A public resource guide
Bakersfield offers up to 2 free large item pickups per month by appointment, plus twice-yearly Large Item Collection Events. California's SB 1383 requires mandatory three-cart sorting of trash, recycling, and food waste/organics.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
Bakersfield offers up to 2 free large item pickups per month by appointment, scheduled by calling (661) 326-3114, plus twice-yearly Large Item Collection Events at community drop-off locations. The city operates the standard California three-cart system mandated by SB 1383: a tan/gray cart for trash, blue cart for single-stream recycling, and green cart for yard waste plus food scraps. The Solid Waste Division serves about 100,000 residential accounts within city limits. Unincorporated Metro-Bakersfield areas (Oildale, Rosedale, parts of north Bakersfield) are served by Varner Bros. Inc. at (661) 322-6863. Kern County Special Waste Facility handles HHW and electronics for the entire region.
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Bakersfield residents have multiple free options: city-scheduled large item pickup (2 per month), twice-yearly Large Item Collection Events at community sites, free HHW disposal at the Kern County Special Waste Facility, free compost giveaway most Saturdays October through July, donation pickup, and Freemoval for households in partner communities.
Free large item pickup (2 per month)
Free with serviceCity of Bakersfield residents can schedule up to 2 free large item pickups per month by calling (661) 326-3114. Items are placed at the curb on your scheduled collection day.
Eligibility: City of Bakersfield residential customers with active solid waste accounts. About 100,000 residential accounts qualify.
Allowance: Up to 2 large item pickups per month, no annual cap.
How to schedule: Call the Solid Waste Division at (661) 326-3114, Monday-Friday 8 AM to 5 PM. Email PW_San@bakersfieldcity.us with your address and the items you need picked up.
What's accepted: Mattresses, furniture, large household appliances. Coordinate with Solid Waste before scheduling for refrigerators or AC units (Freon recovery handled before pickup).
Set-out time: Curbside by 6:00 AM on your scheduled collection day, with 3 feet clearance from carts and obstacles.
Outside city limits: Unincorporated Metro-Bakersfield areas, including parts of north Bakersfield, Oildale, and Rosedale, are served by Varner Bros. Inc. Call (661) 322-6863.
Large Item Collection Events (twice yearly)
Free for residentsThe city holds Large Item Collection Events twice per year at designated community drop-off locations, offering an alternative to scheduling individual pickups.
Frequency: Twice yearly at announced community sites.
What it’s for: Bulky household items that don’t fit in the trash cart, when you don’t want to wait for an appointment slot.
Watch for dates: Bakersfield publishes event schedules at bakersfieldcity.us. Call (661) 326-3114 for current dates and locations.
Kern County Special Waste Facility (HHW)
Free for residentsThe Kern County Special Waste Facility accepts household hazardous waste, batteries, paint, oils, solvents, pesticides, and electronics free for Kern County residents.
Phone: (661) 862-8900.
What's accepted: Paint and stains, motor oil, gasoline, pesticides, household cleaners, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, electronics, fluorescent tubes, propane cylinders.
Eligibility: Kern County residents with proof of residency.
Why it matters: California state law (and SB 1383) bans HHW from regular trash. The Special Waste Facility is the primary free disposal channel.
Free compost giveaway (most Saturdays)
Free for residentsThe city offers free compost made from collected plant debris on Saturdays from October through July at the Public Works yard, a useful side benefit of SB 1383 organics collection.
When: Saturdays, October through July (skip August and September).
Where: City of Bakersfield Public Works yard. Call (661) 326-3114 for current location and hours.
Bring: Containers or a truck bed for transport. There’s typically a per-load limit.
Donation-pickup programs
FreeBakersfield-area nonprofits offer free pickup for items in usable condition.
The Salvation Army Bakersfield: Free pickup of usable furniture, working appliances, and clothing. Schedule at satruck.org or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK.
Habitat for Humanity of Kern County ReStore: Free pickups for qualifying items including furniture, appliances under 10 years old, and building materials.
Bethany Services: Kern County nonprofit accepting household goods for low-income families.
Goodwill Industries of South Central California: Multiple Bakersfield locations.
Freemoval (partner-community pickups)
FreeFreemoval subsidizes free junk removal pickups in partner communities, typically affordable housing properties and select municipal partnerships. Bakersfield partner expansion is in progress for 2026.
Eligibility: Households in active partner communities. Ask your property manager whether your building participates.
Status in Bakersfield: Onboarding partner properties throughout 2026.
What loaders pick up: Furniture, mattresses, appliances, bulk waste, anything within standard LoadUp marketplace service capabilities.
How it’s funded: 100% covered by LoadUp customer round-ups and partner-property fees.
SB 1383 three-cart system. California SB 1383, effective January 2022, requires all Bakersfield residents to sort waste into three carts. The 96-gallon tan/gray cart is for trash (weekly). The 96-gallon blue cart is for single-stream recycling (bi-weekly). The 96-gallon green cart is for yard waste plus food scraps (weekly or bi-weekly depending on zone). Food waste in the trash cart can result in contamination notices.
Cart placement. Carts curbside by 6:00 AM on collection day, wheels facing the street. Carts may be placed out after 6:00 PM the night before. Space carts at least 3 feet apart and away from vehicles, poles, and mailboxes.
Holiday closures. City of Bakersfield does NOT collect trash, recycling, or yard waste on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Day. When these holidays fall on a weekday, collection is delayed by one day for the rest of that week. Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day are not holidays for city collection. Varner Bros. has a separate holiday schedule for unincorporated areas.
Address lookup. Find your specific collection schedule at gis.bakersfieldcity.us/CartSchedule, or call (661) 326-3114. The city’s online lookup tool also shows your designated zone for SB 1383 organics collection frequency.
Refrigerant rules. California enforces EPA Section 608 federal rules for refrigerant recovery in refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners. Don’t set out a charged unit. The Solid Waste Division coordinates Freon recovery before scheduled pickup, contact (661) 326-3114 for guidance. Retailer haul-away with new install also handles this for you.
Outside Bakersfield city limits. Varner Bros. Inc. serves unincorporated Metro-Bakersfield (Oildale, Rosedale, and parts of north Bakersfield). Their phone is (661) 322-6863. The Golden Hills Community Services District, Edwards AFB family housing, and other surrounding communities have separate haulers. Check your address before assuming city service.
Bakersfield-area donation programs accept items in good usable condition: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (program-specific rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most household goods. Habitat ReStore Kern County in particular focuses on home improvement items and accepts cabinets, doors, lighting fixtures, and building materials.
Items donation programs typically don’t accept: damaged or stained furniture, mattresses with bedbug history or significant wear, appliances that don’t work, particle-board furniture in poor condition, cribs (federal safety regulations have changed), tube-style or rear-projection TVs, and exercise equipment that requires reassembly.
If you’re unsure whether something qualifies, call the program before scheduling. Pickups that arrive and find unacceptable items usually leave them behind, which means you still need to dispose of them.
For households outside city service, multi-family buildings without city pickup, or jobs that exceed the 2-pickup monthly limit, paid removal options range from self-haul to full-service hauling.
Self-haul to a transfer station
$30–$80If you have a truck, regional landfills accept household waste with tipping fees by weight. Cheapest paid option, but you handle loading and unloading.
Bena Sanitary Landfill: Kern County’s primary landfill, serves the Bakersfield metro. Tipping fees by weight.
Kern County Special Waste Facility: Free for HHW and electronics; paid for mixed waste tipping. (661) 862-8900.
Construction debris: Use a licensed C&D landfill or roll-off rental for renovation waste, the city won’t take it curbside.
Always call ahead: Hours, accepted materials, and fees change. Some facilities don’t accept mattresses or specific items.
LoadUp paid pickup
$80+For households not eligible for free programs, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Bakersfield area. Upfront pricing, same-week scheduling, and licensed disposal handled for you.
What's included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
Other paid services in Bakersfield: 1-800-Got-Junk and College Hunks Hauling Junk both serve Bakersfield. Local independent operators are typically 20%–30% below national chains. Comparison-shop for larger jobs.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book a Bakersfield pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Different items have different rules. Here’s a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of in Bakersfield.
California's strict hazardous waste rules and SB 1383 organics mandate combine to keep many items out of regular trash. The Kern County Special Waste Facility is the central free resource.
Kern County Special Waste Facility. Phone (661) 862-8900. Free for Kern County residents (proof of residency required). Accepts paint, motor oil, pesticides, household cleaners, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, electronics, propane cylinders, and most HHW.
Auto parts stores. AutoZone, O’Reilly, and Advance Auto stores in Bakersfield accept used motor oil and lead-acid car batteries free year-round. This is the easiest option for routine auto maintenance waste.
Best Buy electronics recycling. Best Buy stores accept most electronics free at customer service, including TVs, computers, monitors, and small appliances. Some items have size or weight limits.
Pharmacy take-back. Bakersfield pharmacies and the Bakersfield Police Department operate medication drop boxes for safe disposal of prescription drugs. Don’t flush or trash medications.
Illegal dumping is a significant Bakersfield issue, the city operates a Free Bakersfield Mobile App specifically for reporting it. The right channel depends on jurisdiction:
City of Bakersfield: Use the Free Bakersfield Mobile App (iOS / Android) to report illegal dumping, litter, and junk vehicles directly with photos. Or call (661) 326-3114.
Kern County (outside city): Kern County Code Compliance handles violations in unincorporated areas; the County Sheriff handles active dumping reports.
CalRecycle and CA EPA: For environmental violations involving hazardous materials or large-scale commercial dumping, contact CalRecycle and Cal/EPA.
Illegal dumping in California carries fines up to $10,000 plus cleanup-cost recovery and possible misdemeanor or felony charges for hazardous-material or repeat violations. If you’re considering dumping because you can’t afford a haul, please use one of the free options above instead, the city offers 2 free pickups per month at no fee.
Is junk removal really free in Bakersfield?
Yes, City of Bakersfield residential customers can schedule up to 2 free large item pickups per month by calling (661) 326-3114. The Kern County Special Waste Facility provides free HHW disposal at (661) 862-8900. Twice yearly, the city holds Large Item Collection Events at community drop-off sites. Donation programs (Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore Kern, Bethany Services) offer free pickup for usable items.
How does SB 1383 affect Bakersfield residents?
California SB 1383 (effective January 2022) requires all Bakersfield residents to sort food scraps and yard waste into the green cart, not trash. The city provides three carts: tan/gray for trash (weekly), blue for recycling (bi-weekly), green for yard waste plus food scraps. Food waste in the trash cart can result in contamination notices. Most Bakersfield households are now in compliance.
How does Bakersfield handle refrigerators and AC units?
Federal EPA Section 608 requires refrigerant recovery by a certified technician before disposal. Don't set out a charged unit, this is illegal. Call the Solid Waste Division at (661) 326-3114 to schedule a refrigerator or AC pickup, the city coordinates Freon recovery before collection. Retailer haul-away with a new appliance install also handles this.
What's the cheapest way to get rid of a mattress in Bakersfield?
Free, schedule a city pickup by calling (661) 326-3114 (1 of 2 free monthly pickups). California's Bye Bye Mattress program also has free residential drop-off for old mattresses; check byebymattress.com for nearby drop-off locations. If the mattress is in good condition, donate to Salvation Army or Habitat ReStore Kern. Paid hauling services start around $80 for same-week pickup.
Why is my schedule different from a neighbor on the next block?
If you live near the city limits, you might be in the unincorporated Metro-Bakersfield service area served by Varner Bros. Inc., not the City of Bakersfield. Varner Bros.' phone is (661) 322-6863 and they have a separate schedule and holiday calendar. Check your address using gis.bakersfieldcity.us/CartSchedule, if it doesn't appear, you're likely in Varner's territory.
Where do I take electronics?
Not accepted in any Bakersfield curbside cart under California e-waste law. The Kern County Special Waste Facility at (661) 862-8900 accepts free for residents. Best Buy stores also accept most electronics free at customer service for items within size limits. Goodwill accepts some working electronics for resale.
How do I report illegal dumping in Bakersfield?
Use the Free Bakersfield Mobile App (iOS / Android) to report illegal dumping, litter, junk vehicles, and similar violations. Or call (661) 326-3114. For California state environmental violations, contact CalRecycle. Active dumping in progress: Bakersfield Police non-emergency.
Is this page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated May 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
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