Pasadena, CA Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- PMC § 8.60.100, Bulky Items Pickup Program
- Residential size limit
- 3 inches diameter, 3 feet long (§ 8.60.020)
- Commercial size limit
- 18 inches diameter, 4 feet long (§ 8.61.010)
- Commercial pickup frequency
- At least twice per calendar year (§ 8.61.170(F))
- Alley placement
- Prohibited; bulky items may not go in alleys
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 12 months jail
Summary
Pasadena residents get bulky item pickups through a director-run notice program, not on-demand curbside placement. Under Municipal Code Section 8.60.100, the public works director sets the number of yearly pickups and announces special collection dates; residents may leave bundled bulky items curbside only on the days specified, and never in an alley.
The director is authorized, in the director's discretion, to modify the number of yearly, bulky items pickups for residential customers. The director may also, from time to time notify residents of a special pickup program for bulky items and for special collection of other materials. In accord with the notice, the responsible person may leave bulky items or other materials at designated places for pickup, bundled and packaged in the manner set forth in the notice, at a time set in accordance with the notice and in a manner which does not interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic or regular access to the public right-of-way and which does not create a nuisance or a danger to public health and safety. Bulky items may not be placed in alley ways.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 79 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
020(A) as household appliances, furniture, carpets, mattresses, white goods and oversized yard waste no larger than 3 inches in diameter and 3 feet in length that exceeds a regulation container's size or weight limit and cannot be moved by more than two people; household hazardous waste and electronics such as televisions and computers do not qualify. 100 gives the public works director discretion to set how many yearly bulky pickups single-family customers receive and to announce special collection windows. Residents may only set items out on the days, bundling instructions and locations spelled out in that notice, and placement must not block pedestrian or vehicular traffic or create a nuisance; bulky items left in an alley are not eligible for pickup. 010(E), items up to 18 inches in diameter and 4 feet long. 250(B). 365 or through the city's civil administrative citation schedule.
Violations & Fines
Setting bulky items at the curb outside an announced pickup notice, or in an alley, is treated as curbside dumping under Section 8.60.250 and can draw a misdemeanor charge carrying up to a $1,000 fine and up to 12 months in jail under Section 8.60.365(A), plus the civil penalty and administrative-fee schedule the city council sets by resolution under Section 8.60.365(B). Items abandoned after a special event may be seized and disposed of by the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put bulky items at the curb any time?
What size items count as bulky items?
How often do commercial properties get bulky pickup?
What happens to bulky items left after a special event?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasadena
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Bulk Item Disposal in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle bulk item disposal.