Tempe, AZ Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)

Chapter 28's disposal article treats bulky and brush waste as 'uncontained items,' handled outside the normal cart. Section 28-52(c) requires that where uncontained items cannot fit entirely inside a City-owned container, they be placed next to the property line, parallel to the alley or street, in an orderly fashion, and caps the volume at ten cubic yards; curbside piles must sit parallel to the property and clear of the garbage container itself so it can still be emptied. Section 28-52(e) covers large tree and shrub trimmings specifically: cut them to no more than forty-eight inches in length and stack them a foot apart, parallel to the property; grass clippings and leaves must be bagged, and cactus material has to go in a sealed cardboard box, kept separate from other brush.

Residents who want pickup outside the regular schedule, or more volume than the standard service covers, can request a special collection through Tempe 311 and pay the rate set in Appendix A. Timing matters: Section 28-51(d) bars putting uncontained items at the curb or in the alley more than ten days before the scheduled collection week, and Section 28-16 gives a resident, owner or occupant ten days from a Public Works notice to remove noncompliant items before the City abates the pile itself and bills the responsible party for personnel, equipment and disposal costs.