Large Item Collection

Problem Materials and Major Appliances
As part of your garbage service, you may place up a maximum of TWO large items at your collection point for pickup, free of charge.
• Burnable items are collected on your garbage day.
• Non-burnable items (major appliances, items more than 50% metal, and hide-a-beds) are collected on the next business day after recycling pickup.
• Place items next to your garbage cart by 6:00 AM
• Attach a note to each item that says "For Solid Waste".
• Large item collection is a special service included in your monthly fee.
Hazardous waste items are not burnable; check our What To Do List for more information.
Please be considerate to your neighbors. Place large items for collection no more than one day in advance. Garbage crews turn in a daily list of items to be picked up, and a special crew returns the NEXT working day to pick up your items.
If you are not sure what the correct day for a particular large item or are unsure if we would pick it up, call the Solid Waste & Recycling Office at (612) 673-2917.
If you know we pick it up the item, but are unsure of which week, put it out on your recycling day, and our crews will ensure that the correct truck gets your large item.
Donate Useable Large Items
Your trash may be someone else’s treasure. If still useable, find another use for it or offer it to family, friends, neighbors or co-workers. Have a garage sale, or give to someone who is having one. You can also donate to your local church, school, or secondhand store. Put it out in your yard and mark it "free".
For other options, look in the Yellow Pages under "Second Hand Stores".
All Large Items Must be Marked for Disposal
A note must be attached to each item that says "For Solid Waste". Even if your item is sitting next to your cart, and looks like it should be picked up, the crew will not take it or tag it for pickup. Why? For insurance reasons, we are only allowed to pick up your garbage and recycling, unless otherwise told by our customers. Your note allows us to take those additional items.
Drop Off Your Large Items
Don’t want to wait to get rid of your large items? Minneapolis provides vouchers for dropping off items at the South Transfer Point. Please see Voucher Program.
Report Illegal Dumping or Abuse of this Service - Dial 311
Large item collection is a special service to our paying customers only. Dumping or using another resident's collection point is illegal. City Ordinance 225.10 states in part: "No person shall leave, throw, or deposit, or use or permit any other person to leave, place, throw, or deposit, any substances or materials of any kind at a city solid waste collection point…for city disposal when the substances or materials were generated at a location other than the residence."
If you see any illegal dumping, anywhere in the City of Minneapolis, please write down the license number, a description of the vehicle and person involved in the dumping, and the item that was dumped. Report it by dialing 311. If you wish, your call will remain anonymous.
You Could Lose this Service if it's Abused
The Division of Solid Waste and Recycling picks up large items set out for collection. When residents abuse this program by placing items from friends, family or from other locations or businesses, this service can be cancelled. Crews watch for this abuse and report it when found. Once removed from this program, any large item found for pickup at your collection point will result in a charge to your Utility Billing account as a "fee for service".
Large item collection is a special service to our customers only. Bringing these items from another location, dumping appliances on a property or right of way or using another resident's collection point is illegal. City Ordinance 225.10 states in part: "No person shall leave, throw, or deposit, or use or permit any other person to leave, place, throw, or deposit, any substances or materials of any kind at a city solid waste collection point…for city disposal when the substances or materials were generated at a location other than the residence."
Abuse of this special service can result in additional costs to you, the taxpayer or utility bill payer.
What Happens To These Items?
Burnable items are picked up and treated as garbage. Other items are processed for hazardous waste; and metals are sold to a scrap yard.
Did you know?
• City crews use low-entry, Crane Carrier chassis with a custom designed stakebed box and hydraulic tailgate to collect large item materials.
• During the winter, two trucks service an average of 3000 dwelling units per route per day.
• During the summer, three trucks service an average of 2000 dwelling units per route per day with one to two crew members per route.