Free & low-cost junk removal in Portland, OR

Portland's system is genuinely different from every other major U.S. city covered: there is no city-run bulky item pickup program. Each property is assigned to a specific garbage hauler by neighborhood, and bulky items are picked up by that hauler at City-set rates. Portland also runs the only major U.S. 4-stream curbside collection, trash, recycling, glass (separate yellow bin), and compost, with garbage collected biweekly while the others are weekly. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.

Free options

Portland residents have free mattress recycling via Bye Bye Mattress, free electronics recycling under E-Cycle Oregon (statewide program), free motor oil pickup curbside next to the glass bin, mandatory weekly composting, and donation pickup programs. The City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability assigns each property to a specific garbage hauler, which hauler depends on your neighborhood. Bulky waste pickup is fee-based and provided by your assigned hauler at City-set rates.

City services in detail

Four-stream collection (unique to Portland). Portland is one of the very few major U.S. cities to operate a four-stream curbside collection: trash (gray/black cart, biweekly), recycling (blue cart, weekly), glass (yellow bin, weekly), and compost (green cart, weekly). Glass is separated to prevent contamination of paper in the recycling stream, this results in higher-quality recovered materials.

Each property has an assigned hauler. Portland does not have a single citywide trash service. Instead, each property is assigned to a specific garbage and recycling company based on neighborhood. To find your hauler: call the Bureau of Planning & Sustainability at (503) 823-7202, look at your monthly bill, or check the side of your waste containers. Major Portland haulers include Republic Services, Waste Management, Heiberg Garbage Service, Portland Disposal & Recycling, and Wacker Sanitary, among others.

Biweekly garbage, weekly everything else. Garbage collection is every other week. Recycling, glass, and compost are weekly. All four are collected on the same weekday for your address but on different schedules. The biweekly garbage cadence reflects Portland's strong waste diversion success, most household waste should go to compost or recycling, not landfill.

Mandatory composting. Portland's curbside compost program is one of the most established in the U.S., serving all 1-4 unit homes with weekly green cart collection. Food scraps and yard waste together. No plastic bags, even compostable ones. Use paper bags or place loose.

Cart placement. All bins must be at the curb by 6:00 AM on collection day. Most haulers recommend setting bins out the evening before. Leave at least 3 feet of clearance between each bin and 3 feet from all obstacles (parked cars, mailboxes, poles, trees). Handles should face the street. Lids must be fully closed.

Bulky waste is hauler-handled at City-set rates. Each garbage company is required by City rules to pick up bulky items within seven days of your request. Use the bulky waste cost calculator at portland.gov/bulky-waste to estimate costs before scheduling. Pickup day may be different than your regular collection day.

Oregon Recycling Modernization Act (July 2025). Oregon updated its statewide recycling list effective July 2025. New additions to recycling: clean pizza delivery boxes, plastic caps and lids. Free regular drop-off sites for hard-to-recycle items (block Styrofoam, plastic bags/film) are being developed statewide. Check recycleornot.org for the most current list.

Holiday delays. In Portland, most holidays do NOT affect trash and recycling collection. However, when Christmas Day or New Year's Day fall on a weekday, collection for that day is delayed and all remaining collections for that week move forward by one day. Sign up for hauler reminders to avoid missed service.

Bulky waste preparation rules. Don't set items out more than 24 hours before pickup. Early set-outs can soak up Portland's rain and become too heavy to lift, creating safety risks for collectors and attracting illegal dumping and pests.

Multifamily exclusion. Portland's residential service applies to single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes. Multifamily communities with 5+ units have separate commercial-style service arrangements. Renters: your landlord is the garbage account holder, so you'll need to ask them to request bulky pickups.

City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability. (503) 823-7202. portland.gov/bps/garbage-recycling. Available Monday-Friday 8 AM-5 PM.

Donation pickup, what gets accepted

Portland'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.

Paid options

Bulky pickup in Portland is exclusively fee-based through your assigned hauler, there is no free city program. Hauler rates are set by the City, so all Portland haulers charge the same standardized prices. For households who can't wait 7 days for hauler service, want full-service in-home pickup, live in 5+ unit buildings, or have items their hauler won't accept, paid options outside the hauler system are available.

What to do, by item type

Different items have different rules in Portland. Here's a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of.

Hazardous materials

Portland residents can dispose of household hazardous waste at Metro's two Hazardous Waste Facilities, Metro Central (Portland) and Metro South (Oregon City). Accepted: paint, pool/spa chemicals, pesticides, automotive products, solvents, household cleaners, batteries, propane tanks, mercury thermometers/thermostats. Nominal fees apply but are typically less than $25 for residential loads. Several retailers also offer ongoing free recycling: Home Depot for batteries and CFL bulbs, AutoZone for motor oil and car batteries (or use the free curbside next-to-glass-bin option), Best Buy for electronics, and most pharmacies for unused medications. Used motor oil and cooking oil are picked up FREE curbside, just place sealed jugs next to your yellow glass bin.

How to report illegal dumping in Portland

To report illegal dumping in Portland, call (503) 823-7202 or visit portland.gov/bps/garbage-recycling. Reports can also be filed via the PDX Reporter app. Include the location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible. Portland actively investigates dumping reports. If you're considering dumping because hauler bulky pickup fees are unaffordable, please use the free options first, mattresses go free at Bye Bye Mattress sites, electronics go free via E-Cycle Oregon, motor oil goes free curbside, and Buy Nothing groups will often pick up usable items directly from your home. For genuinely no-disposal-options situations, paid haulers like LoadUp at $80+ remain dramatically cheaper than illegal dumping fines.

Common questions