A public resource guide
Free unlimited curbside bulk pickup on your regular refuse day (no appointment, no fee), the Monroe County ecopark for electronics and HHW, and Rochester’s unique Good Friday holiday delay.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
Rochester, NY offers one of the simplest bulk waste systems of any major Northeast city: bulk items go out on your regular weekly refuse day, no appointment, no sticker, no fee, no annual limit. Furniture, mattresses, appliances, yard trimmings, bundled branches, even tires (residential only) are all accepted curbside. The main exception is electronics, which are banned from curbside by New York State e-waste law and must go to the Monroe County ecopark. This guide covers every disposal option for Rochester city residents.
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Rochester city residents can place bulk items at the curb for collection on their normal refuse day with no appointment, no fee, and no annual limit.
Accepted: Household furniture, bedding, mattresses, large appliances, bundled tree and hedge trimmings (tied in bundles no heavier than 60 lbs, max 4 feet long, max 18 inches in diameter), and residential tires (from homes only, not businesses).
NOT accepted curbside: Electronics (TVs, computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, cell phones, video game consoles). These are banned from curbside by New York State law and must go to the Monroe County ecopark.
Placement: All containers and bulk items must be curbside by 6:30 AM on your scheduled collection day. Note that unlike many cities, Rochester’s guidance calls for placement on the morning of collection rather than the evening before.
On Demand service: For larger volumes (home improvement project, tenant move-out) or if you need to put items at the curb before your collection day, the City offers a paid On Demand special pickup. Contact Rochester 311 at (585) 428-5990 to schedule.
Note on holiday delays: Rochester observes Good Friday and the day after Thanksgiving in addition to standard federal holidays, causing one-day collection delays for affected routes. If you’ve recently moved from a suburb served by a private hauler, these days may be new to you.
The Monroe County ecopark is a free, resident-only facility for electronics and hazardous waste disposal that cannot go in regular curbside collection.
Address: 10 Avion Drive, Rochester, NY 14624
Phone: (585) 753-7600, option 3
Website: monroecounty.gov/ecopark
Electronics (no appointment needed): TVs, computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, cell phones, VCR/DVD/CD players, video game consoles. New York’s e-waste law bans these from curbside and landfill disposal.
Household hazardous waste (appointment required): Oil-based paints, solvents, pesticides, herbicides, automotive fluids, pool chemicals, propane tanks, fluorescent bulbs. Call (585) 753-7600 or book online.
Latex paint tip: Small amounts of latex paint do NOT need to go to the ecopark. Remove the lid, add clay-based cat litter, stir until absorbed, allow to dry hard, then place the open can with regular refuse.
Additional e-waste options: Best Buy and Apple offer free in-store electronics takeback. Maven Technologies (585-458-2460) and RCR&R (888-563-1340) are local certified electronics recyclers.
Rochester city collects refuse once per week and recycling every other week, both on the same designated weekday for your address. Recycling routes are divided into Blue and Green calendars, each recycling on alternating weeks.
Fees for residential refuse are included on the annual property tax bill, so there is no separate monthly charge for City-served properties. The City provides a wheeled refuse toter and a 96-gallon recycling cart. Overflow refuse may be placed in sturdy plastic bags or rigid containers beside the toter, up to 60 lbs per container.
Recycling is mixed (zero-sort): paper, cardboard, metal, glass, and plastic all go in one cart together with no sorting. Do not bag recyclables.
Find your specific collection day and Blue/Green calendar assignment using the official City interactive map at cityofrochester.gov, or call 311 (outside city: 585-428-5990).
· Salvation Army Rochester — free pickup for usable furniture and large items. Schedule at satruck.org.
· Habitat for Humanity of Greater Rochester ReStore — accepts furniture, appliances, and building materials. Free pickup for qualifying donations.
· Goodwill of the Finger Lakes — multiple Rochester metro locations.
· Re-Use Action — Rochester-area nonprofit thrift stores supporting social services.
· Buy Nothing Rochester groups (Facebook) — active across Rochester neighborhoods.
Given free unlimited curbside bulk pickup, paid services are mainly useful for in-home crew labor, same-day service, or high-volume cleanouts you want completed in one trip rather than across multiple weekly collection days.
LoadUp paid pickup
$80+For Rochester households who need same-day or in-home pickup, need crew labor, or want faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Rochester area for upfront-priced pickup.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. 100% of round-ups fund subsidized pickups at standard market rates.
Book a Rochester pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Other paid services
$70–$4001-800-Got-Junk and College Hunks Hauling Junk serve the Rochester area. Local independent operators typically offer pricing 20%–30% below national chains.
Call Rochester 311 (within city) or (585) 428-5990 (outside city limits), or submit online at cityofrochester.gov. For active dumping in progress, call Rochester Police non-emergency. New York NYSDEC handles larger-scale environmental violations.
See our complete illegal dumping guide for New York state penalty information.
Does Rochester NY offer free bulk trash pickup?
Yes. City residents can place bulk items (furniture, mattresses, appliances) at the curb on their regular weekly refuse day at no charge, no appointment, no annual limit. Items must be curbside by 6:30 AM. Electronics are the main exception: TVs, computers, and monitors are banned from curbside by NY state e-waste law and must go to the Monroe County ecopark at 10 Avion Drive (free).
What are Rochester’s unusual holiday delays?
Rochester observes Good Friday and the day after Thanksgiving as official city employee holidays, causing one-day collection delays, in addition to standard federal holidays. These are unique to the City of Rochester and do not apply to suburban private haulers.
Is this page maintained?
Yes. Last updated May 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.