Portland, ME Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Large bulky tag fee
- $60.00
- Small bulky tag fee
- No charge
- Large threshold
- Over 30 lbs (or mattress/couch)
- Violation penalty
- $200 flat + costs
- Runs through
- Dept. of Public Works rules
- Eligibility
- Must use city trash collection
Summary
Portland collects bulky waste, mattresses, couches, appliances and other oversized items, only under Sec. 12-17.2's tag program run by the Department of Public Works. Large items over 30 pounds need a $60.00 tag while small bulky items go out free, and skipping the rules draws a flat $200 fine plus disposal costs.
(a) Bulky Waste shall be collected by the city as prescribed by the rules and regulations for said program established by the Department of Public Works. (b) No person shall place bulky waste out for collection by the city unless it is in compliance with the rules and regulations as established by the Department of Public Works for the bulky waste collection program... (d) Whoever violates this Section of this Article shall be guilty of an offense. The penalty for said offense shall be Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) plus attorneys' fees and costs and costs of proper disposal of the waste material. (e) ...Small bulky waste tag: No charge. Large bulky waste tag: $60.00
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 12 defines 'bulky waste' at Sec. ' It splits the category into 'bulky waste, large', anything over thirty (30) pounds, and, regardless of weight, mattresses, box springs and couches, and 'bulky waste, small,' items of thirty pounds or less that will not fit in a standard city trash bag. Sec. 2(a)-(b) puts collection entirely under rules the Department of Public Works sets: the city collects bulky waste 'as prescribed by the rules and regulations for said program,' and no one may put bulky waste out 'unless it is in compliance' with those DPW rules.
Sec. ' The article's standard 30-day violation-notice procedure in Secs. 12-27/12-28 does not apply to bulky waste, Sec. 2(c) turns it off, so a violation is enforced directly. Only property owners already enrolled in the city's regular solid waste collection service under Sec. 12-17(e) qualify for bulky item pickup and the Riverside Recycling punch-pass program, which offers ten free punches per twelve months for items like stoves, refrigerators, mattresses and tires.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 12-17.2(d) makes putting out noncompliant bulky waste an offense carrying a flat $200.00 penalty 'plus attorneys' fees and costs and costs of proper disposal of the waste material', and because the standard notice-and-cure period in Sections 12-27/12-28 is switched off for this section, the fine applies without a warning first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a tag to put a couch out in Portland?
What's the fine for putting out bulky waste without following the rules?
Can any Portland resident use the bulky waste program?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Portland
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