Bulky item pickup: Glendale vs Burbank vs Pasadena vs Redondo Beach
These four cities sit next to Los Angeles but run their own trash programs. None of them use LA Sanitation’s free unlimited bulky service. This guide compares who picks up bulky junk, what it costs, how far ahead you must book, and what gets refused—using each city’s own pages.
- Glendale (1–4 unit homes): free city bulky pickup; book at least 3 business days ahead; wrap mattresses. Official FAQ: up to 4 free appointments per property per year, 4 bulky items per appointment.
- Burbank: couches and most furniture are free; mattresses, appliances, and tires cost a $12.14 special handling fee each (as of July 1, 2025). Or drop a mattress at the Recycle Center for free (city pages disagree on the exact free limit—call first).
- Pasadena (city refuse customers): two free bulky pickups per year; book about two weeks ahead; volume capped at about 3 cubic yards. No e-waste, refrigerators, or AC units.
- Redondo Beach: free via Athens Services for single-family and multi-family accounts; up to 4 bulky or e-waste items per week; book at least 2 business days ahead.
Side-by-side comparison
| Glendale | Burbank | Pasadena | Redondo Beach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | City Integrated Waste (1–4 units); franchise hauler (5+ units) | City Public Works / Solid Waste | City Public Works (city refuse customers only) | Athens Services (city franchise) |
| Cost | Free for scheduled residential bulky (city calls it free); extra appointments may be fee | Furniture/TV/rugs: no special fee. Mattress, fridge, washer, AC, tires, etc.: $12.14/item billed to BWP account | Two free pickups per year; more cost (amount not published—call) | Free for residential accounts |
| Book how far ahead | At least 3 business days before refuse day | 311/app: 2 business days; phone: 1 business day | About two weeks before regular trash day | At least 2 business days before collection day |
| Limits | FAQ: 4 free appointments/year per property; 4 bulky items (or 10 green-waste bundles) per appointment | Not a published per-year count on the bulky page; special-fee items need BWP account holder | 2 free/year; about a 3 cubic yard pile (4×5×4 ft); liftable by two people | 4 bulky or e-waste items per pickup, per week |
| Mattresses | Accepted; must be wrapped in plastic or a mattress bag | Curbside: $12.14 special fee. Free Recycle Center drop-off also offered (see note below) | Not on the “we do not pick up” list; treat as a listed bulky item and name it when you book | Accepted (listed with furniture) |
| Fridge / AC | Accepted as bulky/appliances | Special fee; fridge empty, doors removed | Not accepted (refrigerators and AC units) | Accepted; tape or remove doors |
| E-waste / TVs | Accepted on bulky list (TVs, computers) | TVs: no special fee on the bulky list | Not accepted (TV, computer, console, etc.) | Accepted (TVs, monitors, printers, etc.) |
| Book / call | glendalerecycles.com form or Recycle Coach; (818) 548-3916 | Our Burbank 311 / app, or (818) 238-3800 | (626) 744-7311 or City Service Center / CSC app | Athens online portal or (888) 336-6100 |
Sources linked in each city section below · last checked 2026-11-06
1. Glendale
City of Glendale Integrated Waste — bulky item pickup
- Who: Single-family and 1–4 unit homes schedule through the City. Apartments/condos with 5+ units and businesses use the property’s franchise hauler; tenants should ask the property manager.
- Cost: City collection pages describe appliance/bulky pickup as free. The hauler FAQ says properties get up to 4 free bulky appointments per calendar year; additional pickups may be scheduled for a fee (fee amount not published on that FAQ).
- Per appointment: FAQ limit is 4 bulky items or 10 bundles of green waste. The 4 free appointments are per property, not per building on a multi-building lot.
- Accepted (examples): furniture (sofas, tables, desks, chairs), appliances and electronics (refrigerators, washers/dryers, TVs, computers), sinks, toilets, mattresses and box springs, large toys, bikes, exercise equipment.
- Mattress rule: wrap mattresses/box springs in plastic or a mattress bag, or they will not be collected. Glass furniture must be shrink-wrapped or cardboard-protected.
- When to book: at least three working/business days before your refuse collection day (example on the form: for a Monday pickup, contact by Wednesday).
- Set-out: curbside after 6:00 PM the evening before collection; items must be fully off private property. Propane tanks are not accepted.
- How: residential request form on glendalerecycles.com, Recycle Coach app, or Public Works at (818) 548-3916.
Sources: Glendale Integrated Waste: Collection Services · Residential (1–4 Units) Bulky Item Pickup Form · Glendale Integrated Waste: Haulers FAQ · last checked 2026-11-06
2. Burbank
City of Burbank Public Works — bulky item pick-up
- Cost split: Many furniture items (bed frames, chairs, couches, cribs, dressers, tables, TVs, rugs, and similar) have no special handling fee. Items with a special fee include air conditioners, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, stoves, washers/dryers, water heaters, mattresses/box springs, tires (up to four), and listed gas yard equipment.
- Special fee: $12.14 per item as of July 1, 2025, charged to the Burbank Water & Power (BWP) account. The BWP account holder must schedule fee items.
- Book: Our Burbank 311 portal/app at least two business days before trash day (photo required), or call (818) 238-3800 (Mon–Fri 7:30 AM–4:00 PM) at least one business day ahead. Email option: bulkyitemcollection@burbankca.gov (city request page says two business days’ notice for email).
- Set-out: night before trash day only; at least five feet from fixed objects; fridge doors removed. Oversized items may be tagged and collected the following Friday.
- City note: bulky collections generally go to landfill except electronics, metal appliances, and mattresses/box springs. Prefer donate/sell when you can.
- Not accepted (examples): auto parts, most construction materials, hazardous waste, extra bags of trash, business-operation discards.
Sources: Burbank: Bulky Item Pick-Up · Burbank: Request a Bulky Item Pickup · last checked 2026-11-06
Burbank Recycle Center — mattress drop-off
City pages offer free residential mattress/box spring drop-off at the Recycle Center instead of paying the curbside special fee. Address: 500 S. Flower St., Burbank, CA 91502. Bottle/can and facility hours published as Mon–Fri 8 AM–5 PM and Sat 8 AM–4 PM; the Drop Zone / e-waste desk is Mon–Fri only (closed weekends and city holidays). Phone: (818) 238-3900.
Limit conflict on city sites: the bulky-item page says each household is limited to 1 mattress and 1 box spring with no special handling fee for residential drop-off. The household hazardous waste / mattress page says free Recycle Center drop-off with a limit of two allowed items per resident per year. A Bye Bye Mattress flyer hosted by the city has said up to three units per year. Call before you drive and ask for the current free residential limit.
Sources: Burbank bulky page (mattress footnote) · Burbank: HHW / mattresses · Burbank Recycle Center · last checked 2026-11-06
3. Pasadena
City of Pasadena Public Works — bulky item pickup
- Who: Only households with City of Pasadena residential refuse service. Multi-family served by a private franchise hauler must contact that hauler (city flyer lists American Reclamation, Athens, Republic/Consolidated, Southland).
- Cost: Two free bulky pickups per year, subject to scheduling availability. Extra pickups after those two have a cost based on quantity/size—call for the amount (not published as a flat sticker price on the procedure page).
- Book: call (626) 744-7311 or use the City Service Center / CSC app. Schedule about two weeks before your regular trash day. List every item when you book.
- Volume: as much as would fill a 3 cubic yard bin (about 4 ft wide × 5 ft long × 4 ft high). Items no bigger/heavier than two people can safely lift.
- Set-out: parkway (between sidewalk and street) only; city staff will not enter private property. Out no more than 24 hours before the scheduled day; out by 7:00 AM on pickup day. Crew window Mon–Fri 7:00 AM–4:00 PM. No bulky scheduling on holidays.
- Not accepted: e-waste (TV, DVD, phone, console, computer/monitor), construction/roofing debris, household hazardous materials, landscaping dirt/sand/large branches/stumps, auto parts except up to two tires without rims, refrigerators and air conditioning units.
- Citation risk: do not place items on the parkway before a scheduled pickup.
Rose Parade pause: the city published a bulky-service suspension from December 19, 2025 to February 2, 2026 for Rose Parade activities. That window is past as of this check. Pasadena has used a mid-December to early-February pause before—re-check the Public Works bulky procedure page before booking around the next Rose Bowl / Rose Parade season.
Sources: Pasadena: Residential Refuse Service & Recycling (Bulky Item Procedure) · Pasadena: Bulky Item Pick up · Pasadena multifamily/franchise bulky flyer (PDF) · last checked 2026-11-06
4. Redondo Beach
Athens Services — bulky item and e-waste pickup
- Who: Free bulky and electronics pickup for all single-family and multi-family residential accounts in Redondo Beach (city franchise hauler: Athens Services).
- Limit: maximum four bulky or electronic items per pickup, per week.
- Book: Athens online request portal or call (888) 336-6100 at least two full business days before your regular collection day.
- Set-out: curb, or next to the multi-family dumpster, by 6:00 AM on collection day (or the evening before). Don’t block sidewalks, driveways, or hydrants. Rugs/branches/lumber: cut and tied, bundles no longer than four feet. Tape or remove doors on large appliances.
- Accepted (examples): couches, sofas, mattresses, box springs, chairs, tables, desks; washers, dryers, refrigerators, water heaters, stoves, dishwashers; TVs, monitors, printers, CPUs, keyboards, audio; rolled/tied rugs; large toys; patio furniture.
- Not accepted: hazardous waste, loose batteries/fluorescent bulbs, construction debris (concrete, dirt, rocks, brick, tile, drywall, roofing), automotive parts (tires, engines, car batteries, body parts).
- City contact: Public Works Recycling (310) 318-0686 or rbrecycles@redondo.org.
Sources: Redondo Beach: Bulky Item And E-Waste Collection · Redondo Beach Solid Waste FAQs · last checked 2026-11-06
5. Which city is “cheapest” for common junk?
- Couch or dresser: Glendale, Pasadena (within two free/year), and Redondo Beach can be free when you follow booking rules. Burbank also lists couches with no special handling fee.
- Mattress: Glendale (wrapped) and Redondo Beach list free curbside paths. Burbank curbside mattress = $12.14 unless you use Recycle Center drop-off or retailer take-back. Pasadena: name the mattress when you book one of your two free appointments (not on the refuse list).
- Refrigerator: Glendale and Redondo Beach accept on bulky. Burbank charges the special fee. Pasadena refuses refrigerators and AC units on city bulky—you need another path (retailer haul-away, freon-certified recycler, or paid hauler).
- TV / computer: OK on Glendale, Burbank, and Redondo Beach bulky lists. Pasadena city bulky does not take e-waste.
California mattress retailers must offer free take-back of an old residential mattress/box spring when they deliver a new one—ask when you order, anywhere in these cities.
6. Paid in-home pickup (if city rules don’t fit)
Paid pickup helps if you can’t meet set-out rules, need same-day removal, or live in a building that won’t schedule city/hauler bulky. Get the full price in writing before the crew arrives.
LoadUp (national, booked online)
LoadUp’s public mattress-removal page lists starting prices of in-home mattress pickup from $85, curbside from $80, same-day (booked before 2 PM) from $95, extra items from +$15. Final price is by ZIP and conditions. Confirm a live quote for your address.
Source: goloadup.com/mattress-removal · last checked 2026-11-06
1-800-GOT-JUNK? and local haulers
We could not find a current published fixed price for a single couch or mattress in these four cities on the national franchise pricing pages. Quotes are usually job-based. Local sticker prices: unconfirmed. Ask whether disposal fees are included and where the material goes.
Don't dump it
Leaving bulky items on the curb without a scheduled pickup is treated as illegal dumping in these cities (Glendale and Pasadena say so explicitly on the pages linked above). Book first, then set out only in the window each city allows.