Boulder, CO Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)

Section 6-12-4, "Hauler Requirements," folds bulk yard waste into the same subsection that sets Boulder's baseline collection service. Subsection (b)(4) entitles each residential customer to curbside pickup of three bundles of branches per collection cycle, so long as no bundle exceeds three feet by six feet and is tied with twine or compostable material; Subsection (b)(3) separately allows three paper or compostable bags of leaves in the same cycle. Both are included in the base unit of service described in Subsection (d), which covers up to thirty-two gallons of trash plus the recyclables and compostables service in Subsections (b) and (c), and bags or bundles must be placed adjacent to the compost container on collection day per Subsection (c).

Anything beyond those included limits, such as furniture, appliances, larger branch loads, or other large or unusual items, falls to Subsection (f), which lets haulers set their own rules for handling such items and their own pricing. That means Boulder does not set a citywide flat bulk-item fee; instead, each licensed hauler prices bulky or oversized pickups on its own terms and adopts its own safety rules for handling them. The base service and its overage rules apply to every hauler operating in the city: Section 6-12-8 lets the city manager audit hauler records, including customer invoices, to confirm compliance, and authorizes the city attorney to seek an injunction against a hauler that violates the chapter.