A public resource guide
Every legitimate way to get rid of furniture, appliances, mattresses, and bulk waste in Richmond, including BIWEEKLY year-round Bulk and Brush pickup, the City-issued supercan rule, two free transfer stations, the 15 neighborhood Saturday Cleanups, the $50 appliance pickup fee, and what to do when paid hauling isn't an option.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
Richmond runs an unusually comprehensive system: biweekly year-round Bulk and Brush pickup that mirrors the recycling Blue/Red week schedule, two free transfer stations open year-round, AND a 15 neighborhood Saturday Cleanup program that visits each zone twice between March and November. Trash collection requires City-issued "supercans" only per Section 86-81 ordinance, items in non-issued containers will not be collected and a violation notice will be issued. Set-out timing is strict: out no earlier than 4 PM the day before, removed by 7 AM the day after. Appliance pickups carry a $50 fee. Tire disposal limited to 4 free per household at the East Richmond Road Convenience Center. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
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Richmond residents have free biweekly Bulk and Brush pickup year-round (mirrors recycling schedule), free weekly trash, free biweekly recycling (95-gallon cart through CVWMA), free Saturday Cleanup program (twice per zone March-November), free drop-off at two transfer stations year-round, free drop-off recycling at multiple locations, and donation pickup programs. The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) provides residential waste services through the Solid Waste Division.
Free Biweekly Bulk and Brush Pickup (year-round)
Free, every 2 weeksRichmond provides BIWEEKLY year-round Bulk and Brush pickup. Per City Code Section 11-103, bulk items must be placed out on your trash collection day during your recycling week. The schedule mirrors the recycling Blue/Red week alternation. Storm debris and tree limbs from major storm events are also handled through this same program, NO call or request needed.
Frequency: Biweekly year-round. Mirrors the recycling Blue/Red week schedule.
Set-out day: Trash collection day during your recycling week.
Cost: Free for City of Richmond residential customers.
Storm debris: Storm-related limbs/branches handled in the same program. No call or request needed. Crews do NOT enter private property even if a City tree is involved.
Storm priority: After major storms, City crews work 24/7. Emergency situations get priority before residential debris is cleared.
Two Free Transfer Stations (year-round drop-off)
Free for residentsRichmond residents can drop off appliances, bulk items, and brush refuse FREE at two transfer stations: East Richmond Road Convenience Center (3800 East Richmond Road) and Southside Transfer Station (3520 N. Hopkins Road). Both accept household trash and limited amounts of bulk. Free for residents.
East Richmond Road Convenience Center: 3800 East Richmond Road. Mon-Fri 7 AM-3:30 PM, Sat 8:30 AM-2 PM. Closed Sundays and holidays.
Southside Transfer Station: 3520 N. Hopkins Road. Mon-Fri 6:30 AM-4:30 PM, Sat 8:30 AM-2 PM. Closed Sundays and holidays. Phone: 804-232-8488.
Cost: Free for City of Richmond residents.
Tire limit: 4 free passenger tires per household with no rims at ERRCC. $1 each for more than 4 passenger tires; $5 each for tractor-trailer tires. No off-road or oversized tires.
NOT for commercial: No commercial vehicles. Residential only.
Saturday Cleanup Program (15 zones, twice per year)
Free, March-NovemberRichmond runs a free Saturday Cleanup program in 15 neighborhood zones, twice per zone between March and November. DPW crews collect bulk items and trash including furniture, mattresses, tires (4 per household), appliances, and bundled brush. All clean-ups run 8 AM until noon (rain or shine).
Frequency: 15 neighborhood zones, each visited twice per year between March 15 and November 15.
Hours: 8 AM-12 noon, rain or shine.
Set-out time: Place items Friday evening wherever trash is normally placed (curbside or alley).
What's accepted: Furniture, mattresses, tires (4 per household), appliances, brush (cut into 4-foot lengths and bundled).
NOT accepted: Electronics, construction debris, hazardous waste, glass.
Find your date: Use the DPW Service Finder at rva.gov to verify clean-up dates for your neighborhood.
Contact: askpublicworks@rva.gov for more information.
Free Drop-Off Recycling Locations
Free, several locationsRichmond provides drop-off recycling containers throughout the city. They accept everything that goes in your curbside cart. Useful for residents in apartments without curbside service or for cardboard surges from move-ins.
Parker Field Annex: 1710 Robin Hood Road, Richmond, VA. Open 7 AM-dusk.
Stratford Hills Shopping Center: 6788 Forest Hill Avenue near Hathaway Road.
East Richmond Road Landfill: 3800 East Richmond Road (also serves as transfer station).
What's accepted: Same items as curbside, paper, cardboard, glass bottles/jars, metal cans, plastic bottles/jugs/tubs.
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. Richmond partner expansion is in progress for 2026.
Eligibility: Households in active partner communities. Ask your property manager whether your building participates.
Status in Richmond: Onboarding partner properties throughout 2026.
Donation-pickup programs
FreeRichmond-area nonprofits offer free pickup for items in usable condition.
The Salvation Army Richmond: Free pickup of clothing, furniture, household items. Schedule at satruck.org or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK.
Habitat for Humanity Greater Richmond ReStore: Multiple locations. Free pickup for furniture, appliances, building materials.
Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia: Donation pickup for larger items in the Richmond metro area.
CARITAS: Richmond-based nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness. Accepts furniture, household goods, clothing donations.
Department of Public Works (DPW) service area. The City of Richmond DPW Solid Waste Division provides residential trash, recycling, bulk and brush, and yard waste services to City of Richmond residents (within city limits). Surrounding counties (Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover) operate their own waste services or contract with private haulers like WM, different rules, schedules, and fees apply outside Richmond city limits.
Supercan-only ordinance. Section 86-81(a)(b) of the City of Richmond Ordinance requires residential trash to be placed inside a City-issued "supercan." Items placed in non-issued cans or containers will NOT be collected and a violation notification will be issued. Bagged refuse and boxes are also collected during weekly pickup. If you need a supercan or have lost yours, call the Solid Waste Division at (804) 646-1798.
Strict set-out window. Per City Code Section 86-44 (Ordinance No. 2007-230-275): supercans must be placed out NO EARLIER THAN 4:00 PM the day prior to collection AND NO LATER THAN 6:00 AM on collection day. Cans must be REMOVED from City property by 7:00 AM the day after collection. Leaving cans on City property outside this window can result in a $50 fine. The City issues yellow warning stickers on receptacles that must be removed.
Trash collection schedule. Residential trash is collected ONCE PER WEEK, Monday through Thursday. Find your specific day at rva.gov.
Recycling through CVWMA. Each home is provided a 95-gallon recycling cart (green cart with blue lid). Recycling collection runs Monday through Thursday on Blue and Red weeks, the alternating biweekly schedule. Use the CVWMA web tool at cvwma.com to look up your exact day. Make sure your recycling is out by 7 AM on your collection day.
Recycling rules. Loose, clean, dry items in the cart. NO plastic bags or plastic-bagged recyclables. NO Styrofoam, food-contaminated items, sheets or balls of aluminum foil, shredded paper, hoses, or cords.
Bulk and Brush mirrors recycling schedule. Per City Code Section 11-103, the program modifications provide BIWEEKLY collection year-round, mirroring the recycling collection schedule. Bulk items must be placed out on your trash collection day during your recycling week.
Yard and vegetative waste. Large items such as brush may be placed for collection next to your trash can, pickup occurs within 2-4 weeks. Grass clippings and leaves can be composted or taken to the East Richmond Road Convenience Center for recycling.
Appliance pickup fee. There is a $50 fee for City collection of appliances. For more information or to arrange a pickup, call 3-1-1 (804-646-7000). Alternatively, drop off appliances FREE at either transfer station.
Business container limits. Businesses such as churches, apartment complexes, and rooming houses are allowed a maximum of 4 cans at $23.75/month per can. Businesses requiring more than 4 cans must use a private hauler per City Code.
Customer service. 3-1-1 (804-646-7000). Solid Waste Division: (804) 646-1798. Email: askpublicworks@rva.gov. rva.gov/public-works.
Richmond'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 with appliance disposal needs (City charges $50/appliance, but free if you self-haul to transfer stations), construction debris, items the city won't take in bulk pickup or Saturday Cleanups (electronics, hazardous waste, glass), need same-day service, or live in apartments using private haulers, paid options are available. Note: Richmond's combination of biweekly Bulk and Brush + Saturday Cleanups + 2 free transfer stations means most cleanouts can be handled free with planning. Self-hauling appliances to a transfer station avoids the $50 fee.
LoadUp paid pickup
$70+For households who need same-day service, can't wait for biweekly Bulk and Brush, have items the City won't take, want to avoid the $50 appliance fee while also avoiding self-hauling, live in apartments, or want full-service in-home pickup, LoadUp offers professional removal in Richmond 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, crew handles in-home pickup.
Pricing: Starts around $70 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
When this beats waiting: Move-outs, real estate timelines, multi-item cleanouts, electronics (city doesn't take), construction debris, glass, hazardous waste.
Other paid services in Richmond: RVA Junk Removal, 1-800-Got-Junk, College Hunks Hauling Junk, 911 Junk Removal, 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 Richmond pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Different items have different rules in Richmond. Here's a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of.
Richmond residents can dispose of household hazardous waste through Central Virginia Waste Management Authority (CVWMA) HHW programs and periodic special events. The City of Richmond does NOT accept hazardous waste in regular trash, bulk pickup, or Saturday Cleanups. 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 discarded tires or illegal dumping in your alleyway or along the roadside: call 3-1-1 or 804-646-7000 and provide the specific location to have abandoned tires removed.
To report illegal dumping in Richmond, call 3-1-1 or 804-646-7000. Reports can also be filed at rva.gov or via email to askpublicworks@rva.gov. Include the location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible. Richmond's Solid Waste Division actively investigates dumping reports through code enforcement, fines under Virginia law and city ordinance can be substantial. If you're considering dumping because you can't wait for biweekly Bulk and Brush pickup, please use one of the two free transfer stations (open 6 days a week year-round) or your neighborhood Saturday Cleanup. For urgent timelines, paid haulers like LoadUp at $70+ are dramatically cheaper than illegal dumping fines.
Is there really free junk removal in Richmond?
Yes, Richmond has one of the most comprehensive free disposal programs of any major Virginia city. Residents get: (1) FREE biweekly year-round Bulk and Brush pickup that mirrors recycling Blue/Red weeks. (2) FREE access to two transfer stations 6 days a week (East Richmond Road Convenience Center and Southside Transfer Station). (3) FREE Saturday Cleanup program in 15 neighborhood zones, twice per zone between March and November. (4) FREE 4 passenger tires per household at the transfer stations. (5) Free drop-off recycling at Parker Field, Stratford Hills, and East Richmond Road. (6) Donation pickup through Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, Goodwill, and CARITAS. Note: appliance pickup carries a $50 fee, but appliances can be dropped FREE at the transfer stations. Electronics, construction debris, hazardous waste, and glass are NOT accepted in city pickup.
Why must I use a City-issued supercan?
Section 86-81(a)(b) of the City of Richmond Ordinance requires residential trash to be placed inside a City-issued "supercan", not in any other container. The reason: Richmond's automated collection trucks use mechanical arms designed to lift specific cart sizes. Other containers can't be lifted safely or efficiently. Items placed in non-issued cans or containers will NOT be collected and a violation notification will be issued. If you don't have a supercan or yours has been lost or damaged, call the Solid Waste Division at (804) 646-1798 to request a replacement. The supercan serial number is tied to your address.
How do I avoid the $50 appliance pickup fee?
The $50 City appliance pickup fee can be avoided three ways: (1) Self-haul to either transfer station, East Richmond Road Convenience Center (3800 East Richmond Road) or Southside Transfer Station (3520 N. Hopkins Road), for FREE drop-off year-round. (2) Ask your appliance retailer for free haul-away during delivery of a replacement, many offer this at no charge. (3) Donate the appliance if it's working, Habitat ReStore and Salvation Army will pick up working appliances free. (4) For large cleanouts or multiple appliances, a paid hauler like LoadUp may be more cost-effective per item than $50 each through the city.
How does the 15-zone Saturday Cleanup program work?
Richmond divides the city into 15 neighborhood zones for the Saturday Cleanup program. Between March 15 and November 15, DPW crews visit each zone TWICE per year (about every 4 months for each zone). On your zone's Saturday cleanup, place items Friday evening wherever trash is normally placed (curbside or alley). Cleanups run 8 AM-12 noon, rain or shine. Crews collect almost everything: furniture, mattresses, tires (4 per household), appliances, brush (cut into 4-foot bundled lengths). What they DON'T collect: electronics, construction debris, hazardous waste, glass. Use the DPW Service Finder at rva.gov to verify your zone's next cleanup date.
How do I qualify for Freemoval in Richmond?
Freemoval works through partner communities, typically affordable housing operators, public housing authorities, and select municipal partnerships. We’re actively expanding partnerships in Richmond 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 in Richmond, contact us to discuss adding your community.
How does the recycling Blue/Red week schedule work?
Richmond uses an alternating biweekly recycling schedule with Blue weeks and Red weeks. Each home is provided a 95-gallon green recycling cart with a blue lid. Recycling is collected Monday through Thursday on the corresponding Blue or Red week for your address. Bulk and Brush pickup mirrors this same schedule, bulk items go out on your trash collection day during your RECYCLING week. To find your specific Blue/Red week and collection days, use the CVWMA web tool at cvwma.com or rva.gov. Make sure recycling is out by 7 AM on your collection day, and remember items must be loose, clean, dry, no plastic bags.
How do I report illegal dumping in Richmond?
Call 3-1-1 or 804-646-7000. Reports can also be filed at rva.gov or via email to askpublicworks@rva.gov. Include location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible.
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 Richmond partner properties through 2026. Reach out to prioritize your community.
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