A public resource guide
Every legitimate way to get rid of furniture, appliances, mattresses, and bulk waste in Baltimore, including monthly bulk pickup, the five free DPW Residential Drop-Off Centers, donation programs, and what to do when paid hauling isn't an option.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
Baltimore residents have one of the more flexible disposal systems in the country: scheduled monthly bulk pickup, plus five free Residential Drop-Off Centers open Monday through Saturday. This page walks through every option in order from free to paid, with the specific rules that apply in Baltimore City.
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Baltimore residents get monthly bulk pickup (3 items per month, scheduled by request), five free Residential Drop-Off Centers open six days a week, and donation pickup programs across the city. The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) runs both the curbside collection and the drop-off centers.
Monthly bulk trash pickup
Free with serviceBaltimore City residents can put out up to 3 bulk items per month for trash collection. Bulk pickup is scheduled for a specific Saturday each month, and you must call to schedule at least 4 working days in advance.
Eligibility: City of Baltimore residential customers.
Limit: Up to 3 bulk items per month.
How to schedule: Call 311 at least 4 working days before your scheduled Saturday collection date, or use 311 Online. This adds your address and items to the pickup schedule.
Set-out rules: All items must be clearly marked “bulk collection” and placed at the same location as your regular trash pickup. Set out by 7 AM on pickup day.
For rear pickup: Residents with rear pickup should leave items at the end of the yard and leave the gate unlocked.
DPW Residential Drop-Off Centers
Free for residentsBaltimore operates five Residential Drop-Off Centers where city residents can dispose of household waste, recyclables, bulk items, electronics, white goods, scrap metal, and motor oil at no charge. Open Monday through Saturday with extended summer hours.
Northwest Transfer Station: 5030 Reisterstown Road. Open Monday-Saturday 7 AM-5 PM.
Quarantine Road Landfill: 6100 Quarantine Road, (410) 396-3772. Residential drop-off Monday-Saturday 9 AM-5 PM.
Sisson Street Drop-Off Center: 2840 Sisson Street. Open Monday-Saturday 9 AM-5 PM.
Eastern Drop-Off Center: 6101 Bowleys Lane. Open Monday-Saturday 9 AM-5 PM.
Reedbird Recycling Drop-Off Center: 701 Reedbird Avenue. Currently on a limited Saturday-only schedule.
Limits: No more than 2 loads per day or 5 loads per week per resident. Vehicles limited to passenger cars, unmodified vans/minivans, or unmodified pickup trucks (no larger than 3/4 ton).
What you need: Valid ID showing Baltimore City residency. Centers are exclusively for City residents.
What's accepted: Household trash, single-stream recycling, bulk items (furniture, mattresses), electronics, white goods (stoves, refrigerators), scrap metal, rigid plastic, motor oil, textiles (blue HELPSY bins).
Freemoval (partner-community pickups)
FreeFreemoval is a social impact program that subsidizes free junk removal pickups in partner communities, typically affordable housing properties and select municipal partnerships. Baltimore partner expansion is in progress for 2026.
Eligibility: Households in active partner communities. Ask your property manager whether your building participates.
Status in Baltimore: Onboarding partner properties throughout 2026.
Donation-pickup programs
FreeBaltimore-area nonprofits offer free pickup for items in usable condition.
The Salvation Army: Free pickup of clothing, furniture, household items. Schedule at satruck.org or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore: Multiple Baltimore-area locations. Pickup for furniture, appliances, building materials.
Goodwill of the Chesapeake: Donation pickup available. Visit goodwillches.org.
Weekly trash collection. Baltimore City offers weekly curbside trash pickup. Find your collection day by searching your address at baltimorecity.gov.
Bi-weekly recycling. Baltimore moved from weekly to bi-weekly recycling collection during pandemic-related operational challenges. Recycling carts are 65-gallon, with no limit on how much you can put out. Important rule: never place recycling in plastic bags.
311 system. Baltimore's 311 system handles bulk pickup scheduling, missed collection reports, illegal dumping reports, and most public works inquiries.
Small Haulers Program. DPW operates a Small Haulers Program that allows licensed small haulers to use the Quarantine Road Landfill and Northwest Transfer Station, designed to make legitimate disposal easier and reduce illegal dumping.
Hardship discounts. Baltimore residents facing financial hardship may qualify for adjustments or exemptions on certain water, trash, and sewer charges.
Outside Baltimore City. Baltimore County operates a separate program with two scheduled bulk collections per year (3 items per collection), automatically assigned to specific dates. County residents can also use three free County drop-off facilities. Call 410-887-2000 for County service questions.
Baltimore's 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 (subject to program-specific rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most household goods.
Items typically not accepted: 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), and exercise equipment that requires reassembly. Always call before scheduling if you're unsure, pickups that find unacceptable items will leave them behind.
For households who need same-week service, have items beyond the 3-per-month bulk pickup limit, or have construction debris, paid options range from small haulers to professional pickup services.
LoadUp paid pickup
$70+For households who can't wait for the next monthly bulk Saturday or need items the city won't take, LoadUp offers professional removal in Baltimore with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What's included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $70 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
Other paid services in Baltimore: 1-800-Got-Junk, College Hunks Hauling Junk, Junk King, 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 Baltimore pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Different items have different rules in Baltimore. Here's a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of.
Baltimore accepts household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, pesticides, etc.) the first consecutive Friday and Saturday of each month, April through October, at the Sisson Street Drop-Off Center only (2840 Sisson Street). Several retailers offer ongoing free recycling: Home Depot for batteries and CFL bulbs, AutoZone for motor oil and car batteries, Best Buy for electronics, and most pharmacies for unused medications. Motor oil is also accepted year-round at all five Residential Drop-Off Centers.
To report illegal dumping in Baltimore, call 311 or use 311 Online to submit a service request. Include the location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible. Reports are routed to DPW for cleanup and can also trigger code enforcement investigation. Baltimore takes illegal dumping seriously: the Small Haulers Program was specifically created to make legitimate disposal easier and reduce illegal dumping. If you're considering dumping because you can't afford a haul, please use one of the free options above, the five free Drop-Off Centers, accepting up to 5 loads per week, mean nearly every situation has a legal alternative.
Is there really free junk removal in Baltimore?
Yes, Baltimore offers two free options. First, monthly bulk pickup: City residents can put out up to 3 bulk items per month, scheduled by calling 311 at least 4 working days before your scheduled Saturday. Second, five free Residential Drop-Off Centers open Monday through Saturday accept up to 5 loads per week per resident with a valid Baltimore City ID. Donation pickup through Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, and Goodwill is also free for usable items.
How do I schedule a bulk pickup in Baltimore?
Call 311 (or use 311 Online) at least 4 working days before your scheduled Saturday collection date. Items must be clearly marked “bulk collection” and placed at the same location as your regular trash pickup, set out by 7 AM on pickup day. Up to 3 items per month.
Where are Baltimore's drop-off centers?
Baltimore operates five Residential Drop-Off Centers: Northwest Transfer Station (5030 Reisterstown Road), Quarantine Road Landfill (6100 Quarantine Road), Sisson Street Drop-Off Center (2840 Sisson Street), Eastern Drop-Off Center (6101 Bowleys Lane), and Reedbird Recycling Drop-Off Center (701 Reedbird Avenue, currently on limited Saturday-only schedule). Most are open Monday-Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM. Bring your Baltimore City ID.
How do I qualify for Freemoval in Baltimore?
Freemoval works through partner communities, typically affordable housing operators, public housing authorities, and select municipal partnerships. We’re actively expanding partnerships in Baltimore through 2026. If your property is part of the program, your property manager will provide a booking code. If you operate housing or work in a city department, contact us.
I live in Baltimore County, not the city. Does this apply?
No, Baltimore City and Baltimore County have separate programs. The City of Baltimore Residential Drop-Off Centers and monthly bulk pickup serve only City residents. Baltimore County operates its own program with two scheduled bulk collections per year (3 items per collection), automatically assigned to specific dates and mailed to each home. County residents can also use three free County drop-off facilities. Call 410-887-2000 for County service questions.
Why doesn't my apartment building have bulk pickup?
Baltimore City’s residential collection serves owner-occupied and small rental properties. Larger multi-family properties contract with private waste haulers. This gap is exactly why Freemoval exists: residents of multi-family low-income housing often have the fewest free options.
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.
Freemoval is actively onboarding Baltimore partner properties through 2026. Reach out to prioritize your community.
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