Rules for Placing Bulk Items at the Curb in Virginia Beach

Homeowners with yard waste, large furniture, old appliances, or construction debris may think they can dispose of these items using curbside city pickup. However, Virginia Beach has several rules and regulations that impact how items can be disposed of based on size and type, as well as the time of day the bulk pickup items are placed at the curb. Even the way the items are placed on the curb can be a violation if homeowners aren’t careful.

Knowing what qualifies as bulk trash, what the relevant regulations are, and how to schedule city collection can save homeowners in Virginia Beach from delayed or rejected pickups and city fines. This article breaks down the rules to help homeowners dispose of their bulk items without unnecessary stress.

What Is Considered a Bulk Item for Disposal?

Before disposing of bulk items, homeowners need to know if their trash actually qualifies as a bulk item. According to the official website of the City of Virginia Beach Public Works, items that do not count as bulk items include:

• Materials used in building and renovations, including concrete
• Wood pallets, cabinets, doors, and scrap wood related to construction
• Sinks or toilets
• Carpet
• Rocks or dirt
• Glass
• Propane tanks
• Cardboard boxes
• Vehicle parts, including tires
• Bags
• Recreational vehicles, including boats
• Computers
• Hazardous waste

None of these items can be collected by the city as bulk items or mixed in bulk piles with eligible items. Additionally, “hazardous waste” is its own category of items that the city of Virginia Beach excludes from its definition of bulk trash.

Hazardous waste includes chemicals, aerosols, batteries, and other polluting substances, including oil, propane, paint, paint thinners, solvents, freon, pesticides, and anything else that could contaminate local air, soil, or water. Improperly disposing of hazardous waste can result in delayed or denied pickups as well as fines.

Rules for Bulk Item Curb Pickup in Virginia Beach

Even when items are properly categorized as bulk trash, their placement on the curb must still follow Virginia Beach regulations for bulk pickup. These rules include:

1. Leaving at least three feet of space on all sides of the bulk item

This rule aims to prevent the heavy machinery used for trash pickup from damaging the property of homeowners or from mistakenly picking up other trash piles. The bulk item should be separated from yard waste, tree limbs, mailboxes, vehicles, and utilities.

2. Placing bulk items on the curbside at the right time

Bulk items should not be left on the curbside for an extended period since they can potentially fall into the street or obstruct walkways. Items should be placed on the curb no earlier than 5 pm on the day before the city is scheduled to pick it up, and no later than 7am on the pickup day.

3. Avoiding obstructing public walkways or traffic

Bulk items should not be placed in the street, on the sidewalk, or in a way that interferes with vehicle and foot traffic. If the items are too large for the available curbside to avoid creating an obstruction, an alternate disposal method, such as a privately rented dumpster, should be used.

4. Avoiding obstructing utilities

In addition to placing bulk items at least three feet away from utilities such as cable boxes and utility poles, they should also be placed away from low-hanging trees or powerlines. This allows the heavy-lifting machinery to have a clear range of motion to make a safe collection. If the normal operation of the machine risks damaging a powerline, the pickup may be delayed or canceled.

5. Picking up any remaining debris

In many cases, the city machinery leaves behind small pieces of debris after collecting bulk items. Homeowners are responsible for collecting these leftover items, disposing of them in their regular trash cans, and making sure they aren’t left in the street.

Rules Regarding Special Bulk Items

Many specific bulk items have specific rules regarding bulk pickup. For example:

• Air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, and HVAC units must have the freon removed and be clearly labeled as such to avoid hazardous waste from being mistakenly thrown away as a bulk item. 
• Items that contain gasoline such as lawnmowers and pressure washers must have all fuel removed. 
• Carpeting, fencing, beds, rugs, sheds, and more must be disassembled or specially labeled to qualify for bulk pickup.

Read more about the specific regulations for bulk items here.

Partner with Waste Disposal Experts to Avoid Fines and Bulk Pickup Delays in Virginia Beach

Classifying bulk items can be tricky, but homeowners need to know the rules and regulations that govern how bulk trash is classified. This includes knowing how to place it on the curb without obstructing traffic or causing issues for the machine operators when they come to pick it up.

By partnering with an experienced local waste disposal team, homeowners can rely on these experts, who know the relevant regulations and can provide bulk pickup services that won’t cause delays, fines, or unnecessary stress.

Contact Full Strut Disposal to learn more about bulk trash disposal in Virginia Beach and how we can help you avoid delays when cleaning up a construction project, yard work, or regular clean-up.