A public resource guide
Every legitimate way to get rid of furniture, appliances, mattresses, and bulk waste in St. Louis, including monthly bulk pickup, the city's transfer stations (12 free loads per year), donation programs, and what to do when paid hauling isn't an option.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
St. Louis residents have a generous combination of free services: monthly bulk pickup organized by region, plus 12 free loads per year at the city's two transfer stations. This page walks through every option in order from free to paid, with the specific rules that apply in St. Louis City.
Start here
What brings you to this page today?
On this page
St. Louis offers monthly bulk pickup (3 items per pickup), free drop-off at two city transfer stations (up to 12 loads per year per household), and donation pickup programs. The City of St. Louis Refuse Division services St. Louis City only, properties in St. Louis County are served by private haulers.
Monthly Bulk Pickup
Free with serviceSt. Louis collects bulk items once a month based on your region. The city is divided into 4 regions (Region 1 = 1st Monday, Region 2 = 2nd Monday, etc.). Up to 3 bulk items per household per pickup, including BOAT-E items (Batteries, Oil, Appliances, Tires, Electronics).
Eligibility: St. Louis City residential customers (single-family and multi-family up to 4 units). Service is included in your $14/month/unit solid waste services fee.
What's accepted: Up to 3 items: household furniture, appliances, bundled branches, logs. BOAT-E items can be combined with bulk pickup.
What's not accepted: Railroad ties (creosote-soaked wood). Construction/demolition debris.
How to schedule: No scheduling needed, bulk goes out automatically on your scheduled bulk Monday. Find your region at stlouis-mo.gov, or call the Citizens' Service Bureau at 314-622-4800.
If items aren't collected: Allow the Refuse Division the entire week. If still not picked up by week's end, report to the Citizens' Service Bureau.
St. Louis Transfer Stations
Free for residentsSt. Louis City residents can drop off up to 12 loads per year (one standard truck load per visit) at two city-operated transfer stations, open 7 days a week between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, except city-observed holidays. Useful for items beyond your monthly 3-item limit, or when you can't wait for the next bulk Monday.
North Transfer Station: 4124 North First Street, 63147.
South Transfer Station: 4100 South First Street, 63118.
Limits: Up to 12 loads per household per year. One standard truck load per visit. Commercial trucks not allowed; rental trucks acceptable.
What you need: Proof of identity and St. Louis City residency. Loads inspected on-site.
Also accepts: Trash, yard waste, remodeling debris (no major contractor projects), automotive batteries, motor oil.
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. St. Louis partner expansion is in progress for 2026.
Eligibility: Households in active partner communities. Ask your property manager whether your building participates.
Status in St. Louis: Onboarding partner properties throughout 2026.
Donation-pickup programs
FreeSt. Louis-area nonprofits offer free pickup for items in usable condition. The right path for furniture, working appliances, and household goods that someone else can use.
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 St. Louis-area locations. Pickup for furniture, appliances, building materials.
Goodwill of Greater St. Louis: Donation pickup available for larger items. Visit mersgoodwill.org.
Twice-weekly trash collection. St. Louis residents have either Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday collection, depending on address and whether they have alley dumpster service or roll cart service. The basic solid waste fee is $14/month/unit, billed quarterly on your water bill.
Drop-off recycling. Alley recycling has shifted to drop-off recycling locations. Find drop-off sites at stlcityrecycles.com.
Yard waste. Weekly during spring, summer, and fall (resumes the first full week in March). Yard waste collection is discontinued during winter months.
Citizens' Service Bureau (CSB). The CSB at 314-622-4800 (Monday-Friday 8 AM-5 PM) is the main contact for trash issues, missed pickups, illegal dumping reports, and bulk pickup questions. Reports can also be submitted online at stlouis-mo.gov.
Camera enforcement. St. Louis operates roughly 275 alleyway cameras specifically to catch illegal dumpers. The Environmental Investigations Unit reviews footage and prosecuted 818 charges in 2022 alone, a 137% increase over 2020. The maximum fine for illegal dumping was raised from $500 to $1,000 by Prop F in 2022.
Outside St. Louis City. Properties in St. Louis County (even those with St. Louis mailing addresses) are not served by the City Refuse Division. County residents are served by Waste Connections of Missouri or other contracted haulers, with monthly bulk pickup available since April 2022.
St. Louis'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 or have items beyond what monthly bulk and transfer station drop-off allow, paid options range from private haulers to dumpster rental.
LoadUp paid pickup
$80+For households who can't wait for monthly bulk Monday or have construction debris not accepted by city services, LoadUp offers professional removal in St. Louis 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 $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
Other paid services in St. Louis: 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 St. Louis pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Different items have different rules in St. Louis. Here's a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of.
St. Louis Refuse Division accepts automotive batteries and motor oil at Transfer Stations free for City residents. For other household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, pesticides), check stlouis-mo.gov for periodic HHW collection events. 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.
St. Louis takes illegal dumping seriously and operates one of the most aggressive enforcement programs in the country, roughly 275 alleyway cameras feed an Environmental Investigations Unit that prosecuted 818 charges in 2022. To report dumping that has already occurred: call the Citizens' Service Bureau at 314-622-4800 or report online at stlouis-mo.gov. To report dumping in progress: call the St. Louis Metropolitan Police non-emergency line at 314-231-1212 and ask for the Trash Task Force. Tips that lead to a conviction may receive up to a $100 reward. Maximum fine is $1,000 (raised from $500 by Prop F in 2022). If you're considering dumping because you can't afford a haul, please use one of the free options above, the city's 12 free transfer station loads per year and monthly bulk pickup mean nearly every situation has a legal alternative.
Is there really free junk removal in St. Louis?
Yes, St. Louis offers free monthly bulk pickup for all city residential customers (3 items per household per month), plus up to 12 free loads per year at the city’s two transfer stations (North at 4124 N. First St., South at 4100 S. First St.). The transfer stations are open 7 days a week, 8 AM to 4 PM. Donation pickup through Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, and Goodwill is also free for usable items.
When is my bulk pickup day in St. Louis?
St. Louis is divided into 4 regions for bulk pickup. Region 1 is the 1st Monday of the month, Region 2 is the 2nd Monday, Region 3 is the 3rd Monday, and Region 4 is the 4th Monday. Find your region at stlouis-mo.gov using the bulk refuse pickup schedule map. You can also call the Citizens' Service Bureau at 314-622-4800.
How do I dispose of a mattress in St. Louis?
Several free options. Put it out as one of your 3 monthly bulk pickup items on your scheduled bulk Monday. Drop it at North or South Transfer Station free with proof of city residency (counts as 1 of your 12 annual free loads). Donate it through Salvation Army or Habitat ReStore if it’s in good condition. For same-week service, paid LoadUp pickup starts around $80.
How do I qualify for Freemoval in St. Louis?
Freemoval works through partner communities, typically affordable housing operators, public housing authorities, and select municipal partnerships. We’re actively expanding partnerships in St. Louis 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 St. Louis, contact us to discuss adding your community.
I live in St. Louis County, not the city. Does this apply?
No, the City of St. Louis Refuse Division only services properties within St. Louis City limits, not St. Louis County. County residents (even with St. Louis mailing addresses) are served by Waste Connections of Missouri or other contracted haulers under the County’s Waste Code. The County requires a minimum of two bulk item pickups per year per household, and as of April 2022, haulers in unincorporated St. Louis County provide monthly bulk pickups. Contact your local trash service provider for specifics.
Why doesn't my apartment building have bulk pickup?
St. Louis’s residential collection serves single-family homes and multi-family up to 4 units. Larger multi-family properties contract with private waste haulers, so the city’s free monthly bulk pickup typically doesn’t apply. Your property’s contracted hauler may or may not include bulk service. This gap is exactly why Freemoval exists: residents of multi-family low-income housing often have the fewest free options.
How do I report illegal dumping in St. Louis?
St. Louis runs one of the most aggressive enforcement programs in the country, with about 275 alleyway cameras feeding an Environmental Investigations Unit. To report dumping that has already occurred: call the Citizens' Service Bureau at 314-622-4800 or online at stlouis-mo.gov. To report dumping in progress: call the police non-emergency line at 314-231-1212 and ask for the Trash Task Force. Tips that lead to a conviction may receive up to $100 reward. The maximum fine is $1,000.
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 St. Louis partner properties through 2026. Reach out to prioritize your community.
Start a partnership conversation