A public resource guide
Every legitimate way to get rid of furniture, appliances, mattresses, and bulk waste in Tucson, including FREE Brush & Bulky Plus twice per year (10 cu yd per event), the 26-zone rotation, NEW Jan 2026 curb-only rule, separated piles requirement, the purple glass drop-off containers, the orange Hefty ReNew bin, the Los Reales Sustainability Campus, and what to do when paid hauling isn't an option.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
Tucson runs a unique zone-based bulky pickup system: FREE Brush & Bulky Plus collection TWICE per year, 10 cubic yards per event, included in the Environmental Services fee with no additional charge. The City has 26 residential service areas, each receiving collection roughly every 6 months. Place piles at the curb by 6 AM Monday of your zone's scheduled week; collection occurs anytime that week (Mon-Fri). CRITICAL CHANGE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026: piles MUST be at the curb in front of your home, piles in alleys will NOT be collected (with limited exceptions for special pickup areas). Brush & Bulky has strict separated-pile rules: brush separate, lumber separate, tires separate, scrap metal separate. Brush limit: under 5 ft long, 24 in diameter; lumber under 5 ft. Box cactus pieces with a 25-lb limit per box. Remove appliance doors. Glass is NOT in the blue recycling bin, use the unique purple drop-off containers across the city. Plastic bags and Styrofoam ARE collected curbside through the Hefty ReNew orange bin program (rare nationally). Mandatory composting via FoodCycle program. Holiday schedule is one of the simplest, only 3 holidays affect collection. Special Brush & Bulky pickups available for $55 base + $25 per additional 15 minutes + $5 per additional cubic yard. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
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Tucson residents have free Brush & Bulky Plus pickup twice per year (10 cubic yards per event, paid through Environmental Services fee), free weekly automated trash collection, free biweekly recycling (single-stream blue bin, A/B alternating weeks), free purple glass drop-off containers across the city, free orange Hefty ReNew bin for plastic bags and Styrofoam (rare nationally), free FoodCycle composting program (opt-in), free Los Reales Sustainability Campus HHW Facility, free monthly Saturday HHW drop-off events at rotating Eastside/Westside locations, free Christmas tree pickup in January, and donation pickup programs. Service is provided by the City of Tucson Environmental Services Department to over 145,000 households across 26 residential service areas. Customer service: (520) 791-3171 or tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Environmental-Services.
Free Brush & Bulky Plus Pickup (twice per year, 10 cu yd/event)
Free, 2x per yearTucson's Brush & Bulky Plus program visits each of the city's 26 trash zones TWICE A YEAR (approximately every 6 months) to collect large items, yard debris, and unwanted bulky waste. Up to 10 CUBIC YARDS per household per event, one of the most generous per-event volumes in the country. Service is included in the Environmental Services fee, no additional charge.
Frequency: Twice per year per zone (approximately every 6 months). 26 service areas rotate through the year.
Volume: Up to 10 cubic yards per household per event.
Cost: FREE, included in monthly Environmental Services fee on utility bill. NO appointment, NO scheduling.
Set-out time: By 6 AM Monday of your scheduled week. Collection occurs anytime that week (Monday-Friday). Do NOT set out more than 2 weeks early.
CRITICAL: Curb-only effective Jan 1, 2026: Piles MUST be at the curb in front of your home. Piles placed in alleys will NOT be collected, with limited exceptions for special pickup areas. This is a major change from prior years.
Placement rules: Items 3 ft from structures, vehicles, mailboxes, walls, fencing, etc. Do NOT place on pavers, next to walls, or near gas/water meters.
Separated piles required: Brush separate. Lumber separate. Tires separate. Scrap metal separate. Mixed piles may not be collected.
Brush limits: Under 5 ft long, up to 24 in diameter.
Lumber limits: Under 5 ft long.
Cactus rule: Box cacti and thorny green waste in cardboard boxes for safety. 25-LB LIMIT per box.
Tires: Maximum 5 tires per event.
Appliances: Remove doors from refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers.
NOT accepted: Concrete, construction debris, dirt, rocks, glass, hazardous waste, TVs.
Find your zone: Use Find My Trash Day tool at tucsonaz.gov to enter your address.
Free Weekly Automated Trash Collection
Included in feeTucson residents receive weekly automated trash collection in City-issued blue cart. Service is included in the monthly Environmental Services fee on the utility bill. NO sign-up needed for established addresses.
Frequency: Weekly.
Cost: Included in monthly Environmental Services fee.
Set-out time: By 6 AM on collection day.
Cart placement: At least 3 ft from obstacles. Lid opening toward street, handle facing house. Cart on street with wheels against curb.
Find your day: Use Find My Trash Day tool at tucsonaz.gov.
Right Size Your Can: Tucson offers cart size options to match household need (60 or 95 gallon).
Suspension option: Residents can temporarily suspend service for up to 8 months ($50 fee for container removal/return).
Free Biweekly Recycling (Blue Bin, A/B Weeks)
Included in feeTucson uses single-stream recycling in the blue bin, collected every other week on an A/B rotation. Your address is on either Week A or Week B. Glass is NOT accepted in the blue bin, use the purple glass drop-off containers across the city. Items must be empty, clean, dry, and placed loose.
Frequency: Biweekly, every other week, A or B rotation depending on address.
Cost: Included in monthly Environmental Services fee.
What's accepted: Paper (newspapers, magazines, junk mail), cardboard (cut/flattened), aluminum cans, steel cans, empty plastic jugs and bottles, food/beverage cartons.
IMPORTANT: Don't crush cans/bottles: Tucson's sorting machinery needs items in original shape. Crushed items can be mistaken for paper and not recycled.
Leave labels and caps on: They'll be sorted downstream.
NOT in blue bin: Glass (use purple drop-off containers). Plastic bags, Styrofoam (use orange Hefty ReNew bin instead).
Set out only when half full: Automated arms work best with heavier loads.
Purple Glass Drop-Off Containers (UNIQUE TO TUCSON)
Free, year-roundTucson removed glass from curbside recycling because broken glass contaminated other recyclables and damaged sorting machinery. Instead, the city placed PURPLE glass recycling containers at neighborhood locations across the city where residents can drop off clean glass at any time. This dedicated glass system is rare nationally.
Locations: Multiple Ward offices: Ward 2 (7820 E. Broadway), Ward 4 (8123 E. Poinciana Dr), Ward 5 (4300 S. Park Ave), Ward 6 (3202 E. 1st St). Plus Los Reales Sustainability Campus.
Find nearest: Interactive map on Recycling Services page at tucsonaz.gov.
What's accepted: All rinsed glass bottles and jars (all colors).
Lids: Remove lids. Metal lids go in blue bin; non-metal in trash.
Cost: Free.
Hours: 24/7 access at most container locations.
Orange Hefty ReNew Bin (Plastic Bags & Styrofoam, RARE)
Free, opt-inTucson partners with Hefty ReNew to offer curbside recycling of hard-to-recycle plastics that cannot go in the blue bin. Tucson is one of very few U.S. cities to collect plastic bags and Styrofoam curbside instead of sending them to landfill. Place plastic bags, plastic film, and Styrofoam in special orange Hefty ReNew bags, then place at curb on recycling day.
What's accepted: Plastic grocery bags, plastic film, bubble wrap, Styrofoam (clean, white).
How to participate: Get orange Hefty ReNew bags at participating locations. Fill with eligible items. Place at curb on recycling day next to blue bin.
Why this is rare: Most U.S. cities reject plastic bags and Styrofoam from curbside recycling because they contaminate sorting equipment. Tucson's dedicated orange bag system handles them in a separate stream.
Cost: Free for participating residents.
Free FoodCycle Composting Program (Opt-in)
Free, opt-inThe FoodCycle program lets Tucson residents compost food scraps. Sign up to receive a small countertop composter and instructions for proper food scrap disposal, either drop-off or pickup options available depending on participating neighborhood.
How to enroll: Visit tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Environmental-Services/FoodCycle-At-Home.
What's accepted: Food scraps including meat, dairy, bones (depending on program).
Cost: Free for participating residents.
Free Los Reales Sustainability Campus HHW Facility
Free for residentsThe Los Reales Sustainability Campus is the City's permanent Household Hazardous Waste facility, open Monday-Friday. Free for City of Tucson residents with proof of residency. Plus free monthly Saturday drop-off events at rotating Eastside and Westside locations.
Permanent facility: Los Reales Sustainability Campus, open Monday-Friday.
Monthly events: Free monthly drop-off events on the second Saturday of each month at rotating Eastside and Westside locations.
What's accepted: Paint, motor oil, pesticides, household cleaners, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, propane tanks, electronics.
Eligibility: Free for City of Tucson residents with proof of residency.
Non-Tucson Pima County residents: $10 fee for residents of Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita, and unincorporated Pima County.
Free Christmas Tree Curbside Pickup
Free, seasonalTucson collects Christmas trees curbside during the FIRST TWO WEEKS of January as part of the Brush & Bulky program. Place trees at the front curb. Strip ALL decorations, lights, tinsel, stands, and plastic bags. Cut trees taller than 6 feet in half. Flocked trees may not be composted, contact Environmental Services for disposal guidance.
When: First two weeks of January.
How: Place at front curb on regular collection day during the window.
Prep: Remove ALL decorations, lights, tinsel, stands, plastic bags.
Tall trees: Cut trees taller than 6 feet in half.
Flocked trees: NOT compostable. Contact Environmental Services for guidance.
Cost: Free.
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. Tucson partner expansion is in progress for 2026.
Eligibility: Households in active partner communities. Ask your property manager whether your building participates.
Status in Tucson: Onboarding partner properties throughout 2026.
Donation-pickup programs
FreeTucson-area nonprofits offer free pickup for items in usable condition.
The Salvation Army Tucson: Free pickup of clothing, furniture, household items. Schedule at satruck.org or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK.
Habitat for Humanity Tucson ReStore: Multiple locations. Free pickup for furniture, appliances, building materials.
Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona: Donation pickup for larger items in the Tucson metro area.
Tucson Freecycle: Online listings to give unwanted items free to neighbors. Online platform at freecycle.org.
American Lung Association: Vehicle donation program: 520-323-1812.
Tucson Environmental Services service area. The City of Tucson Environmental Services Department serves over 145,000 households across 26 residential service areas. Surrounding cities (Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita) and unincorporated Pima County have their own waste arrangements.
The 26-zone Brush & Bulky Plus rotation. Tucson is divided into 26 residential service areas. Each zone receives Brush & Bulky Plus collection TWICE per year (approximately every 6 months). Use the Find My Trash Day tool at tucsonaz.gov to find your zone's scheduled weeks. The 10-cubic-yard-per-event volume cap is generous, among the highest in the country, equivalent to roughly a small to medium U-Haul truck of bulk material.
MAJOR CHANGE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026: Curb-only. Effective January 1, 2026, Brush & Bulky piles MUST be placed at the curb in front of your home. Piles placed in alleys will NOT be collected, with limited exceptions for special pickup areas. This is a significant change from prior years when alley pickup was widely available. The change was driven by safety issues identified during a 2025 alley evaluation: many alleys had conditions that prevented safe operation of bulky pickup trucks. Alley trash collection (regular weekly trash) continues in alleys deemed safe; only Brush & Bulky has changed to curb-only.
Separated piles requirement. Brush, lumber, tires, and scrap metal must be placed in separate piles, do NOT mix. Different materials require different equipment for collection. Box cacti and thorny green waste should be placed in cardboard boxes for crew safety with a 25-lb limit per box.
The unique 3-stream recycling system. Tucson has one of the most carefully designed recycling systems in the U.S.: Blue bin for paper, cardboard, aluminum, steel, plastic. Purple drop-off containers for glass (rare nationally, most cities accept glass curbside but Tucson removed it because broken glass contaminated other recyclables and damaged sorting equipment). Orange Hefty ReNew bags for plastic bags and Styrofoam (also rare nationally, most cities reject these from curbside recycling). The 3-stream approach maximizes material recovery while keeping each stream's contamination low.
Don't crush cans or bottles. Tucson's sorting machinery needs items in their ORIGINAL SHAPE to identify materials accurately. Crushed cans can be mistaken for paper on the sorting line and not recycled. Leave items in their original shape, lids and labels on (sorted downstream).
Holiday delays, only 3 days. Tucson delays trash and recycling collection for ONLY THREE holidays: New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. All other federal holidays, MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, are normal collection days. This is one of the simplest holiday schedules in the country.
Special Brush & Bulky pickup pilot. A pilot program allows residents to call in 2 special pickups anytime during the year for a base fee of $55 plus $25 per additional 15 minutes plus $5 per additional cubic yard. This provides a flexible alternative to waiting for the next zone rotation week.
Cart-only collection. Service is provided only to addresses on Environmental Services' service list. Place at least 3 ft from obstacles for automated arm. Some Tucson neighborhoods utilize shared 300-gallon containers in alleys, share rules apply (use only your allocated 1/3 of container space; lids face center of alley; no bulky items).
Customer service. Environmental Services Department: (520) 791-3171. Find your trash day, A/B recycling week, and Brush & Bulky schedule at tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Environmental-Services/Find-Trash-Recycling-Pickup-Day-and-Information. Recycle Coach app for pickup reminders. Waste Wizard at tucsonaz.gov for "What Goes Where" lookups.
Tucson'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 exceed 10 cubic yards in a single Brush & Bulky event, can't wait until their zone's next rotation (~6 months max), have items the City won't accept (concrete, construction debris, dirt, rocks, glass, hazardous waste, TVs), need same-day or in-home pickup, live in apartment buildings (often shared dumpster service through private hauler), or want full-service hauling, paid options are available. Note: Tucson's 10-cubic-yard volume cap per event is one of the most generous in the country, for typical household cleanouts, the twice-a-year free service handles most needs.
LoadUp paid pickup
$70+For households who need same-day or in-home pickup, exceed the 10-cu-yd-per-event limit, can't wait until the next zone rotation, have items the City won't accept (concrete, construction debris, glass, TVs), or want full-service hauling without managing separated-pile rules and curb-placement requirements, LoadUp offers professional removal in Tucson 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. We handle all separation and placement requirements.
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-load cleanouts, items the City won't accept (concrete, construction, glass, TVs), apartment buildings, urgent same-day timelines, items over 10 cu yd at once.
Other paid services in Tucson: 1-800-Got-Junk Tucson, 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 Tucson pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
City Special Brush & Bulky Pickup ($55+)
$55 base+For Tucson residents who can't wait for their zone's rotation week, the City offers Special Brush & Bulky pickup for a fee. Base fee $55 for up to 10 cubic yards, plus $25 per additional 15 minutes and $5 per additional cubic yard. Schedule via Environmental Services.
Base fee: $55 for up to 10 cubic yards.
Additional time: $25 per additional 15 minutes.
Additional volume: $5 per additional cubic yard.
Pilot program: Residents may call in 2 special pickups anytime during the year.
Same rules apply: Same separated-pile requirements, same exclusions (no concrete, construction, glass, TVs).
Different items have different rules in Tucson. Here's a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of.
Tucson residents have free hazardous waste disposal at the Los Reales Sustainability Campus, open Monday-Friday. Plus free monthly Saturday drop-off events on the second Saturday of each month at rotating Eastside and Westside locations. Free for City of Tucson residents with proof of residency. $10 fee for residents of Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita, and unincorporated Pima County. Drop off paint, motor oil, pesticides, household cleaners, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, propane tanks, and electronics. Several retailers also offer ongoing free recycling: Home Depot for batteries and CFL bulbs, AutoZone for motor oil and car batteries, Best Buy for electronics, most pharmacies for unused medications. Tucson's Small Business Waste Assistance Program (SBWAP) provides safe and affordable disposal for small businesses through Environmental Services.
To report illegal dumping in Tucson, call (520) 791-3171 or use the City's online reporting tools at tucsonaz.gov. Reports can also be filed via the SeeClickFix app. Include the location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible. Tucson investigates dumping reports through Environmental Services and the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ, for unincorporated areas). The 2026 curb-only rule was driven partly by alley dumping issues; the change is expected to reduce illegal dumping in alleys. If you're considering dumping because of timing or volume, please use the FREE twice-yearly Brush & Bulky Plus collection, with 10 cubic yards per event, most cleanouts can be handled completely free. For urgent timelines, paid haulers like LoadUp at $70+ are dramatically cheaper than illegal dumping fines under Arizona law.
Is there really free junk removal in Tucson?
Yes, Tucson residents get free Brush & Bulky Plus pickup TWICE per year (every 6 months) with up to 10 cubic yards per event. NO appointment, NO scheduling, just place items at the curb by 6 AM Monday of your zone's scheduled week. Service is included in the monthly Environmental Services fee on your utility bill. Plus: free weekly automated trash collection, free biweekly blue bin recycling, free purple glass drop-off containers across the city, free orange Hefty ReNew program for plastic bags and Styrofoam (rare nationally), free FoodCycle composting program, free Los Reales Sustainability Campus HHW Facility, free monthly Saturday HHW drop-off events, free Christmas tree pickup in January, and free donation pickup through Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, Goodwill, and Tucson Freecycle. CRITICAL change effective January 1, 2026: Brush & Bulky piles MUST be at the curb in front of your home, piles in alleys will NOT be collected (limited exceptions for special pickup areas).
What changed January 1, 2026 with the alley rule?
Effective January 1, 2026, Brush & Bulky piles MUST be placed at the curb in front of your home. Piles placed in alleys will NOT be collected, with limited exceptions for special pickup areas. The change is significant because many Tucson neighborhoods historically used alley pickup for Brush & Bulky, this is no longer allowed. The reasoning came from a 2025 Environmental Services evaluation: many alleys had conditions (narrow access, overhanging branches, parked vehicles, soft ground) that prevented safe operation of bulky pickup trucks and created recurring service challenges for both residents and staff. Regular weekly trash collection continues in alleys deemed safe, only Brush & Bulky has changed. To prepare: identify the curb in front of your home, ensure 3 ft clearance from structures, vehicles, mailboxes, walls, fencing, and gas/water meters, and don't place piles on pavers or next to walls.
Why is glass not in the blue recycling bin?
Like Albuquerque, Kansas City, and a handful of other cities, Tucson removed glass from curbside recycling because broken glass shards contaminated paper and other recyclables and damaged sorting machinery. Sending glass curbside actually sent more recyclable material to landfills (because the glass-contaminated bales were rejected by mills). Instead, Tucson placed PURPLE glass recycling containers at neighborhood locations across the city, multiple Ward offices (Ward 2, 4, 5, 6) plus the Los Reales Sustainability Campus. Find the nearest container using the interactive map on the Recycling Services page at tucsonaz.gov. Containers are accessible 24/7. All colors of glass bottles and jars accepted, rinse, remove lids (metal lids go in blue bin, non-metal in trash). The dedicated glass system actually recovers MORE glass than the typical curbside-recycling system because it stays cleaner and uncontaminated.
How does the orange Hefty ReNew program work?
Tucson partners with Hefty ReNew to offer curbside recycling of hard-to-recycle plastics that can't go in the regular blue bin: plastic grocery bags, plastic film, bubble wrap, and clean white Styrofoam. Most U.S. cities reject these items from curbside recycling because they jam sorting equipment, they end up in landfills or as ocean pollution. Tucson is one of very few cities to handle them in a separate stream. How it works: get orange Hefty ReNew bags at participating retail locations. Fill with eligible items at home. On your recycling collection day, place the orange bag at the curb next to your blue bin. A separate truck collects the orange bags. The collected materials are converted to new products through Hefty's recycling partners. The program significantly reduces what would otherwise be landfill-bound plastic waste. Cost: free for participating residents.
I have 12 cubic yards to dispose of. What's the cheapest way?
Several options depending on timing and budget: (1) BEST IF TIMING WORKS: Use one Brush & Bulky Plus event (10 cu yd, free during your zone's rotation week). For the remaining 2 cubic yards, wait for the next rotation 6 months later, OR use a free Drop-Off Site visit. Cost: $0 spread over time. (2) FAST OPTION: Use the City's Special Brush & Bulky pickup pilot, $55 base for first 10 cu yd plus $5 per additional cubic yard = roughly $65-$75 for 12 cu yd. Cheaper than any private hauler. (3) URGENT: Hire LoadUp at $70+ base for same-day pickup. (4) LARGEST VOLUME: Rent a roll-off dumpster from Republic Services or WM at $300-500 depending on size and time. Most household 12-yard cleanouts work best with option 2 (Special pickup) if timing is urgent, or option 1 (free) if you can wait.
How do I qualify for Freemoval in Tucson?
Freemoval works through partner communities, typically affordable housing operators, public housing authorities, and select municipal partnerships. We’re actively expanding partnerships in Tucson through 2026, particularly relevant for the apartment buildings that often share container service with private haulers and don't have direct access to City Brush & Bulky. 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 Tucson, contact us to discuss adding your community.
How do I report illegal dumping in Tucson?
Call Environmental Services at (520) 791-3171 or use the City's online reporting tools at tucsonaz.gov. Reports can also be filed via the SeeClickFix app. For unincorporated Pima County areas, contact the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ).
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 Tucson partner properties through 2026. Reach out to prioritize your community.
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