The Town of Gilbert picks up bulk trash every five weeks, on a schedule set by your trash zone, except during the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Set one pile in the street against the curb no earlier than the Saturday before your collection week and no later than 5 a.m. on its Monday, keep it within 10 feet long, 5 feet wide and 5 feet high, and leave out large appliances, construction debris, hazardous products and flat screen TVs, which the town does not collect in bulk (Town of Gilbert, Bulk Trash, checked October 13, 2026).
Table of contents
- When is bulk trash pickup in Gilbert?
- What does Gilbert pick up, and what does it leave?
- How big can the pile be, and where does it go?
- How do appliances get picked up?
- What if the pile is too big?
- Can you haul it to a transfer station yourself?
- Where do paint, batteries and electronics go?
- When does a hauler make more sense?
- Frequently asked questions
When is bulk trash pickup in Gilbert?
Every five weeks, by zone. Gilbert splits the town into five trash zones, A to E, each with its own weekday of regular trash and recycling pickup: Zone A is Monday and Zone E is Friday. Each zone's bulk collection week comes around every five weeks, and the town skips bulk pickup during the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Pickup can happen on any day of your collection week, so the pile goes out over the weekend before the week begins (Town of Gilbert, Trash, Recycle and Bulk Pickup Schedules, checked October 13, 2026).
To find your zone, use the address search on the town's schedule page. The town's 2026 bulk collection schedule lists these weeks after October 13, 2026, each with the Saturday the pile may go out:
| Zone | Trash day | Collection weeks after October 13, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| A | Monday | Week of October 26 (out from October 24); week of December 7 (out from December 5) |
| B | Tuesday | Week of November 2 (out from October 31); week of December 14 (out from December 12) |
| C | Wednesday | Week of November 9 (out from November 7); week of December 28 (out from December 26) |
| D | Thursday | Week of November 16 (out from November 14) |
| E | Friday | Week of October 19 (out from October 17); week of November 30 (out from November 28) |
Check the town's page before you set anything out: a pile placed outside your zone's week is out on the wrong week, and the town takes reports of those.
What does Gilbert pick up, and what does it leave?
Items too large for your trash container, and nothing that belongs in it. Everything Gilbert collects in bulk goes to the landfill, and bagged household trash goes in the black curbside container instead. Here is the town's list, side by side:
| Gilbert collects in bulk | Gilbert does not collect in bulk |
|---|---|
| Furniture that can't be donated | Household garbage, such as kitchen waste |
| Mattresses | Construction debris: lumber, drywall, glass and mirrored doors, tile, carpet and carpet pad, cabinets, tubs and showers |
| Microwaves and dishwashers | Appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, stoves and water heaters |
| CRT, DLP and rear projection TVs | Flat screen TVs and other electronics |
| Toilets | Hazardous waste: vehicle fluids, paint, pool chemicals, propane tanks and cleaning products |
| Glass that is boxed, sealed and labeled | Auto parts: engines, tires and rims |
| Yard waste and tree trimmings, within the limits below | Demolition debris: rock, dirt, sod and concrete |
| Basketball hoops, broken into at least two pieces | Pallets or skids, wood or plastic |
A few items carry their own rules. Grass, leaves and weeds must be bagged and tied. Cacti must be boxed, labeled and contained. A basketball hoop needs a sheet of letter-size paper labeled "bulk trash" attached securely to it. And the 2026 schedule adds that cardboard collected in bulk piles is not recycled.
If an item is not on the town's collect list, leave it out of the pile. The town's page asks residents to check their items against the list before reporting a missed pickup.
How big can the pile be, and where does it go?
One pile, no larger than 10 feet long, 5 feet wide and 5 feet high, in the street against the curb. Keep it at least five feet from anything that would get in the way of the pickup: trash and recycling containers, vehicles and other objects. Tree trimmings can be no longer than 5 feet and no more than 12 inches in diameter (Town of Gilbert, Bulk Trash, checked October 13, 2026).
Timing is part of the rule. The pile may go out no earlier than the Saturday before your collection week, and it must be out by 5 a.m. on the Monday the week begins. If your collection week passes and the pile is still there, the town asks you to first confirm that every item is on its list and within its limits, then contact its customer service team during business hours.
How do appliances get picked up?
Large appliances: by appointment, for a trip fee, never in the bulk pile. Large appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, water heaters and air conditioners are not part of the bulk program. Gilbert schedules up to two appliances per collection for a $16 trip fee during your bulk pickup week, or $85 for a request made outside that week, and asks you to call before noon on the Tuesday of your bulk week (Town of Gilbert, Bulk Trash, checked October 13, 2026).
Once the pickup is scheduled, set the appliances in the street against the curb. Empty refrigerators and freezers of all food and drink first, and make sure every appliance is free of odors.
What if the pile is too big?
Ask the town for a special bulk pickup. A pile larger than the 10 by 5 by 5 foot limit, but no larger than 20 feet long, 5 feet wide and 5 feet high, can be collected as a special pickup for a $100 fee, arranged through the town's customer service line (Town of Gilbert, Bulk Trash, checked October 13, 2026). A pile beyond that size needs another route. For what it does not collect in bulk, the town's page names its own: the appliance pickup, the Household Hazardous Waste Facility, and roll-off containers for large home improvement projects.
Can you haul it to a transfer station yourself?
Yes, one load every 30 days at no cost, with conditions. Gilbert residents can take one load of waste to one of two designated transfer stations, both in Mesa, once every 30 days at no charge. Bring a valid photo ID and a copy of your most recent Town of Gilbert utility bill, with the same name and address on both; a delinquent bill is not accepted (Town of Gilbert, Bulk Trash, checked October 13, 2026).
The rest of the conditions:
- The load must not exceed one ton. A heavier load is charged for the entire load, not just the weight over the limit.
- No household hazardous waste, no appliances and no televisions.
- The station may require personal protective equipment, which it may have on site for an additional fee, so the town suggests calling ahead to confirm.
The town's page names both stations. This route suits a load you can lift and drive yourself.
Where do paint, batteries and electronics go?
Hazardous materials go to Gilbert's Household Hazardous Waste Facility, never the curbside trash; some electronics go out with bulk trash. The facility takes household hazardous materials from Gilbert residents only, who bring a valid state or federal ID and a Town of Gilbert utility bill. It accepts all types of batteries, automotive fuels and fluids, cooking oil, paints and stains, herbicides and pesticides, household cleaners, pool chemicals, standard barbecue propane tanks, fluorescent light bulbs, flat screen TVs, laptops, computers, cell phones and printers, tires without rims (five a year), fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and thermostats, and scrap metal. The limit is 10 gallons of any one liquid a day, in containers of 5 gallons or less. Not every electronic goes there: the same page says CRT TVs, microwaves and vacuums go out with your bulk trash, and small appliances go in the trash bin (Town of Gilbert, Household Hazardous Waste Facility, checked October 13, 2026).
Pack for the visit the way the town asks:
- Box everything, or use plastic totes with lids fastened. The facility does not take materials in garbage bags.
- Keep each product in its original container with a legible label, and never mix materials in one container.
- Keep batteries apart from everything else, and never bag or box light bulbs with other materials.
The facility is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and closed on town holidays. It does not take explosives or ammunition, medical sharps, asbestos, radioactive material or prescription drugs. For prescription drugs, the town points to its 24 hour drop-off boxes at Gilbert Police Department locations.
When does a hauler make more sense?
When nobody can carry the pile out, or the self-haul program is not open to you. The bulk program suits a pile that is the right size and sits at your curb in your zone's week. A hauler is another route: it loads the items and hauls them away, for a price. That can make more sense when:
- nobody in the house can carry the items out to the street;
- the person clearing the house does not live in Gilbert, so the town's self-haul program is not open to them.
Before you hire anyone, read what junk removal costs and the questions worth asking about any quote.
Comparing a hauler with the town's routes? The Good Life Junk Removal provides junk removal and clean up for homes. To ask whether it can take the job at your address, call or text (602) 486-2331. For the Mesa, Chandler and Apache Junction routes side by side, see how bulk pickup compares with a dumpster or a hauler.
Frequently asked questions
Does Gilbert pick up bulk trash during holiday weeks?
Gilbert skips bulk trash pickup during the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Holidays do not change the regular weekly trash and recycling days.
Can I put a mattress out for Gilbert bulk trash pickup?
Yes. Mattresses are on the Town of Gilbert's list of items it collects in bulk trash, along with furniture that can't be donated.
Does Gilbert take a refrigerator or a washer in bulk trash?
No. Refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, water heaters and air conditioners are not part of the bulk program. The town schedules them separately as an appliance pickup, for a trip fee, through its customer service line.
What if my pile is bigger than 10 by 5 by 5 feet?
The town offers a special bulk pickup, for a fee, for a pile up to 20 feet long, 5 feet wide and 5 feet high, arranged through its customer service line. A larger pile needs another route.
Where do paint and batteries go in Gilbert?
To the town's Household Hazardous Waste Facility, which takes them from Gilbert residents who bring a valid ID and a Town of Gilbert utility bill. Hazardous materials never go in the curbside trash.
How do I find my Gilbert bulk trash week?
Look up your trash zone with the address search on the town's pickup schedule page, then read your zone's weeks on its 2026 bulk collection schedule.
Sources
- Bulk Trash, Town of Gilbert, Arizona
- Trash, Recycle and Bulk Pickup Schedules, Town of Gilbert, Arizona
- Household Hazardous Waste Facility, Town of Gilbert, Arizona
About the author
The Good Life Junk Removal, junk removal and clean up for homes
The Good Life Junk Removal provides junk removal and clean up for homes. Call or text (602) 486-2331.
