What You Can and Can’t Put Out on the Street for Trash Pick Up

If you’re wondering what you can put out on the street for trash pickup, you won’t get better advice than you will from someone who deals with trash on a daily basis. Jordan Grissman operates a dumpster rental service in the area surrounding Green Bay, WI, and part of his service includes delivering waste to the Outagamie County Recycling Center.

“Because we work closely with the local municipal facility, we’re very familiar with what can and can’t be picked up at the curb or accepted at the recycling center,” says Grissman.

So we had some questions: Can you throw an old chair out on the road for pickup? How about leftover paint or that troublesome styrofoam packing that accompanies every boxed appliance or piece of electronic equipment? Waste management rules may not be exactly the same in every location as they are in Wisconsin, but as our experts confirm, most are fairly universal. Here’s what to know.

What You Can Put Out on the Street for Trash/Recycling Pickup?

If you live in the UK, you can put most household waste out for trash/recycling pickup, says rubbish removal expert Gareth Lloyd Jones. “Your kitchen scraps, packaging from deliveries, and general bits and bobs will always be collected.” The same is true in Wisconsin, says Grissman: “Most cities allow household trash in sealed bags and common recyclables like cardboard, clean paper, glass containers, and plastics with 1 or 2 in the recycling logo.” Things aren’t much different in Florida, according to waste management expert Valentina Rodriguez, or more generally across the U.S., according to Brent Bell, who is the vice president of recycling at Waste Management.

Here’s a list of what you can put out on the street for pickup:

• Household trash, including items that are not recyclable and not considered hazardous waste.
• Yard waste, such as branches, grass clippings and palm fronds. In Florida, “branches should be under six inches in diameter and cut to four feet or shorter,” says Rodriguez. That’s a good rule to follow no matter where you live.
• Recyclables, including clean and dry bottles, cans, paper and cardboard. They usually go in a separate container. “Remember to keep food and liquid out of your recycling,” says Bell, who also advises: “Do not recycle loose plastic bags or bag your recyclables.” Bags interfere with the recycling process.
• Bulk items such as furniture, mattresses and appliances are generally accepted curbside, depending on your hauler’s schedule in Florida, according to Rodriguez. This isn’t true everywhere, however, (including in California, where I live), so check with your waste management service first.

What You Can’t Put Out on the Street for Trash/Recycling Pickup

The list of what you can’t put out on the street for pickup is longer than the list of what you can:

Hazardous materials

• Paints;
• Pesticides;
• Cleaning chemicals;
• Motor oil (unless in approved containers supplied by the waste authority);
• CFL light bulbs.

Construction debris

• Lumber, composites, plastics and other building materials;
• Drywall and drywall joint compound;
• Tiles;
• Concrete;
• Steel materials (rebar, hardware cloth, connecting plates).

Appliances that use refrigerant

• Refrigerators;
• Freezers;
• Air conditioners;
• Dehumidifiers.

Electronics equipment

• Televisions;
• Computers and peripherals (printers, hard drives, etc.);
• Cables.

Potentially flammable or explosive items

• Propane tanks;
• Batteries (some retailers recycle used batteries. You can find a list of those that do in your area by checking www.call2recycle.org.
• Incandescent light bulbs.

Tires

Styrofoam

Loose plastic bags (Grissman suggests taking these to a local grocery store for recycling).

Tips for Putting Trash Out on the Street

• “Use durable bags and close the lids of your bins,” says Grissman. Don’t bag recyclables, though. They must be loose in the cart.
• Place items at the curb on your assigned pickup day. Rodriguez recommends getting the trash out by 7 AM and Bell suggest 6 AM, but you get the idea…early.
• Don’t block sidewalks or mailboxes. Rodriguez recommends keeping them at least three feet away.
• Call your waste management authority or the city waste department if you have something large or unusual. Some require advance notice or special stickers on the item for it to be picked up.
• Don’t overstuff bins. “Don’t be surprised if you notice in the morning that an overstuffed bin hasn’t been collected,” warns Jones. “Crews simply won’t empty bins that are too full or have lids that won’t close properly.”

FAQ

Where do I find my city’s trash pickup rules?

Rules and regulations vary by where you live, but your city or county should have residential trash and recycling collection information on its website. If you can’t find information there, Bell recommends these two Waste Management resources:

Recycling 101

Residential Trash & Recycling Pickup

“If you’re still unsure after checking online, give your local authority a ring,” says Jones. “They’d rather answer your questions than deal with incorrectly disposed waste.”

Am I allowed to put things I want to give away out on the street?

When I lived in Japan in the ’90s, there were designated days for collecting large items, and I remember them fondly. They were field days for scavengers looking for antiques. In places without such service, the rules of what you can put out on the street vary. According to Grissman:

“It depends on local ordinances, HOA restrictions, etc. Some cities allow clearly labeled “free” items on the curb, but others may consider it against the law. The same for HOAs – you might get in trouble if you create a visual eyesore in your neighborhood. If you’re unsure, it’s safer to donate the item or list it on Facebook Marketplace.”

About the Experts

• Jordan Grissman is the owner of Grissman Dumpsters LLC, based in Appleton, WI.
• Gareth Lloyd Jones is the managing director of HIPPO, rubbish removal experts serving multiple locations in England, Scotland and Wales.
• Brent Bell is the Vice President of Recycling at Waste Management.
• Valentina Rodriguez is a seasoned educator and communicator and the Solid Waste Outreach Coordinator for St. Lucie County, Florida.

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