Most people in Philly find out the rules the hard way: the couch is still on the curb a week later with a sticker on it. Here's what the city's curbside collection actually takes, what it doesn't, and where the rest goes.
What goes out with regular trash
Regular curbside collection is for household trash, bagged or in cans, plus recycling. There are weekly limits. A single-family home can set out four cans or eight bags a week, and properties with two to six units can set out six cans or 12 bags. Cans can't be bigger than 32 gallons, and yard waste counts toward the limit. There's no weekly limit on recycling.
Timing matters too. From April through September, trash goes out between 7 p.m. the night before and 7 a.m. on collection day. From October through March, the window opens at 5 p.m. Center City has its own, slightly different hours.
Things curbside will take, with conditions
- Sofas, mattresses, and box springs: Limited to two items per week. Mattresses and box springs have to be sealed in a plastic mattress bag to be picked up at the curb. See our mattress guide.
- Wood and tree pieces: Cut down to four-foot lengths, bundled, and tied.
- Regular household batteries: Tape both ends first.
- Needles and syringes: Sealed in a puncture-proof plastic or metal container.
What curbside won't take
- Electronics like TVs and computers. Pennsylvania law keeps them out of the trash. More in our electronics guide.
- Household hazardous waste like oil-based paint, motor oil, antifreeze, and pesticides. These go to the city's hazardous waste events.
- Bulk items like stoves, washers, and air conditioners. These need a bulk pickup appointment, a drop-off center, or a private hauler. See our appliance guide.
- Tires. Up to four can go to a drop-off center.
- Construction debris like bricks, concrete block, and rocks. These go to a private facility for a fee.
The three city options for big stuff
1. Bulk collection by appointment. The Department of Sanitation picks up large items like refrigerators (doors removed), air conditioners, water heaters, furniture, flat-screen TVs, and tires with the rims removed. It's limited to four items per appointment and one appointment per household per week, and only homes and buildings with six or fewer units qualify. Appointments are first-come, first-served.
2. Sanitation convenience centers. Six drop-off sites around the city, open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. You'll need proof of Philadelphia residency. Our drop-off guide covers the details.
3. A private hauler. Larger apartment buildings, condos, and businesses can't use the city programs for bulk items, and anyone with more than a handful of pieces usually finds a hauler faster.
When it makes sense to call someone
The city options work well for one or two items when you have a car and a free Saturday. They get harder when the stuff is in a basement, there's a lot of it, you're on a deadline, or you don't have a vehicle. That's the gap we fill. We do the lifting, load it, and take it where it's supposed to go. Send us a few photos for a free quote.