Is LA Sanitation's Bulky Item Pickup Really Free?
For homes with one to four units that LA Sanitation (LASAN) already services, yes. LASAN calls it “an unlimited curbside service at no additional charge.” It is covered by your regular sanitation service rather than billed per pickup.
Apartment buildings with five or more units are served by recycLA haulers, but LASAN still runs unlimited, on-demand bulky item pickup for those residents. It is paid through a Multi-Family Bulky Item Fee on the LADWP bill, which the City adjusted in November 2025, and LASAN lists discounts for low-income customers.
Both programs cover the City of Los Angeles only. Pasadena, Long Beach, Santa Ana and most nearby cities run their own bulky pickups through their own trash haulers. Our Pasadena, Long Beach and other city guides link to each city's official program.
How Do I Schedule A Bulky Item Pickup In Los Angeles?
LASAN collects bulky items on your regular trash day, and it has to hear from you at least one business day before that day. There are three ways to book:
- Online, through LASAN's service request form at MyLA311
- The MyLA311 app on your phone
- LASAN's 24-hour Customer Care Center at 1-800-773-2489
Have an itemized list ready, such as “one mattress, two chairs and a desk.” LASAN uses it to send the right-sized truck.
The catch is where and when. The pickup happens at the curb, on your trash day. If the couch is still in a second-floor bedroom, or it has to be gone before the next collection, that is where a furniture removal crew comes in.
How Many Bulky Item Pickups Does Los Angeles Handle A Year?
A lot. The City's open MyLA311 data shows 674,512 bulky item service requests in 2024, nearly half of the 1,442,347 MyLA311 requests made that year. Metal and household appliance pickups added 119,096 requests, illegal dumping pickups 114,268 and electronic waste 39,579.
| Request type | Requests in 2024 |
|---|---|
| Bulky Items | 674,512 |
| Metal/Household Appliances | 119,096 |
| Illegal Dumping Pickup | 114,268 |
| Electronic Waste | 39,579 |
July 2024 had the most bulky item requests (65,931) and February the fewest (44,637); January, right after the holidays, came second. Book the City's pickup as early as LASAN allows, especially in July and January. Source: MyLA311 Service Request Data 2024, City of Los Angeles open data, counted by request type on October 18, 2026.
What Will The City Pick Up, And What Won't It Take?
This is LASAN's own list for single-family curbside pickup, with the legal alternative for each item it refuses.
| Item | City curbside pickup | Other legal option |
|---|---|---|
| Couches, tables, chairs and other furniture | Yes | Donation, if it is still in good shape |
| Mattresses and box springs | Yes | Retailer take-back or a Bye Bye Mattress drop-off site |
| TVs, computers and monitors | Yes, as electronic waste | S.A.F.E. Center drop-off |
| Carpet | Yes, rolled and tied | A private hauler |
| Toilets, sinks, large wood pieces and doors | Yes | A private hauler |
| Refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers and water heaters | Yes, as a metal appliance pickup (take the fridge or freezer doors off first) | Ask the retailer delivering the new one |
| Paint, solvents and chemicals | No | S.A.F.E. Center, up to 15 gallons or 125 pounds per visit |
| Used oil and automotive fluids | No | S.A.F.E. Center |
| Concrete, bricks and dirt | No | A private hauler |
| Cardboard | Only with a scheduled Move In/Move Out service | Flattened, in the blue recycling bin |
S&M Trash Junkers hauls everything in the left column except the hazardous rows: paint, solvents, chemicals, used oil and automotive fluids. For electronics, tell us the screen type and size first and we'll confirm it can go with your load. See what we take for the full list.
Can I Drop Off Bulky Items Myself For Free?
Yes, once a month. LASAN opens five yards on a Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for residents who would rather not wait for their pickup day: Sun Valley, Northridge, San Pedro, West LA and Central LA. The dates change every year, so check LASAN's bulky item page before you load up.
Paint, household chemicals, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, propane cylinders and electronics go to a S.A.F.E. Center (Solvents, Automotive, Flammables, Electronics). LASAN says City residents can drop off household hazardous waste there free of charge, up to 15 gallons or 125 pounds per visit, and staff ask for the address the waste came from.
Self-hauling takes a vehicle that can carry the load, help with the lifting and a trip timed to the drop-off hours. For one or two items that fit in a car, it can be the cheapest route.
How Do I Get Rid Of An Old TV Or Computer For Free?
Not in the trash. LASAN says televisions, computers and anything with a plug or battery should never go in the recycling or trash bins. Under California's electronic waste program, TVs and monitors with screens larger than four inches, measured diagonally, are covered devices that the Department of Toxic Substances Control identifies as hazardous waste when they are discarded.
City of Los Angeles residents have two free options. Book a curbside pickup for a large TV or monitor through MyLA311 or 1-800-773-2489, or drop electronics at a S.A.F.E. Center. Before recycling a computer, phone or tablet, LASAN recommends removing your personal information; deleting files may not permanently erase it.
If the TV is one piece of a bigger cleanout, tell us the screen type and size when you text photos, and we'll confirm it can go with the rest of the load. For the county programs outside the City, see how to get rid of a TV or old electronics in Los Angeles.
How Do I Get Rid Of A Mattress For Free In California?
California gives you three ways that cost nothing extra. When a new mattress is delivered, state law requires the retailer to offer to take back your old one at no additional cost. The retailer has up to 30 days and can refuse a mattress that poses a health or safety risk; delivery fees for the new one may still apply.
The Mattress Recycling Council's Bye Bye Mattress program lists participating drop-off locations that take mattresses at no cost. Unit limits may apply, and some locations need an appointment. In the City of Los Angeles, LASAN's curbside bulky pickup also takes mattresses and box springs.
For a mattress that has to come down a staircase or out of a storage unit, see mattress removal.
Is It Illegal To Leave Furniture On The Curb In Los Angeles?
Setting items out for a booked bulky item pickup is how the City's program works. Leaving them out without one is different. California Penal Code 374.3 makes it unlawful to dump waste matter on a public or private road, “including any portion of the right-of-way thereof,” or on other public property that is not set aside for it. A violation is an infraction, and each day the waste stays counts as a separate violation.
If something is still useful, LASAN suggests donating it or listing it on a community exchange app so the next owner picks it up from you. Otherwise, book the curbside pickup for your trash day, use a monthly drop-off event, or arrange a hauler before anything goes outside.
When Is It Worth Paying A Junk Removal Company?
The City's pickup is a great deal when the items are already at the curb and you can wait for trash day. A paid hauler earns its price in a few situations:
- The items are inside. LASAN collects at the curb. We carry from the room, garage or backyard, stairs included.
- The load is mixed. Concrete, bricks and dirt are on LASAN's prohibited list. We haul non-hazardous renovation debris along with the rest, priced for its weight.
- There is a deadline. A move-out, a sale or a tenant turnover can't always wait for the next trash day; ask about same-day pickup.
- You are outside the City of Los Angeles, or your city's program doesn't fit the job.
Text a photo of the pile and your city to (442) 414-3483 for a free quote. You'll get a straight ballpark before anyone drives out, and the price is confirmed before anything is loaded. If the free city pickup fits your job, use it; this guide is here so you can decide.
Sources
Official pages checked October 17 to 18, 2026. Programs, dates and rules change, so confirm with the agency before you rely on them.
- LA Sanitation & Environment: Schedule a Bulky Item Pickup
- LA Sanitation & Environment: Multi-Family Bulky Item Fee
- LA Sanitation & Environment: Metal Appliance Pickup
- LA Sanitation & Environment: S.A.F.E. Centers and household hazardous waste
- LA Sanitation & Environment: recycLA trash and recycling services
- CalRecycle: Covered Electronic Waste (CEW) Recycling Program
- Mattress Recycling Council: Bye Bye Mattress
- California Penal Code section 374.3
- LA Sanitation & Environment: Christmas Tree Recycling
- City of Los Angeles open data: MyLA311 Service Request Data 2024