Mobile County, AL Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Items covered
- Furniture, trees, sod, lumber, building materials
- Pricing
- Negotiated with collector, not flat fee
- Price limit
- Charges cannot be unreasonable or excessive
- Not arranged = risk
- Unauthorized accumulation, Class C misdemeanor
- Who to contact
- Your county-franchised residential hauler
Summary
Furniture, trees, sod, lumber and other bulky items that don't count as ordinary garbage or rubbish are handled as special pickups under Section 45-49-252.06(a)(2)e, negotiated directly between the resident and the county's franchised collector rather than covered by the standard collection fee.
e. Special services such as backdoor collection, below ground collection, removal of any refuse other than residential waste as defined herein, or additional pickups not provided for in this part shall be subject to negotiations between the collector and the owner or occupant of the premises. Requests for pickup of bulky waste such as building materials, furniture, trees, sod, lumber, and other items not defined in this part as garbage or rubbish shall be considered as requests for special pickup services. Such special services shall not be covered by the fees and charges set out by ordinance or resolution, but shall be agreed upon by the parties requesting such service and the collector. Charges for special services shall not be unreasonable or excessive.
Full Breakdown
06(a)(2)e, enacted by Act 81-450, defines special pickup service as covering "bulky waste such as building materials, furniture, trees, sod, lumber, and other items not defined in this part as garbage or rubbish," along with backdoor collection, below-ground collection, or any additional pickups the standard service does not include. The statute requires these special services to be "subject to negotiations between the collector and the owner or occupant of the premises," meaning the county's flat residential collection fee, set by resolution or ordinance of the Mobile County Commission, does not automatically cover bulky-item removal.
Charges for a special pickup "shall not be unreasonable or excessive," the only price ceiling the law imposes, but there is no county-set flat rate; the resident and the franchised hauler agree on terms directly. 17. Residents who want a large item picked up should contact their franchised collector directly rather than setting the item at the curb and waiting, since ordinary route trucks are not obligated to take building materials, furniture, trees, sod, or lumber absent that arrangement.
Violations & Fines
There's no separate bulk-pickup fine in the statute itself; the enforcement risk is leaving bulky items unaddressed. If furniture, lumber, or tree debris sits on a residential or commercial lot without a negotiated special pickup, it can be cited as an unauthorized accumulation under Section 45-49-252.14(b), a Class C misdemeanor under Section 45-49-252.17 and Section 13A-7-29, rather than a bulk-collection-specific charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get rid of old furniture or lumber in unincorporated Mobile County?
Is bulky item pickup covered by my regular trash service fee?
What if I just leave a couch or tree limbs at the curb without calling?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mobile County
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