Philadelphia, Pennsylvania resident guide
Philadelphia bulk trash pickup, trash & recycling schedule
Book Philadelphia bulk collection, find the weekly address schedule, choose the correct path for furniture and appliances, and track the pending 2026 leaf recycling calendar.
Official source links checked on August 31, 2026.
Regular household service
Trash and recycling service
Start here for the recurring household collections residents use most often.
The City collects residential trash weekly from eligible properties with six units or fewer. Use the official address calendar for the assigned day. A one unit property may set out up to four cans or eight bags; a property with two to six units may set out up to six cans or 12 bags.
Philadelphia collects single stream recycling every week on the same day as trash. Recycling has no weekly quantity limit when placed correctly. Use a container no larger than 32 gallons, keep accepted material clean and dry, and never bag recycling.
Need it gone before the city service?
Get a LoadUp quote when the local date is too far away or an item is excluded.
Start here
Schedule Philadelphia service
Use the official Philadelphia Bulk Collection tool. Eligible single family homes and buildings with up to six units may book one appointment per household each week, with up to four approved items on the request. Appointments appear up to one month ahead and are available while dates remain open.
Philadelphia 2026 collection guide
How Philadelphia bulk trash pickup works in 2026
Philadelphia now provides a direct appointment program for specific appliances and large items. Other furniture follows the regular trash day, six sanitation convenience centers accept many excluded items, and the 2026 leaf calendar is still pending.
Eligible households may book one appointment each week while dates remain available.
New dates appear after midnight. If no date appears, the current calendar is full.
Use the four letter pickup code from the confirmation email on every scheduled item.
Wrapped mattresses and compactible wood furniture can use the normal weekly collection.
Centers accept oversized items, electronics, appliances, tires, batteries, and more within published limits.
The City has not replaced the 2025 mechanical collection and drop off calendar yet.
Fall leaf and yard waste pickupPhiladelphia has not posted its 2026 leaf recycling schedule yet2026 fall dates pending
Philadelphia runs a seasonal leaf recycling program with mechanical collection in selected neighborhoods and bagged leaf drop off options. The City page still shows the 2025 schedule, so TrashDayFinder will not present those old dates as a 2026 calendar.
The City publishes neighborhood weeks and an address map for each season.
Leaves taken for composting must be clean and separated from trash.
Bagged leaves on the normal trash day are not composted through the leaf program.
What residents should do
- Open the official leaf recycling page and check whether the 2026 program has been posted.
- Use the address map when the City publishes the mechanical collection boundaries and date.
- For a mechanical collection area, follow the new season instructions rather than reusing a prior year date.
- For composting drop off, use brown biodegradable paper bags and keep trash, brush, and recyclables out.
Choose the correct Philadelphia service
The item determines whether to book, set out, or drop off
Philadelphia uses a separate appointment program for specific large items. Other furniture can stay with regular trash, while electronics and hazardous material need a drop off option.
Appliances, metal furniture, large toys, flat screen TVs, and tires
The appointment program also accepts metal bathtubs. Remove refrigerator doors and tire rims. Keep furniture intact.
Schedule the official city pickup ↗Wood furniture, wrapped mattresses, toilets, and fiberglass tubs
Philadelphia continues to collect up to two large compactible items per household on the normal trash day. Seal mattresses and box springs in plastic.
Look up the regular collection day ↗Electronics, unwrapped mattresses, and extra oversized items
City centers accept televisions, computers, appliances, refrigerant items, batteries, light bulbs, tires, and other resident material within published limits.
Find a Philadelphia drop off center ↗Chemicals, fuel, oil paint, auto parts, and construction debris
Household hazardous waste goes to a scheduled city event. Construction material and other excluded loads require a private facility or hauler.
Check the hazardous waste calendar ↗Philadelphia bulk appointment checklist
Reserve first, then label every approved item
Items per appointment
Include every item in the online request before selecting the pickup date.
Appointment each week
Each eligible household may book one appointment per week while dates remain.
Advance calendar
New dates appear after midnight. A blank calendar means the current dates are full.
Ready on pickup day
Items must be accessible at the normal curb or rear driveway collection point.
- 1
Book the official appointment
Select only items listed in the city program and save the confirmed date.
- 2
Keep the email and four letter code
Write the pickup code on each item with a marker or attach it securely on paper.
- 3
Wait for the evening before pickup
Set items out no earlier than 5 p.m. in fall and winter or 7 p.m. in spring and summer.
Regular Philadelphia collection
Weekly trash and recycling use the same address schedule
April through September
Set out between 7 p.m. the night before and 7 a.m. on collection day.
October through March
Set out between 5 p.m. the night before and 7 a.m. on collection day.
April through September
Set out between 8 p.m. the night before and 6 a.m. on collection day.
October through March
Set out between 6 p.m. the night before and 6 a.m. on collection day.
One unit property
Up to four cans or eight bags, including yard waste.
Two to six unit property
Up to six cans or 12 bags. Filled containers may not exceed 40 pounds.
Six city convenience centers
Philadelphia residents have a same day drop off alternative
The centers are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and close on City holidays. Bring proof of Philadelphia residency. The vehicle must weigh less than 6,000 pounds, and commercial loads are not accepted.
- Regular household drop off is allowed once a day.
- Oversized material is allowed once a week, with two large items per visit.
- Up to four automotive tires are accepted each day.
- Construction debris is not accepted.
Philadelphia recycling basics
Recycle loose, clean, and dry material every week
Put these in the bin
Clean paper and cardboard, plastic containers numbered 1, 2, or 5, metal cans and trays, cartons, and glass bottles and jars.
Keep these out
Plastic bags, food, greasy paper, foam, batteries, electronics, needles, clothing, wood, shredded paper, and bagged recycling.
2026 household hazardous waste events
Seven Philadelphia dates are published for residents
Events run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and do not require advance registration. Keep products in their original labeled containers, close every lid, and secure the box in the vehicle.
What this guide replaces
Philadelphia now publishes a direct bulk appointment program
Residents do not need to start with a general 311 request. Use the City bulk collection tool for eligible special items, the address calendar for regular trash and recycling, and the published disposal paths for everything else.
Read Philadelphia residential collection rules ↗City rules at a glance
Local limits before placement
The appointment limit is four approved items. Passenger tires are limited to four per appointment and must have the rims removed. Philadelphia also collects up to two compactible large items with regular trash each week, including sealed mattresses and wood furniture.
Use the normal curb or rear driveway collection point. Wait until the evening before the appointment, place everything by 7 a.m., and label each scheduled item with the four letter pickup code from the confirmation email. City crews do not enter the home.
Local detail that matters
What makes Philadelphia service different
Philadelphia separates large items by material. Metal frame furniture and listed appliances use the appointment program, while compactible wood furniture and sealed mattresses can go with regular trash. Six sanitation convenience centers provide another path for resident drop off.
Item guidance
What may go in the bulk item pile
Accepted examples
Major appliances such as air conditioners, hot water heaters, and refrigerators with doors removed; intact household furniture with a metal frame; large toys; flat screen televisions; passenger tires with rims removed; and metal bathtubs.
Not accepted
Household trash, mattresses, hazardous or explosive material, auto parts, construction or demolition material, and toilets are not part of the appointment program. Wrapped mattresses, compactible wood furniture, fiberglass tubs, and toilets can use regular trash under the published limits.
Holiday collectionPhiladelphia moves holiday week collection one day laterPublished city guidance
Philadelphia does not collect trash or recycling on a City holiday. Collection on the remaining days moves one day later for the rest of that week, including Friday service moving to Saturday.
Weekend holiday exception
A City holiday that occurs on the weekend does not change the following week's collection schedule.
Areas with two trash days
These areas receive one trash collection during a holiday week. The remaining trash is collected on the same day as recycling.
Two holidays in one week
Collection may move by more than one day or follow a special schedule. Use the official address calendar for the final date.
Bulk appointments are separate
Use the date and pickup code in the appointment email. Philadelphia says it will call if weather or another unexpected event requires a new bulk date.
Common questions
Philadelphia collection FAQ
How do I schedule Philadelphia bulk trash pickup?
Use bulkcollection.phila.gov. Choose up to four eligible items and an available date. Save the email, mark every item with the four letter pickup code, and place the items at the normal collection point by 7 a.m.
How many bulk items will Philadelphia collect?
The appointment program allows up to four eligible items and one appointment per household each week. Regular trash service separately accepts up to two compactible large items each week under the curbside rules.
Does Philadelphia collect mattresses?
Yes, through regular trash rather than the bulk appointment program. Seal mattresses and box springs in plastic and follow the two large item weekly limit. Unwrapped mattresses can be taken to a sanitation convenience center.
Can I schedule Philadelphia appliance pickup?
Yes. The City appointment program accepts major appliances including refrigerators, air conditioners, and hot water heaters. Remove refrigerator doors before pickup.
Where can Philadelphia residents take electronics?
Flat screen televisions are listed in the appointment program. Computers, monitors, televisions, and other electronic waste can also go to a Philadelphia sanitation convenience center.
What happens to Philadelphia trash pickup after a holiday?
There is no trash or recycling collection on a City holiday. The remaining collection days move one day later for the rest of that week. Weekend holidays do not affect the following week.
Has Philadelphia published the 2026 fall leaf schedule?
Not yet. The official leaf recycling page still shows the 2025 season. TrashDayFinder will add the new mechanical collection weeks and drop off dates after the Department of Sanitation publishes them.
Sources used for this guide
Official supporting information
TrashDayFinder used these public sources to prepare the resident guidance above. They were checked on August 31, 2026 and are provided here as evidence.
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