Bulky, Special, and E-Waste Collection

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

Updated: Mar 4, 2026

Bulky Load Collection is for household items that do not fit in City-issued garbage carts. A single Bulky Load is four cubic yards, which is approximately the size of two couches or three queen-sized mattresses. There is a $35 fee for each Bulky Load Collection starting April 1, 2026.
Special Load Collection is for large items like exercise equipment, appliances, excess yard waste, and excess bags of garbage that are not eligible for Bulky Load Collection. A single Special Load is four cubic which is approximately the size of four standard-sized washing machines or two refrigerators. There is a $70 fee for each Special Load Collection.
E-waste Collection is for specific small household appliances with a cord and electronic devices. City of Raleigh residents can request free curbside E-waste Collection for up to four items per week, with collection available on Tuesdays only. 

Note: Some items not eligible for a Bulky Load Collection may be eligible for a City of Raleigh Special Load Collection, or they may be disposed of by a private waste hauler, or Raleigh residents may take them to a Wake County Solid Waste Management facility.

Bulky/Special/E-waste Collection Eligibility 

Residents who receive curbside garbage collection services are eligible to request Bulky, Special, and E-waste Collections. To schedule a pickup, call Customer Support at 919-996-3245. The fee for collection depends on the items and the amount to be collected.  

Please note that these services are not available to businesses or commercial entities. 

By Type	Bulky Load	Special Load Collection	Electronics (e-Waste)
What's collected?	Bulky Load Collection for household items that do not fit into a City-issued garbage cart such as furniture, mattresses, box springs, and similar household items.	Collection of up to 15 bags of excess garbage, up to four cubic yards or 15 biodegradable paper bags of yard waste, household furniture, or other items not collected by Solid Waste Services weekly collections and/or the Bulky Load Program.	e-Waste includes specific small household appliances with a plug and electronic items, like computer monitors, TVs, toasters, microwaves, lamps, vacuum cleaners, etc.
What's not accepted?	Yard waste, recyclables, cardboard, e-waste, additional garbage, construction/demolition debris, hazardous waste, or acceptable bagged items small enough to fit inside the garbage cart.	Chemicals, car parts, carpeting, hazardous waste, dirt, loose leaves, building material of any kind, debris resulting from work done by a contractor, e-waste items and recyclables.	Non-electronic items.
Load amount	A single load is limited to four cubic yards or six feet long, three feet wide, and four feet high.	A single load is limited to four cubic yards or six ft long, three feet wide and four feet high.	Maximum of 4 electronic items per week. Additional items will not be collected.
Cost	Starting April 1, 2026 a Bulky Load will be $35 per load with no limit on qualifying loads. Loads are charged in full load increments; partial loads will not be prorated. Refund: To be eligible to receive a refund, collection must be canceled before noon the business day before the scheduled collection.	$70 per load with no limit on qualifying loads. Partial loads will not be collected. Loads are charged in full load increments; partial loads will not be prorated. Refund: To be eligible to receive a refund, collection must be canceled before noon the business day before the scheduled collection.	Four items for free per week. Additional items will not be collected.

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

Acceptable Items

Item	Bulky Load	Special Load	E-waste
Push lawnmowers and lawn appliances (fuel must be emptied)	X
Household items too large for garbage cart	X
Bicycles (no tires)	X
Bedframes	X
Grills (propane tank must be removed)	X
Mattresses and box springs	X
Furniture (couches, love seats, recliners, etc.)	X
Televisons - broken or working			X
Area rugs	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 feet long and six 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 or Special Loads.

Request Bulky, Special or E-waste Collection

Call 919-996-3245 to set up collection. The caller must provide their name, property address, phone number, and a description of items to be collected. The information provided will determine the type of collection: Bulky Load, Special Load, or E-waste. 
The charge for your Bulky or Special Load Collection will be on your next utility bill.
Place items at the curb on the scheduled collection day. Bulky or Special Collection items must be five feet away from mailboxes, light poles, cars, etc.
Cancellation must occur by 12 p.m. on the business day before the scheduled collection.

Items Never Collected by the City

Cardboard boxes (not in your regular recycling 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, tabletops, or mirrors 
Tree limbs larger than 5 feet long or 6 inches in diameter
Tree stumps
Loose leaves (not in your Yard Waste cart or biodegradable bag for Yard Waste pickup)
Contractor materials (sheetrock, concrete, brick, pallets, stone, etc.)
Treated lumber or wood

Preparing for Collection

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.
Place items on main street in front of the residence. We cannot collect from alleyways. Townhome residents without a front-of-home driveway should place items at the end of their parking space, farthest from the curb, buildings, or mailboxes, ensuring a five-foot clearance between collection items and other structures or vehicles.
Do not place items inside containers that you don't want to throw away.

If the Bulky Load is not properly prepared, we may be unable to collect the load. Should this occur, a notification of improper preparation will be left.