Pittsburgh Bulk Pickup Guide (2026)
The short answer
If your home gets City trash pickup, you can put out 2 bulk items per household per week, free, with your regular trash. Set them out no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before and no later than 6 a.m. on collection day. Mattresses are accepted, but anything with bed bugs or roaches must be sealed or wrapped in plastic. Buildings with more than 5 units get no City pickup. (City Curbside Refuse, City 2025 mailer, City Code §619.04, City 2026 recycling notice)
1. The City's bulk pickup rules
| Rule | What the City says |
|---|---|
| What counts | Furniture, bicycles, grills, small appliances (except e-waste and anything with Freon) and other bulk waste go out with your weekly trash. No appointment needed. (source) |
| Limit | 2 bulk items per household per week. Carpeting and fencing must be tied in bundles no more than 35 lb or 5 ft. (source; the 2026 mailer says the same) |
| Cost | We found no fee for bulk items within the 2-per-week limit. For more than two, see the City's Bulk Pick Up page or ask 311. |
| When to set out | No earlier than 6 p.m. the night before collection and no later than 6 a.m. on collection day. Containers must be off the curb by 10 p.m. (City Code §619.04) |
| Who's covered | Single-family homes and buildings with 5 or fewer units only. (City Code §619.04(a)) |
| Your trash day | Look it up on the City's collection schedule. |
Missed pickup or a question? Call 311 inside the city or 412-255-2621, or use the City's online 311 form or app. (source)
2. Mattresses & bed bugs
Mattresses and box springs are accepted bulk items. Anything with bed bugs or cockroaches, including mattresses and upholstered furniture, "must be sealed in plastic bags or wrapped in plastic," or it won't be collected. (source) We found no City rule requiring a clean mattress to be wrapped. More options, including donation and drop-off: mattress disposal in Pittsburgh.
3. What the curb won't take, and where it goes
The City won't collect tires, scrap metal, electronics, household hazardous waste, auto parts, or construction and demolition debris at the curb (source), or appliances with Freon such as refrigerators and air conditioners (source).
| Item | Where it can go |
|---|---|
| Tires & scrap metal | City Public Works drop-off sites take tires (2 per day, rims removed) and scrap metal: East End, 6814 Hamilton Ave (Mon–Sat 8:00–1:30); Hazelwood, 40 Melanchton St (Mon–Fri 8:00–1:30); West End, 1330 Hassler St (Mon–Fri 8:00–2:00, Sat 7:00–3:00). They don't take mattresses or general junk. (source) |
| TVs, computers & other electronics | Pennsylvania has banned TVs, computers, monitors and peripherals from the trash since 2013 (PA DEP). The City's 2026 e-waste partner is Noble Environmental, by appointment: NobleEnviro.com/Pittsburgh, 412-567-6566. (City 2026 mailer) |
| Household hazardous waste | Also handled by Noble Environmental, by appointment (same contact as above). (City 2026 mailer) |
| Fridges, freezers & AC units (Freon) | Duquesne Light's Watt Choices program pays $50 for a refrigerator, freezer or AC unit and hauls it away free. Appliance Warehouse (20 S 6th St) takes them free. Construction Junction charges $10 for small and $20 for large refrigerant appliances. (City Waste Disposal Resources) |
| Construction debris & bulky loads | The City lists transfer stations that accept bulky waste from residents for a fee: ABC EZ Containers (McKees Rocks), Michael Brothers Hauling (901 Horning Rd and 408 Hoffman Rd, Reserve Twp; takes appliances with or without Freon), McKees Rocks Transfer Station (Stowe Twp), Boyd Roll Off (McKees Rocks) and Iron City Express (Crescent Twp). Call ahead about costs and hours. (source) |
The City's advice if you pay someone to haul it: "always demand they give you a receipt from the disposal facility." (source)
4. For landlords & property managers
The City only collects from buildings with 5 or fewer units. If you own or manage a building with 6 or more units, City crews won't take your tenants' bulk items. You need a private hauler or dumpster. (City Code §619.04(a)) Even in smaller buildings, the 2-items-a-week limit fills up fast at turnover, when a unit's worth of furniture and mattresses can end up at the curb at once.
Get a quote for a unit or building cleanout Call (412) 525-7785
5. Move-out season tip
In Oakland and the South Side, curbside trash complaints spike in late July and August as leases turn over. City 311 data shows Oakland reports jumping from a typical 5–30 a week to as many as 157 in a single week in July. (WPRDC 311 data; our analysis) Local news has described "mattresses and couches to old food" on Oakland curbs during move-out weekend. (WTAE)
Pitt's Move Out Clean Out doesn't take mattresses, mattress toppers or upholstered furniture. (Pitt Move Out Clean Out) Plan ahead: set big items out on your regular trash night, 2 per week, starting a few weeks before your lease ends, or book a pickup.
6. Suburbs are different
Outside the city, each Allegheny County borough or township sets its own rules, often with fees, limits and wrapping requirements. Two examples:
- North Fayette Township requires a $15 bulk sticker for each item, and mattresses and box springs must be wrapped in plastic. Refrigerators need a certificate that the Freon was removed. (source)
- Indiana Township collects 1 bulk item per month, on set dates. (source)
Check your own municipality's website or hauler before setting anything out.
Over the limit, or can't get it to the curb? Get a free quote
Tell us what you need hauled. We'll pass your request to a local Pittsburgh hauler who can quote you. No obligation.
Rather talk? Call (412) 525-7785
If we miss your call, leave a voicemail or text and we'll call you back the same day.
FAQ
How many bulk items will the City of Pittsburgh pick up?
Two bulk items per household per week, set out with your regular weekly trash. There's no appointment and no charge within that limit.
When can I put bulk items out?
No earlier than 6 p.m. the night before your collection day and no later than 6 a.m. on collection day.
Does the City pick up mattresses?
Yes. Mattresses and box springs are accepted bulk items. Anything with bed bugs or cockroaches must be sealed in plastic bags or wrapped in plastic, or it won't be collected.
Does the City pick up from apartment buildings?
Only from single-family homes and buildings with 5 or fewer units. Larger buildings need a private hauler or dumpster.
What won't the City take at the curb?
Tires, scrap metal, electronics such as TVs and computers, household hazardous waste, auto parts, construction or demolition debris, and appliances with Freon.
Sources
- City of Pittsburgh, Curbside Refuse (page updated 6/10/2026)
- City of Pittsburgh, Bulk Pick Up
- City of Pittsburgh, 2025 DPW mailer (North/South) and 2026 recycling mailer
- Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Chapter 619
- City of Pittsburgh, 2026 recycling information (bed bug and cockroach rule)
- City of Pittsburgh, Collection Schedule
- City of Pittsburgh, Contacting 311
- City of Pittsburgh, Recycling Drop-Off Locations (updated 3/25/2026)
- City of Pittsburgh, Waste Disposal Resources (updated 10/16/2026)
- PA DEP, Covered Device Recycling Act
- University of Pittsburgh, Move Out Clean Out
- WPRDC, Pittsburgh 311 Data and WTAE, Jul 30, 2025
- North Fayette Township, Bulk Garbage Items and Indiana Township, Garbage & Recycling