Bulk Item Disposal: Tulare vs Visalia
How do bulk item disposal rules compare between Tulare, CA and Visalia, CA?
Visalia has fewer restrictions than Tulare.
Tulare, CA
Tulare County
Tulare residents can request bulky-item pickup of furniture, mattresses, appliances, e-waste, and tires through the City's Solid Waste Division at (559) 684-4325. Hazardous waste, hot water heaters with chemicals, paint, and similar items are not accepted curbside and must go to Tulare County Solid Waste facilities.
View full Tulare rules →Visalia, CA
Tulare County
Unincorporated Tulare County requires franchise haulers to provide bulky-item service. Under County Code section 4-03-1147, the hauler must schedule on-call bulk-waste pickup upon a customer's request, and section 4-03-1146 requires Community Cleanups at least twice a year, with a goal of diverting 50% of collected materials.
View full Visalia rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Tulare | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| How to request | Call City Solid Waste at (559) 684-4325 to schedule | - |
| Accepted bulky | Appliances, mattresses, couches, e-waste, tires, area rugs, bagged trash | - |
| Not accepted curbside | Household hazardous waste, paint, oil, batteries, spas, pianos, vehicle parts | - |
| County landfill option | Tulare County operates Visalia, Earlimart, Woodville, and Teapot Dome facilities | - |
| E-waste rule | Cal. Pub. Res. Code §§ 42460–42486 — no e-waste in trash | - |
| On-call bulk pickup | - | Required on customer request (4-03-1147) |
| Community Cleanups | - | At least twice a year, with drop-off events (4-03-1146) |
| Diversion goal | - | 50% Good Faith recycling/diversion target |
| Tires / bulk in cart | - | Prohibited without collector consent (4-03-1131) |
| Provided by | - | Your County franchise hauler |
| Fees / free pickups | - | Set by hauler franchise agreement & Board rates |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Tulare FAQ
How do I get a couch or mattress picked up?
Call the City Solid Waste Division at (559) 684-4325 to schedule a bulky-item pickup. Don't just put the item at the curb on a regular collection day — non-scheduled bulky items are a code-enforcement nuisance under TMC § 7.28.030.
Where do I take old paint, motor oil, or batteries?
Those are household hazardous waste and are not accepted curbside. Tulare County Solid Waste runs HHW collection events and permanent drop-off at the Visalia Landfill — see tularecounty.ca.gov/solid-waste. Dumping HHW in regular trash or on roadsides can be charged under Cal. Penal Code § 374.3.
What about old TVs and computers?
Electronic waste is banned from landfills under Cal. Pub. Res. Code §§ 42460–42486 (Electronic Waste Recycling Act). Tulare County offers free e-waste drop-off through Environmental Health — see tularecountyeh.org/eh.
Visalia FAQ
How do I get rid of a couch or mattress in unincorporated Tulare County?
Use on-call bulk-item pickup. County Code section 4-03-1147 requires your franchise hauler to schedule bulk-waste pickup when you request it. Don't place bulky items or tires in your regular cart without the collector's consent (section 4-03-1131).
Does Tulare County hold cleanup events?
Yes. Section 4-03-1146 requires franchise haulers to run Community Cleanups for non-excluded items at least twice a year, including drop-off events, while trying in good faith to recycle 50% of what's collected.
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