Frederick, MD Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)

Under Sec. 10-21(a), the City will not collect bulk waste except on approved special collection days and times set by the Director, so residents cannot simply leave a couch or mattress at the curb on a normal trash day. Sec. 10-21(b) sets the placement rules: items must go as close as possible to the public street in front of the residence, and crews will never enter a house, building, fence, or private property to retrieve bulk items. In single-family areas, bulk waste has to sit behind the curb and clear of the sidewalk; in townhouse areas, it goes outside the dumpster enclosure, never inside the enclosure or dumpster itself, though common areas next to the City right-of-way work if the material stays accessible and visible to crews.

Sec. 10-21(c) lists what the City will take: indoor and outdoor furniture, appliances with refrigerants removed, bicycles, large playground-style toys, swing sets seven feet or under, mowers and trimmers with fluids drained, grills with the tank removed, soft goods like clothing and shoes, e-waste, and up to three mattress-and-box-spring sets per household with a signed affidavit. If a resident has material that does not fit a scheduled bulk day, or misses the pickup, Sec. 10-22(a) lets them call the Department to book a special collection for a minimum fee set in the City's annual fee schedule, plus the Department's estimated labor, equipment, and landfill tipping costs; Sec. 10-22(b) requires payment in advance at the Finance Department before the pickup is scheduled.