Town Rulebook

Philadelphia bulk trash pickup

Appointment program (bulkcollection.phila.gov / 311): ≤4 items per appointment; 1 appointment/household/week; residential ≤6 units.

Verified 2026-10-15 · bulkcollection.phila.gov

At a glance

BrushWood/tree pieces cut to 4 ft, bundled and tied for trash stream. Yard waste may go with trash under weekly can/bag limits.
LimitsTrash weekly caps as above; bags/cans ≤40 lb; recycling unlimited if properly containerized ≤32 gal/40 lb; ≤2 compactible large items/week on trash day; bulk appointment ≤4 items.
Not allowedUnwrapped mattresses not eligible for regular trash (fines).
CurbsideOct 1; Sep 8:00 p.m.→6:00 a.m.; Oct; Mar 6:00 p.m.→6:00 a.m. bulk appointment: evening before (5 p.m. Fall/winter / 7 p.m. Spring/summer) to 7:00 a.m. pickup day. Checklist

Verified 2026-10-15 · phila.gov

Schedule

Curbside

Curbside checklist

City rules before collection day. Confirm with the city if anything looks off.

When

Oct 1; Sep 8:00 p.m.→6:00 a.m.; Oct; Mar 6:00 p.m.→6:00 a.m. bulk appointment: evening before (5 p.m. Fall/winter / 7 p.m. Spring/summer) to 7:00 a.m. pickup day.

Where

Normal collection point (curbside or rear driveway per service). Bulk: label with Pickup Code; accessible; City won't enter homes.

Limits

Trash weekly caps as above; bags/cans ≤40 lb; recycling unlimited if properly containerized ≤32 gal/40 lb; ≤2 compactible large items/week on trash day; bulk appointment ≤4 items.

Not allowed

Unwrapped mattresses not eligible for regular trash (fines).

Bags

Trash in lidded ≤32-gal cans or sealed 30–32-gal bags. Recyclables loose in bin (never plastic bags). Mattresses/box springs in plastic mattress bags for curb trash.

Verified 2026-10-15 · phila.gov

Add curbside reminder to Google Calendar

Find your day

Open city lookup

Verified 2026-10-15 · phila.gov

Related

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Full details for Philadelphia: every rule, with sources
Trash
City Department of Sanitation curbside for eligible residential parcels (≤6 units; condo/co-op by request). Weekly day by address via “Find your trash and recycling collection day.” Some North Philadelphia areas (Phase 2 from Jan 5, 2026: Vine to Hunting Park / Glenwood Ave bands) get twice-weekly trash; 2nd day is trash-only (no recycling). Containers: metal/non-corrodible cans ≤32 gal with tight lid, or sealed plastic bags 30–32 gal. Weekly limits (incl. Yard waste): 1-unit 4 cans or 8 bags; 2–6 units / businesses 6 cans or 12 bags (2 bags = 1 can). Bags/containers ≤40 lb filled. Compactible furniture (sofa, mattress, box spring): ≤2/week on regular trash day — mattresses/box springs must be bagged/sealed in plastic mattress bags for curb (fine if unwrapped). Wood/tree pieces: cut to 4 ft, bundled/tied. Non-rechargeable batteries: tape both ends. Needles: sealed puncture-proof container in trash (not recycling).
Recycling
Weekly same day as trash (single-stream). City or any household bin ≤32 gal / ≤40 lb; no weekly recycling limit. Accepted (rinse/dry; lids/caps on): paper (newspaper, magazines, junk mail, scrap paper bags/cups, phone books, paperback books, non-metallic gift wrap); plastics #1, #2, #5; metals (Al/steel/tin cans, empty paint/aerosol cans, baking trays, lids/caps on empties); cartons (milk/juice/wine/soup); flattened cardboard (shipping, clean pizza boxes, paper-towel rolls, cardboard egg cartons, dry food boxes); glass bottles/jars. Don't bag recyclables or put in cardboard boxes.
Bulk pickup
Appointment program (bulkcollection.phila.gov / 311): ≤4 items per appointment; 1 appointment/household/week; residential ≤6 units. Collects: major appliances (fridge doors removed), metal-frame furniture (intact), large toys, flat-screen TVs, passenger tires rims off (≤4/appointment), metal bathtubs. Not: household trash, mattresses (use regular trash wrapped), household hazardous waste/flammables, auto parts, construction debris, toilets (toilets → regular trash). Set out evening before (not before 5:00 p.m. Fall/winter; 7:00 p.m. Spring/summer); curbside by 7:00 a.m. pickup day; mark with 4-letter Pickup Code. Regular trash day still allows ≤2 large compactible items. Also: conveniences centers for drop-off; private hauler if ineligible.
Curbside: when
Citywide (non–Center City): Apr 1–Sep 30: 7:00 p.m. night before → 7:00 a.m. collection day; Oct 1–Mar 31: 5:00 p.m. → 7:00 a.m. Center City (Vine–Bainbridge, Schuylkill–Delaware): Apr–Sep 8:00 p.m.→6:00 a.m.; Oct–Mar 6:00 p.m.→6:00 a.m. bulk appointment: evening before (5 p.m. Fall/winter / 7 p.m. Spring/summer) to 7:00 a.m. pickup day.
Curbside: where
Normal collection point (curbside or rear driveway per service). Bulk: label with Pickup Code; accessible; City won't enter homes.
Curbside: limits
Trash weekly caps as above; bags/cans ≤40 lb; recycling unlimited if properly containerized ≤32 gal/40 lb; ≤2 compactible large items/week on trash day; bulk appointment ≤4 items.
Curbside: brush
Wood/tree pieces cut to 4 ft, bundled and tied for trash stream. Yard waste may go with trash under weekly can/bag limits.
Curbside: not allowed
Curbside bans: electronics, household hazardous waste, bulk appliances (use appointment/convenience center/private), tires (except bulk program / convenience center limits), universal waste (fluorescents/rechargeable/lead-acid batteries → convenience center), construction debris (private facility). Recycling bans listed above. Unwrapped mattresses not eligible for regular trash (fines).
Curbside: bags
Trash in lidded ≤32-gal cans or sealed 30–32-gal bags. Recyclables loose in bin (never plastic bags). Mattresses/box springs in plastic mattress bags for curb trash.
Curbside: fees and fines
Improper set-out / separation subject to Philadelphia Code & Sanitation regulations. Code §10-719 (as amended Bill 210451): general Chapter 10-700 penalty $1,000/violation (exceptions for named sections). Code Violation Notices may settle per §10-718 (commonly $50 stipulated settlement on many notices — check current CVN schedule). Older Streets regs PDF still cites $100–$300.
Holidays
  • New Year's Day 2026 (2026-01-01): shift not yet confirmed
  • Mlk 2026 (2026-01-19): shift not yet confirmed
  • Presidents Day 2026 (2026-02-16): shift not yet confirmed
  • Good Friday 2026 (2026-04-03): shift not yet confirmed
  • Memorial Day 2026 (2026-05-25): shift not yet confirmed
  • Juneteenth 2026 (2026-06-19): shift not yet confirmed
  • Independence Day 2026 (2026-07-04): shift not yet confirmed
  • Labor Day 2026 (2026-09-07): shift not yet confirmed
  • Indigenous Peoples Day 2026 (2026-10-12): shift not yet confirmed
  • Veterans Day 2026 (2026-11-11): shift not yet confirmed
  • Thanksgiving 2026 (2026-11-26): shift not yet confirmed
  • Day After Thanksgiving 2026 (2026-11-27): shift not yet confirmed
  • Christmas 2026 (2026-12-25): shift not yet confirmed

No collection on City-observed holidays; collection one day behind for the rest of that holiday week. Twice-weekly zones: no second collection during a holiday week. Named City-observed holidays listed on Sanitation palmcard / city holidays page: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Friday, Christmas Day. Dated list: phila.gov/city-holidays-and-closures (JS list; 2026 calendar observances below align with those named holidays for this year). Sunday holidays observed the following.

Hauler
City of Philadelphia Department of Sanitation (municipal collection)
Contacts
Philly311 — 3-1-1; Department of Sanitation via phila.gov/services/trash-recycling-city-upkeep; bulk appointments bulkcollection.phila.gov or 311
Find your day
Find your trash and recycling collection day (address → day; holiday schedule banner)
Sources
Trash and recycling: phila.gov
Bulk: bulkcollection.phila.gov
Holidays: phila.gov
Curbside: phila.gov
Verified
2026-10-15

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