Bulk Trash Pickup in Philadelphia, PA: Rules, Limits and Fees
What Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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 | No extra charge — it is part of regular collection. | Up to two large, non-metal items per household on your regular trash day. | Mattresses are collected at the curb, but only if they are fully wrapped in plastic. An unwrapped mattress is left behind. |
| Booked city collection | — | Four bulk items per appointment. | Metal bulk items and appliances — refrigerators, air conditioners, anything containing refrigerant — plus tires. These are not taken on a regular trash day. |
| Sanitation Convenience Centers | Free for Philadelphia residents. | Household items once a day and oversized items once a week. Bulk items and appliances are capped at two per day, tires at four per day. | You must show proof that you live in Philadelphia. Your vehicle must weigh under 6,000 pounds in total. Commercial contractors and commercial loads are turned away, and construction debris is not accepted. |
| 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
Metal bulk items and appliances — refrigerators, air conditioners, anything containing refrigerant — plus tires. These are not taken on a regular trash day.
- How many items
- Four bulk items per appointment.
- How to book
- Book an appointment online, or call 311.
- Good to know
- Available to residential properties, including multi-family buildings with up to six units. Items go out at your normal trash pickup spot.
Putting it out with your regular trash in Philadelphia
Mattresses are collected at the curb, but only if they are fully wrapped in plastic. An unwrapped mattress is left behind.
- How many items
- Up to two large, non-metal items per household on your regular trash day.
- What it costs
- No extra charge — it is part of regular collection.
The other routes in Philadelphia, in full
The table above is the short version of each. These pages carry the whole rule — the hours, the proof, the caps and what gets turned away.
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 local pros in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia →
What people actually pay — measured, not estimated
And a flat rate is only one company's number. When we put one real job out to bid, 12 local pros priced the same pile from the same photos: $225 to $1,250, median $525. Nobody else publishes this, because nobody else runs the auction.
Bulk pickup in Philadelphia — common questions
Does it cost anything to drop a mattress off in Philadelphia?
Free for Philadelphia residents.
How much can I take to the drop-off site in Philadelphia in one trip?
Household items once a day and oversized items once a week. Bulk items and appliances are capped at two per day, tires at four per day.
When is the Philadelphia drop-off site open?
Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on City holidays.
What do I need to bring to the drop-off site in Philadelphia?
You must show proof that you live in Philadelphia.
Can I bring a truck or trailer to the Philadelphia drop-off site?
Your vehicle must weigh under 6,000 pounds in total.
What will the Philadelphia drop-off site turn away?
Commercial contractors and commercial loads are turned away, and construction debris is not accepted.
Where this comes from
Checked against official sources on 2026-08-19. City rules change — if something here does not match, the city page wins.
More on getting rid of stuff in Philadelphia
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