big to fit inside a bin or bag. | Mattresses and box springs must be sealed in plastic bags to stop bed bugs spreading, and set out on your trash-only day rather than your recycling day. Get it wrong and you may be fined up to $300. |
| Booked city collection | Free, and residents only. A business that books one may be issued a Notice of Violation and has to hire a private carter instead. | — | Only refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, water coolers and anything else holding CFC refrigerant. Nothing else can be booked — the appointment system was retired for ordinary bulk. |
| Hire a hauler | You pay — quotes come from local companies bidding against each other. | No item cap and no wrapping, residency or vehicle rule. | They carry it out; nothing has to reach the curb under its own steam. |
Booking a city pickup
Only refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, water coolers and anything else holding CFC refrigerant. Nothing else can be booked — the appointment system was retired for ordinary bulk.
- How to book
- Book the CFC collection with DSNY before you put the appliance out.
- What it costs
- Free, and residents only. A business that books one may be issued a Notice of Violation and has to hire a private carter instead.
- Good to know
- Newer appliances running R600a or R32 refrigerant — marked with a yellow triangle and black flames — cannot be collected by the city at all. Those go back to the manufacturer or to a private carter.
Putting it out with your regular trash in New York
Mattresses and box springs must be sealed in plastic bags to stop bed bugs spreading, and set out on your trash-only day rather than your recycling day. Get it wrong and you may be fined up to $300.
- How many items
- Up to six large items at the curb per collection day, collected free. Something counts as a large item if it is too big to fit inside a bin or bag.
- What it costs
- Free for residents — large item removal is part of ordinary collection.
- Good to know
- Metal and rigid plastic items go out with recycling; everything else goes out with trash on the trash-only day. Appointments are no longer offered and cannot be scheduled. Rugs and carpets have to be rolled and tied with twine. Electronics are illegal to put in trash or recycling at all under the New York State Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act.
Or have someone take it
City routes are cheap but slow, and they all assume you can get the item to the curb yourself. If it is upstairs, if it is heavy, or if you need it gone this week, a local pro is the faster answer.
Post the job free, and vetted pros in New York bid on it. You pick the offer you like and pay your pro directly — JunkerClub takes no cut of the price.
See what mattress removal costs in New York →
Bulk pickup in New York — common questions
How many bulk items can I put out at once in New York?
Up to six large items at the curb per collection day, collected free. Something counts as a large item if it is too big to fit inside a bin or bag.
What needs an appointment in New York instead of going out with the trash?
Only refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, water coolers and anything else holding CFC refrigerant. Nothing else can be booked — the appointment system was retired for ordinary bulk.
How do I book a bulk pickup in New York?
Book the CFC collection with DSNY before you put the appliance out.
What does a bulk collection cost in New York?
Free, and residents only. A business that books one may be issued a Notice of Violation and has to hire a private carter instead.
Where and when do I put the items out in New York?
Newer appliances running R600a or R32 refrigerant — marked with a yellow triangle and black flames — cannot be collected by the city at all. Those go back to the manufacturer or to a private carter.
Will the trash collectors take a mattress in New York?
Mattresses and box springs must be sealed in plastic bags to stop bed bugs spreading, and set out on your trash-only day rather than your recycling day. Get it wrong and you may be fined up to $300.
Where this comes from
Checked against official sources on 2026-09-04. City rules change — if something here does not match, the city page wins.
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