sofa and recliner at curb in front of house

Bulky, Special, and E-Waste Collection

Bulky and Special Load Collections available for large household items that do not fit inside garbage cart

Updated: Aug 21, 2024

Free Bulky Load Collection is for items that can go in the landfill but do not fit in the garbage cart. NOTE: Some items may be eligible for the city's Special Load Collection, disposal at a Wake County Solid Waste Management facility or hauled by a private waste hauler.
Special Load Collection is for large items like appliances and furniture that are not eligible for Free Bulky Load pickup. There is a fee charged for every 4 cubic yards, which is approximately the size of four standard-size washing machines or two refrigerators.
E-waste Collection is for small household items with a cord.

Find details about what's accepted, how to prepare it, and how to schedule a pickup on this page

Free vs. Fee-Based Pickup

Residents who receive curbside garbage collection services are eligible to request Bulky, Special, and E-waste Collection. To schedule a pickup, call Customer Support at 919-996-3245. Whether you will be charged a fee will be based on the type of items collected and load size.

These services are not available to businesses or commercial entities.

By Type	Free Bulky Load	Fee-Based, Special Load Collection	Electronics (e-Waste)
What's collected?	Bulky items that can be disposed in the landfill, but are too large to fit in a garbage cart (furniture, lawn equipment, household goods, etc.)	Yard waste, furniture, large household appliances, excess bags of garbage, etc.	e-Waste includes any small household electronic item with a plug. Items like computer monitors, TVs, toasters, microwaves, lamps, vacuum cleaners, etc.
What's not accepted?	Yard Waste, electronic recycling (e-waste), and items small enough to fit inside the garbage cart. See the full list in the sections below.	Chemicals, car parts, carpeting, and electronic recycling. See the full list in the sections below.	TVs or computer monitors with broken screens (these would be considered Bulky or Special).
Load amount	Maximum of one load of up to four cubic yards.	Fee is applied for each four cubic yard load. Every 15 bags of garbage or yard waste adds an additional fee.	Maximum of 4 electronic items per week.
Cost	Free (for one load up to 4 cubic yards) every 90 days	A fee for each four cubic yard load is required in order to schedule a pickup. Refund: To be eligible to receive a refund, collection must be canceled before 2 p.m. the day before the scheduled collection.	Free (up to 4 items)

Items placed at the curb prior to scheduling your pickup are subject to administrative fines and civil penalties as specified in Section 7 of the Raleigh City Code.

Acceptable Items

Acceptable Items for Bulky, Special, and E-waste Collections
Item	Free Bulky Load	Fee-Based, Special Load Collection	E-waste
Push lawnmowers and lawn appliances (fuel must be removed)	X	X
Household items too large for garbage cart	X	X
Bicycles (no tires)	X	X
Bedframes	X	X
Grills (propane tank must be removed)	X	X
Mattresses and box springs	X	X
Furniture (couches, love seats, recliners, etc.)	X	X
Damaged televisions with broken screens	X	X
Area rugs	X	X
Excess garbage bags (15 bags per load)		X
White goods (refrigerators, mini-refrigerators, ranges, freezers, washers, dryers, etc.)		X
Large exercise equipment (treadmills, row machines, etc.)		X
Yard Waste - No loose leaves, tree limbs larger than five (5) feet long and six (6) inches in diameter, tree stumps, or contractor yard waste.		X
Household electronic items			X

Please Note: The City does not accept recyclable cardboard in Bulky Load or Special Load.

Request Bulky, Special or E-waste Collection

How it Works

The account holder contacts Solid Waste Services at 919-996-3245. Caller will be required to provide their name, property address, daytime phone number, and a description of item(s) to be collected. The information provided will help determine the collection type (Bulky Load, Special Load, E-waste)
For Special Load Collection, pay a fee for each four (4) cubic yard load.
Put out on the scheduled day. Items should be placed at the curb, not in the street. Do not place Bulky/Special collection items in alleyways.
Cancellation must occur by 2 p.m. the day before the scheduled pickup or you will forfeit your free Bulky Load Collection for 90-day period or forfeit the Special Load Collection fee.

Note: One complimentary Bulky Load collection may be scheduled, per property address, in a 90-day period.

Preparing for Collection

Preparation

Place items at the curb on a flat area, not in the street
Be sure items are clear of obstructions such as vehicles; low-hanging limbs; signs; or utility poles, lines, and boxes. Our trucks are unable to collect obstructed items and our crews are unable to ask that vehicles be moved. We need clearance to do our job.
Place items on main street in front of residence. We cannot collect from alleyways. Townhome residents should place items at the end of their parking space, farthest from curb, buildings or mailboxes.
Do not place items inside containers that you do not wish to throw away.

Please note: It is important that items are properly prepared so that staff may safely provide this service. If the Bulky Load is not prepared based on the above guidelines, we may be unable to collect the load. Should this occur, a notification of improper preparation will be left and a Special Load fee will be required for staff to return to the residence for collection. You can call 919-996-3245 to schedule a Special Load.

Items Never Collected by the City

The following items should never be placed for collection at the curb - the City will not pick these up:

Cardboard boxes (except boxes properly prepared and placed in your recycle cart)
Batteries
Glass
Tires (including bicycle tires)
Car parts (bumpers, car doors, etc.)
Construction, demolition, and/or remodeling debris, including but not limited to toilets, sinks, mirrors, windows, flooring, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, etc.
Windows, shower doors, table tops, or mirrors
Tree limbs larger than 5 feet long or 6 inches in diameter
Tree stumps
Loose leaves
Contractor materials (sheetrock, concrete, brick, pallets, stone, etc.)
Treated lumber or wood