A public resource guide
Every legitimate way to get rid of furniture, appliances, mattresses, and bulk waste in Birmingham, including biweekly bulk trash and brush pickup, donation programs, and what to do when paid hauling isn't an option.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
Birmingham residents have biweekly bulk trash and brush pickup as part of standard sanitation service. The city consolidated routes in January 2025 to a neighborhood-based schedule, with each neighborhood assigned a specific collection day. This page walks through every disposal option in order from free to paid.
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Birmingham residents inside city limits have biweekly bulk trash pickup, biweekly recycling, and twice-weekly garbage collection as part of standard sanitation service. Properties in unincorporated Jefferson County (outside city limits) have separate service through AmWaste, the franchised county waste hauler since April 2025.
Birmingham biweekly bulk trash pickup
Free with serviceBirmingham collects bulk trash and brush every other week on your designated neighborhood day. Each neighborhood is assigned a number (1 or 2) indicating which week residents can expect bulk pickup. Items must be at the curb by 6 AM on collection day.
Eligibility: City of Birmingham residential customers (inside city limits).
How to find your day: Each neighborhood has one dedicated weekly garbage day. Bulk and brush is biweekly on the same day. Look up your zone at birminghamal.gov/pickup or call 311 (or 205-254-6314 outside Birmingham).
Set-out time: Place bulk trash at the curb by 6 AM on collection day.
What's not accepted: Electronics, appliances with refrigerants, hazardous materials.
Daily updates: Birmingham publishes daily bulk trash collection updates online at birminghamal.gov, you can check whether your neighborhood is scheduled for the next day or has been completed.
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. Birmingham partner expansion is in progress for 2026.
Eligibility: Households in active partner communities. Ask your property manager whether your building participates.
Status in Birmingham: Onboarding partner properties throughout 2026.
Donation-pickup programs
FreeBirmingham-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 Birmingham-area locations. Pickup for furniture, appliances, building materials.
Goodwill of Central Alabama: Donation pickup for larger items.
Twice-weekly garbage collection. Birmingham's garbage pickup happens twice a week, with one dedicated weekly bulk and recycling day per neighborhood.
Biweekly recycling. Recycling is collected every other week on the same day as the neighborhood's designated household garbage pickup. Each neighborhood was assigned a number (1 or 2) when the new schedule launched January 2025.
Schedule changes. Birmingham's new neighborhood-based schedule launched January 6, 2025. The consolidation expanded bulk trash and brush pickup while making routes more efficient.
How to look up your schedule. Visit birminghamal.gov/pickup or call 311. Outside Birmingham, call 205-254-6314 (Department of Public Works), open Monday-Friday 8 AM to 5 PM.
Jefferson County (outside city limits). If you live in unincorporated Jefferson County, your service is provided by AmWaste, which signed a franchise contract effective April 1, 2025. AmWaste provides curbside service for trash, yard debris, and bulk items.
Other municipalities. Cities like Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, and Homewood operate their own sanitation programs separate from Birmingham. Check your specific city's public works page for bulk pickup rules.
Birmingham'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 the city won't take (electronics, appliances with refrigerants, hazardous materials), or live outside Birmingham city limits, paid options range from county appliance recycling to professional haulers.
Appliance recycling (private)
Quote-basedFor appliances with refrigerants (refrigerators, freezers, AC units) that the city won't take in bulk pickup, several Birmingham-area facilities accept appliances for scrap value or a small fee.
SA Recycling: 1620 Vanderbilt Road, Birmingham. Call 205-328-4283. Accepts appliances; some pay scrap value.
Other options: Local landfills (see Jefferson County website for list). Many appliance retailers offer free haul-away with delivery of a replacement.
LoadUp paid pickup
Quote-basedFor households who need same-week service, have items the city won't take, or live outside Birmingham city limits, LoadUp offers professional removal in Birmingham with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal. Typically 20-30% below national competitors.
What's included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Quote-based on volume and items. Single-item pickups generally start around $80; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600.
Other paid services in Birmingham: 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 Birmingham pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Different items have different rules in Birmingham. Here's a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of.
Birmingham residents can dispose of household hazardous waste through periodic Jefferson County collection events. Check jccal.org for current event dates and locations. The Jefferson County Department of Health (205-930-1276) handles air quality and outdoor burning restrictions, including reporting smoke nuisances. 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.
To report illegal dumping in Birmingham, call 311 or 205-254-6314 (Department of Public Works), open Monday-Friday 8 AM to 5 PM. After hours, you can leave a recording or submit a complaint online at birminghamal.gov. The Jefferson County Weed and Litter Ordinance specifically prohibits junk and salvage materials, trash and litter, and inoperable vehicles being left out in the environment. If you're considering dumping because you can't afford a haul, please use the free biweekly bulk pickup, the fines for illegal dumping in Alabama exceed what most paid removals cost.
Is there really free junk removal in Birmingham?
Yes, Birmingham offers free biweekly bulk trash and brush pickup as part of standard sanitation service for all residents inside city limits. Each neighborhood has a designated collection day, and bulk happens every other week. Donation pickup through Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, and Goodwill is also free for usable items. Note: electronics, appliances with refrigerants, and hazardous materials are not accepted in regular bulk pickup.
When is my Birmingham bulk pickup day?
Birmingham launched a new neighborhood-based schedule on January 6, 2025. Each neighborhood has one dedicated weekly garbage day, with bulk and recycling on the same day on a biweekly cycle. Each neighborhood was assigned a number (1 or 2) indicating which week is your bulk/recycling week. Look up your zone at birminghamal.gov/pickup or call 311.
How do I get rid of a refrigerator in Birmingham?
Refrigerators (and other appliances with refrigerants) are not accepted in Birmingham’s regular bulk pickup. Options: take to SA Recycling at 1620 Vanderbilt Road (205-328-4283); take to a Jefferson County landfill; ask your appliance retailer about free haul-away with new appliance delivery; or use a paid hauler like LoadUp.
How do I qualify for Freemoval in Birmingham?
Freemoval works through partner communities, typically affordable housing operators, public housing authorities, and select municipal partnerships. We’re actively expanding partnerships in Birmingham 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 Jefferson County, not Birmingham. Does this apply?
No, Birmingham city sanitation only serves residents inside city limits. If you live in unincorporated Jefferson County, your service is provided by AmWaste, the county’s franchised waste hauler since April 1, 2025. Cities like Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, and Homewood run their own separate programs. Check your specific city or call jccal.org for unincorporated areas.
Why doesn't my apartment building have bulk pickup?
Birmingham’s curbside collection serves single-family homes 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 Birmingham partner properties through 2026. Reach out to prioritize your community.
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