Bulk Pickup in Chesapeake: What You Need to Know for Large Waste Disposal

Homeowners in Chesapeake often are presented with difficult decisions concerning waste removal. In various scenarios, including cleanups, moveouts, estate sales, rental property transfers, and remodels, a city trash bin will not be sufficient to finish the job. Bulky trash including old furniture, tree limbs, construction debris, appliances, carpeting, and more will be time-consuming, stressful, and dangerous to transport one piece at a time. Yet, by leaving it at the curb, homeowners risk city fines, HOA non-compliance, and delayed pickups if they don’t have clear knowledge of the rules for bulk pickup in Chesapeake.

This article will help clear up confusion about those rules and limitations to help Chesapeake homeowners dispose of bulky trash without stress, fines, or delays. Here’s what you need to know about bulk trash pickup before dragging your old couch or new construction debris out to the curb.

What is Bulk Pickup in Chesapeake?

Bulk pickup refers to disposing of oversized trash items at the curb to be picked up by the city, including anything that won’t fit in the city’s normal trash bin. This service is offered to homeowners, not business owners, to help keep neighborhoods clear of oversized trash and debris, especially after a storm or cleanout.

To schedule bulk trash pickup through the city, homeowners can call the city’s waste management division, or fill out the Request Service form on the City of Chesapeake website. The other option is to contact a local provider directly.

How to Know What Items Quality for Pickup?

Chesapeake bulk pickup services accept many oversized items, including furniture, appliances, and yard waste. However, each type of accepted item may require being disassembled or other prepped to avoid having pickups delayed or fined.

Furniture: Dressers, sofas, mattresses, tables and chairs, patio pieces, box springs, and other oversized pieces can be picked up as bulk trash.

Appliances: Appliances like refrigerators can be collected, but they must have the doors removed, the glass surfaces need to be taped, and hazardous chemicals like freon need to be completely drained.

Yard Waste: Yard waste can be collected as bulk pickup, including bushes, trimmings, and tree limbs. However, they must be collected separately from other types of waste. Leaves and clippings are not considered bulk trash, but instead can be placed in clear plastic or paper compost bags and collected with the normal weekly pickup.

Are There Any Prohibited Items and Additional Rules?

While many oversized items are accepted, there are bulk pickup items that are prohibited, such as:

• Hazardous waste
• Chemicals
• Refuse wood and fencing
• Construction debris
• Manufacturing debris
• Gaseous or liquid waste

Construction debris, even from homeowner projects, is a subcategory of bulk trash that includes many items, including siding, pallets, pavement, landscaping debris, soil, roofing materials, and more. Chesapeake requires this debris to be removed by the contractor to a disposal company, transfer station, or other disposal site. Yard debris is permitted, but sticks cannot be longer than 6 feet or larger than 6 inches in diameter.

Failing to adhere to these and other removal rules will result in a notice by the city. Property owners have 48 hours to correct the error before city waste management teams remove the prohibited materials and fine the owner the costs of the removal plus a $100 administrative fee.

For a full list of rules and regulations regarding prohibited bulk trash in Chesapeake, visit the city’s waste management division here.

When to Schedule a Bulk Pickup

Bulk trash pickups cannot be combined with regular weekly trash pickups. They must be separately scheduled by 5pm the day before or before midnight online. The trash should be placed on the curb between 5pm and 7am the next morning. Putting items on the curb too early can result in HOA violations, obstruction of the streets and sidewalks, and lead city fines.

Additionally, bulk trash needs to be placed on the curb in the right position. Items can’t be too close to power lines, utilities, pumps, vehicles, hydrants, electrical boxes, sidewalks, or streets. The machinery used to collect bulk trash needs vertical and horizontal space to collect the trash safely. Failure to follow these guidelines can result in pickup delays.

Easy Alternatives for Homeowner Bulk Pickup 

After a garage cleanout, basement overhaul, or a yard project, having a local service provide bulk pickup can save homeowners time, money, and risk by preventing the need for multiple trips to the city landfill. 

Depending on the size of the project, a dumpster rental may also be appropriate. Just have a dumpster delivered and fill at your pace as you clean. Local Chesapeake providers already know the rules of disposal and can simplify this process for you.

Book Your Chesapeake Bulk Pickup Today

Bulk pickup in Chesapeake requires following city ordinances, which can differ depending on the type and size of the bulk trash. A local waste management company can help property owners dispose of their trash after a renovation, storm, cleanup, or other project by managing disposal, recommending a dumpster rental, and handling other logistics.

Contact our experienced team at Full Strut Disposal to learn everything you need to know about bulk pickup in Chesapeake, including how to manage your specific cleanup situation without stress or unnecessary fines.