Bowie, MD Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Bulk items covered
- Furniture, mattresses, cabinetry, § 10-3E
- Metal/tire pickup
- Up to 4 tires/year, every Wednesday, § 10-6B
- Call-ahead deadline
- Public Works by noon prior Tuesday
- Set-out window
- 5:00 p.m. Tuesday to 7:00 a.m. Wednesday
- Excluded materials
- Concrete, drywall, asbestos, § 10-3E
Summary
Bowie collects bulk household trash such as furniture, mattresses and yard toys with regular trash pickup under City Code § 10-3E, while metal items and up to four tires per year go out separately: residents must call Public Works by noon the Tuesday before the Wednesday pickup under § 10-6B.
For purposes of this section, the term "household trash" shall mean any waste material from the operation of a home not included within the definition of refuse. Household trash shall include bulk trash, mattresses entirely wrapped in plastic, furniture, nonmetal cabinetry ... but shall not include yard waste, recycling or metal items, which the City collects separately, or asbestos, concrete, lumber ... dirt, sod, mulch, rocks, rubble, bricks, stones, unwrapped diapers or sewage, all of which the City will not collect. ... The City provides for collection of metal items and up to four tires per calendar year from all homes in the corporate limits every Wednesday when requested. "Metal items" include household appliances, grills, bikes, hot water heaters, air conditioner units, and any other item that is 98% metal. ... Residents must call the Public Works Department prior to 12:00 noon on the Tuesday before pickup to be on the special collection list. Items for special collection may only be placed at the curb between 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday immediately before the special collection date and 7:00 a.m. on the Wednesday special collection date.
Full Breakdown
City Code § 10-3E defines 'household trash' broadly enough to cover most bulk items Bowie residents want to get rid of: bulk trash generally, mattresses fully wrapped in plastic, furniture, nonmetal cabinetry, and waste building material from homeowner projects, among other items. That household trash goes out with regular collection under § 10-3B's curb schedule, but the section excludes items the City will not take at all, including asbestos, concrete, lumber, roofing or siding shingles, drywall, dirt, sod, mulch, rock, rubble and brick. Metal bulk items are handled differently under § 10-6B: the City collects metal household appliances, grills, bicycles, water heaters, air conditioning units and any item that is at least 98% metal, plus up to four tires per calendar year, from every home in the corporate limits every Wednesday, but only when a resident calls the Public Works Department before noon the preceding Tuesday to get placed on the special collection list.
Metal items may only be set at the curb between 5:00 p.m. that Tuesday and 7:00 a.m. Wednesday; anything set out after 7:00 a.m. on the collection day may not be collected. Waste building material placed with household trash must be bagged or bundled under 50 pounds per § 10-3F.
Violations & Fines
Bulk or metal items placed at the curb without calling Public Works first, or set out earlier than the 5:00 p.m. window before the Wednesday special collection under § 10-6B, may simply go uncollected. Excluded materials such as concrete, drywall or unrolled carpet listed in § 10-3E are never picked up, and left-out debris can become a littering violation under § 10-2, enforced under Chapter 1, § 1-6C.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get bulky furniture picked up in Bowie?
How do I schedule a metal item or tire pickup in Bowie?
What items will Bowie not collect at all?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bowie
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