Baltimore trash & bulky-item rules

Baltimore City residents can schedule up to three bulk items per month through the City's bulk-trash program. The service is intended for oversized residential household items such as furniture, mattresses, box springs, appliances and other material that will not fit into the normal trash container.

Residents should use Baltimore 311 and make the request in advance of the assigned bulk-collection day. Current City guidance tells residents to mark the material “bulk collection”, place it at the same location used for normal trash, and have it ready by 7 a.m. on collection day. Residents with rear collection should leave the material at the end of the yard and keep the gate accessible.

Mattresses and box springs can use the bulk program but should be completely wrapped in plastic before set-out. White goods and appliances are also common Baltimore bulk items; the 311 request should identify exactly what is being collected so the correct crew can be assigned.

Baltimore's current bulk rules allow up to four passenger tires with the rims removed. Four qualifying tires count as one of the household's three allowed bulk items for that pickup.

Baltimore maintains a network of resident drop-off centers that can be useful when a household does not want to wait for curbside service. The current system includes Quarantine Road, Bowleys Lane, Sisson Street and the Northwest Transfer Station; Reedbird remains temporarily closed for renovations. Residents need a valid Baltimore City ID.

Accepted materials vary by location but the system handles household trash, recycling, bulk items, scrap metal, many white goods, electronics and used motor oil. Tires without rims are accepted at most locations, with location-specific exceptions.

Household electronics—including computers, monitors, laptops, printers, televisions and phones—can be routed through Baltimore's resident recycling system rather than ordinary curbside garbage.

For household hazardous waste, the current Baltimore Recycle Right resident page says HHW collections occur at Sisson Street, 2840 Sisson Street, on the first consecutive Friday and Saturday of each month from June through December. Material must remain in its original containers and the program is for residential use. This current City-facing schedule is used here rather than older state documents that show a different historical season.

Construction and demolition debris does not belong at an ordinary neighborhood recycling center or in the curbside bulk pile. Baltimore's current resident disposal guidance routes C&D material to the Quarantine Road Landfill or the Northwest Transfer Station for qualifying small-hauler disposal.

The current Recycle Right page publishes a charge of $135 per ton for C&D. Because landfill fees can change, residents with a large load should still confirm the current charge before driving to the facility.

For a sofa, mattress or a small number of appliances, start with 311 bulk collection. For electronics or self-haul household material, use the Residential Recycling Center system. For household chemicals, follow the current Sisson Street HHW calendar. For renovation debris, use the designated C&D route instead of the neighborhood bulk program.

For Baltimore, start with the local authority links below. Recheck them before a special trip or unusual set-out because programs, prices and facility hours can change.

• Baltimore Bulk Trash PickupThree-item monthly program, 311 scheduling, tire allowance and preparation rules.
• Recycle RightCurrent recycling-center locations, June–December HHW schedule and $135/ton C&D guidance.
• Baltimore DPWCity solid-waste authority and program updates.