Philly restarts curbside trash pickup of bulky items, by appointment

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The city of Philadelphia is restarting curbside trash pickup for bulky items like refrigerators and tires — by appointment only.

Residents can request the pickup through an online portal.

“There is a ways and means … to discard of home items without creating an eyesore throughout the community,” said Aminata Sandra Calhoun, director of sanitation and environmental programs at Centennial Parkside Community Development Corporation in West Philly. Calhoun is hopeful the new program will help decrease illegal dumping.

The city stopped collecting bulk items at the curb more than a decade ago.

Restarting the service was among the recommendations released by a coalition of neighborhood cleanup captains, activists and advocacy groups last year, before Parker was elected. They called on Philly’s next mayor to end illegal dumping by 2028.

Before the launch of the new request-based system, residents had to dispose of large items at city-run sanitation centers. But transporting these items can be difficult, especially for those without vehicles.

“Today it is a challenge for a homeowner to put a water heater or an old refrigerator out in the trash,” said Jack O’Hara, president of the Greater Bustleton Civic League in Northeast Philly. “You do that, and you hope that some of the scrappers in their travels will pick up those appliances.”

The new request-based system is open to single-family homes and residential buildings with up to six units. Appointments are “limited,” according to the city’s announcement, and can be made on the Department of Sanitation’s website or by contacting 311.

After scheduling an appointment, a resident will receive an email with a four-digit code they’ll need to mark the items for disposal with.

Items eligible for bulk pickup include major appliances like microwaves, A/C units and hot water heaters, large toys, furniture and televisions. Hazardous materials, auto parts and construction or demolition waste will not be accepted.

Sanitation employees will not enter a home to help remove an item.

“This initiative helps discourage illegal dumping and offers residents a convenient solution for getting rid of bulk items without having to transport them to a Sanitation Convenience Center,” said Carlton Williams, director of the city’s Office of Clean and Green Initiatives, in a press release announcing the new program Monday.

The Parker administration said officials had already notified “block captains, community groups, and other residential stakeholders” by email and mail the previous week.

Making Philadelphia the “safest, cleanest, greenest big city in the nation” is a central part of Parker’s platform. She launched a 13-week rolling cleanup of every block in the city and plans to expand the Taking Care of Business commercial corridor cleaning program.