Mattress Disposal in Atlanta (2026): Scheduled Bulk Pickup

Item: Household mattresses and box springs (all sizes), including the matching foundation Jurisdiction: City of Atlanta, Department of Public Works / Office of Solid Waste Services — city limits only (Fulton and DeKalb counties), single-family residential service Official sources: City of Atlanta Office of Solid Waste Services, ATL311, Municode (Municipal Code Sec. 130-38 and Sec. 130-40), Live Thrive CHaRM, Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta, Mattress Firm, IKEA, Fulton County, City of South Fulton Last verified: September 2026 · Next review: December 2026

Quick answer

In the City of Atlanta, "mattresses and box springs" is an explicitly approved bulk item — the phrase appears on the city's Approved Bulk Materials list, and "mattresses" is named in Municipal Code Sec. 130-40's definition of bulky items. A mattress is not trash and not household hazardous waste.

The catch: bulk is a scheduled service for single-family residential customers, never an automatic set-out. Book it at least one business day ahead through the Solid Waste Services Collection Tool at atlantaga.gov/solidwaste or ATL311 at (404) 546-0311 / 3-1-1, and only the resident of the reported location may schedule. Since February 16, 2026 the pickup lands on your regular weekly collection day. Set the mattress out at the front curb no earlier than 7:00 p.m. the day before; earlier set-out may draw a citation.

Cost is an annual allowance, not a per-mattress price: single-family residents get 12 scheduled bulk collections per year, and the 13th and later collection is $343.10 per address for one truck-capacity load in FY2026 (Municipal Code 130-84) — covered within the 12, not unqualified "free."

Before acting, verify your address is inside the city limits on city single-family service, the current rules and your collection day, how many of your 12 collections you have used, and — if you rent — who may schedule. Atlanta publishes no mattress wrapping, bagging or labeling requirement.

Quick facts

Is a mattress really an approved Atlanta bulk item?

Yes, on two official fronts. "Mattresses and box springs" appears verbatim on the Bulk Waste Collection page's Approved Bulk Materials list, and Sec. 130-40 defines bulky items as "...including but not limited to the following items: furniture; carpets; mattresses; clothing; and tires."

Mattresses are also not on the "Not Accepted" list, which covers electronics, explosives and ammunition, household hazardous waste (oils, fuels, paints, solvents), contractor-generated materials, metal drums, pressurized gas cylinders and building materials over four cubic yards.

Clearing more than a bed? General furniture and carpet follow the same bulk rules on our Atlanta furniture disposal guide, and washers, dryers and other "white goods" on the Atlanta appliances guide.

Eligibility: who can use the Atlanta bulk program

The program is a scheduled service for single-family residential customers on City of Atlanta solid waste service.

• Inside the city limits, single-family: the curb route applies. Atlanta's limits run through Fulton and DeKalb counties.
• Buildings of six or more units — apartments, condos and townhomes — must provide commercial containers and arrange their own hauler under Code Sec. 130-38. City bulk does not reach them.
• Rental property material: the bulk hub states bulk collection "is not available for... materials from rental properties," and only the resident of the reported location may schedule. No official source resolves how this applies to a renter of a single-family house or a 1–4 unit building.
• Business, construction and demolition debris: excluded, as are evictions, vacant properties and items left by contractors.

Ask ATL311 at 404-546-0311 if you are unsure which side of the line your address is on.

How to schedule a mattress bulk pickup

"All bulk collections must be scheduled" — a mattress cannot simply be set at the curb. Your three channels:

1. The Solid Waste Services Collection Tool — atlantaga.gov/solidwaste
2. ATL311 — 3-1-1 or (404) 546-0311
3. ATL311 social channels — @ATL311 on Facebook, X or Instagram

Book at least one business day in advance. Since February 16, 2026 the collection falls on your regular weekly collection day, so know your day first, then book it. Only the resident of the reported location can schedule, and an email confirmation is sent if you provide an email address. Townhome residents on curbside service should enter their gate code in the Comments field. Cancel by 3 p.m. the day before; report a missed collection within two business days. A collection you scheduled but did not set out for still counts against your 12.

The 12-collection rule, the $343.10 charge and the 8-cubic-yard limit

Single-family residents get up to 12 scheduled bulk collections per year, with no separate per-item charge inside that allowance. The Office of Solid Waste Services page states "12 collections per year (if 12 collections per year are exceeded, the resident is charged a fee of $343.10)," and Sec. 130-40 confirms requests above 12 "shall be charged the fee established under section 130-84."

The fee is period-dated: FY2026 $343.10 per truck-capacity load (ordinance 24-O-1214), FY2025 $336.38, FY2027 $349.96. A 2026 Solid Waste Rate Study is underway, so re-check before planning around a number. Billing disputes go through the DPW Solid Waste Dispute Form to DPWSolidWasteBilling@atlantaga.gov, with appeals within seven business days to the Solid Waste Appeals Board.

One collection covers no more than 8 cubic yards — a figure the Office of Solid Waste Services page and the ATL311 article both give, and ATL311's phrasing is "the size of a small room of furniture." (The Bulk Waste Collection hub states no number.) A mattress and box spring use a small share of that; anything beyond 8 cubic yards counts as an additional collection, which can consume another of your 12. For a multi-bed cleanout, plan separate collections instead of one pile.

Set-out timing and placement — and the "right-of-way" wording

Items must not be at the curb before 7:00 p.m. the day before the scheduled pickup; the city notes a citation may be issued for early set-out. Set the mattress out neatly at the curb in front of your own property — ATL311's wording is that it is mandatory that bulk items are left curbside in the front of the property.

• Keep it at least six (6) feet from garbage carts, recycling carts and yard trimmings.
• Do not block the sidewalk, the street, a driveway or any travel path.
• Keep clear of mailboxes, parked cars, fences, meters, hydrants, low-hanging wires, overhanging branches and powerlines.
• Do not place materials in the street, on the sidewalk or in any other rights-of-way.

The ATL311 and Solid Waste Services pages say approved items "must be in the right-of-way," while the bulk hub says materials should not go in "any other rights-of-way." The two official pages use the term differently, so no single code definition can be quoted here; the practical rule is neat at the curb of your own frontage, with the travel path clear.

What Atlanta does NOT require — no wrap rule

No captured City of Atlanta source requires a mattress or box spring to be wrapped, bagged, taped or labeled for curbside bulk. The only wrapping rule on the bulk hub applies to flat glass, which "must be securely wrapped or taped."

Plastic-wrapping a mattress is a real rule in New York City and many other municipalities, but it is not an Atlanta rule — don't add that step because a neighbor, a forum or a moving company says so. Verify with ATL311 at 404-546-0311 if you want confirmation for your address. If you cover the mattress to keep rain off it while it waits, treat that as a courtesy, not a requirement.

Comparing your mattress disposal routes

CHaRM drop-off: the paid, appointment-only alternative

If you cannot use the curb route, the city-referenced drop-off is CHaRM — the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials, run by the nonprofit Live Thrive. The City of Atlanta operates no drop-off site of its own: its household hazardous waste page says the city "does not have a collection program for household hazardous waste" and points residents to CHaRM as its recycling partner.

City residents may drop off items by appointment only:

• CHaRM Atlanta — 1110 Hill Street SE, Atlanta, GA 30315 — Tue & Thu 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.–2 p.m.
• CHaRM DeKalb — 1225 Columbia Drive, Decatur, GA 30032 — Wed 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.–2 p.m.
• Fees: $15 each Twin or Full mattress or box spring; $18 each Queen or King (residents and businesses)

No cash is accepted — Venmo, credit card, debit card and Apple Pay only. Show the appointment QR code on arrival, and check live hours, fees and closure dates before traveling. Phone: (404) 600-6386.

On arrival you are directed to the mattress trailer for unloading help. Mattresses and box springs collected at CHaRM go to the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta, where they are dismantled, sanitized and restuffed for redistribution to disaster relief and shelters.

Watch for an outdated flyer. An older CHaRM document still circulating lists $10 per set with longer hours (Tue/Thu 9–4, Sat 8–3). Those figures are out of date — use the live Live Thrive pages and the published $15/$18 prices.

CHaRM condition rules — what it will refuse

CHaRM accepts home mattresses and box springs of all sizes, but only ones with springs: its accepted-items list says they "must have springs, NO foam mattresses."

Not accepted: foam mattresses, memory foam, foam toppers, futons, air mattresses, and crib or baby mattresses. Mattresses must also be dry and not excessively soiled or bug infested.

These are CHaRM's drop-off rules only, not City of Atlanta curbside rules. A foam mattress is still an approved curbside bulk item at an eligible single-family address, so a CHaRM refusal closes off that one route but not disposal. For the other hard-to-place items from the same cleanout, see Atlanta e-waste disposal, Atlanta paint disposal and Atlanta tire disposal.

Donation: the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta

The Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta accepts "Mattresses and Box Springs (in any condition)" — no disassembly required. Two published pickup tiers: Standard ("Cost: Free – Low," donor waits until the Bank's truck is in their area) and Priority ("Cost: Low – Medium," donor chooses a date and time).

Pickup covers most of Cobb, Gwinnett, Fulton and DeKalb counties — confirm your ZIP. Contact 404-355-8530 or donations@furniturebankatlanta.org. This is the same organization that receives CHaRM's mattresses. Never assume a specific pickup date.

Retailer haul-away — only with a new purchase

Both sourced retailer routes are purchase-linked and paid:

• Mattress Firm — "Mattress Setup and Haul Away" is published at $109.99 online and in store. The team removes your old bed and box spring one-for-one and sets up the new mattress. It refuses beds in unsanitary condition (moisture, bed bugs or pests, items left outdoors) and does not remove furniture sets. A clear pathway is required.
• IKEA — removal is an additional $30 when you buy a mattress (or sofa or appliance) in store with in-home delivery. Not available with online purchases, not in all ZIP codes, and removal may not happen the same day as delivery.

Georgia is not one of the four states — California, Connecticut, Oregon and Rhode Island — where retailers must offer free used-mattress removal with a new purchase. Here, retailer removal is a paid add-on, never free and never available on its own.

Georgia has no statewide mattress program

There is no Bye Bye Mattress or Mattress Recycling Council program in Georgia, and no statewide mattress recycling network — the MRC program operates only in California, Connecticut, Oregon and Rhode Island. A search of Georgia's solid waste rules (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-3-4) found no mattress-specific landfill ban or disposal mandate. So there is no free, state-funded mattress recycling for Atlanta residents; the no- or low-cost channels are the city bulk program, CHaRM, donation pickup, and retailer haul-away with a purchase.

Apartments, renters and multi-family edge cases

Two official statements have to be held together: the bulk hub says "Bulk collection is not available for... materials from rental properties" while describing a single-family service, and ATL311 says only the resident of the reported location may schedule. No source resolves what that means for a renter of a single-family house or a 1–4 unit building, so do not assume either way.

What the sources do establish: buildings of six or more units must arrange private hauling under Code Sec. 130-38, so the building's hauler governs disposal there. A renter in a single-family home should call ATL311 at 404-546-0311 and ask whether the address can schedule, then ask the landlord or property manager.

• Upper-floor apartment, heavy queen mattress: no city-provided in-home removal exists. Use the building's private hauler, retailer haul-away with a replacement delivery, a paid junk-removal service, or self-haul to CHaRM with help. Moving a queen downstairs is a two-person job.
• Foam or memory-foam mattress in a rental: CHaRM will refuse it; use a Furniture Bank donation pickup (any condition), retailer haul-away with a purchase, or the building's hauler.
• Tempted to leave it beside the dumpster or in the alley: don't. The dumpster is private and property-managed, a mattress is bulk rather than commercial waste, and placement rules are enforced.
• Townhome resident on curbside service: add your gate code in the Comments field when scheduling, and follow the 7 p.m. timing, front-of-property placement and six-foot clearance rules.

Ask the property manager who holds the city solid waste account, which hauler serves the building, whether move-out mattress removal is included and at what cost, and where bulky items may be staged.

Jurisdiction check: are you actually in Atlanta?

The city bulk program covers addresses inside the City of Atlanta city limits in Fulton and DeKalb counties. Residents of unincorporated Fulton or DeKalb, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, Decatur, South Fulton, College Park or another metro city are not eligible and must use their own municipal or county service or a private hauler.

Fulton County points those residents to CHaRM (1110 Hill Street, Atlanta 30315, 404-600-6386), the Merk Miles Convenience Center (3225 Merk Rd SW, College Park 30349, 470-552-4311), Keep North Fulton Beautiful (470 Morgan Falls Road, Sandy Springs 30350, 770-551-7766) and its annual Household Hazardous Waste days. Two cautions: the Merk Miles page lists "bulky items" but does not name mattresses, so treat acceptance as unconfirmed and phone 470.552.4311 before loading (closed every Wednesday); and CHaRM is presented as a City of Atlanta resident drop-off, so confirm eligibility before booking. Fulton County: (404) 612-4000.

Enforcement

Failure to comply may bring a Notice of Violation on the first occurrence, requiring the property owner to remove or properly prepare the materials at their own expense. Continued noncompliance may bring a citation and penalties of up to $1,000 per offense under Municipal Code 130-40. Report illegal dumping at atl311.com or 404-546-0311.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Setting the mattress out before booking — bulk is scheduled-only.
2. Putting it out before 7 p.m. the day before the scheduled pickup.
3. Plastic-wrapping it because you think it's required. Atlanta publishes no wrap rule.
4. Leaving it in the alley, beside an apartment dumpster, on a vacant lot, in the street or on the sidewalk.
5. Assuming a renter can book curbside bulk. Unresolved — call ATL311 and your property manager.
6. Treating a pile over 8 cubic yards as one collection, or taking a foam mattress to CHaRM (it will be refused).
7. Waiting for a city drop-off site — there is none; CHaRM is a private nonprofit partner, by appointment.
8. Missing the cancellation (3 p.m. the day before) or missed-pickup (two business days) windows.

Item prep and safety

• Strip the mattress of bedding, protectors and personal items, and bag any loose frame hardware.
• Use two people to move a mattress or box spring, and never move a queen or king alone down stairs.
• Remove protruding staples, nails and broken frame hardware, and tape over or bag sharp spring ends.
• Do not lean it against a fire hydrant, meter, mailbox, fence or pole, or prop it under low-hanging wires, powerlines or overhanging branches.
• Keep it dry. A wet, damp or heavily soiled mattress is refused by CHaRM and by retailer haul-away crews.
• A mattress with bed bugs or pests must not enter a donation or reuse channel.
• Do not stage the mattress at the curb while you wait to confirm a collection or donation pickup.
• Never put paints, oils, fuels, solvents, electronics, explosives or pressurized gas cylinders out with a mattress — those are excluded, and Atlanta has no city household hazardous waste collection.
• If self-hauling, secure the load so it cannot shift or blow out on I-20, I-75 or I-85.
• If you hire a private hauler, get the destination and scope in writing and request a quote; no City of Atlanta source states that bulk-collected mattresses are recycled.

Verify before you act

1. Eligibility — confirm the address is inside the city limits on city single-family service (ATL311, 404-546-0311).
2. Collection day, current rules and remaining allowance — check the Collection Tool at atlantaga.gov/solidwaste or call ATL311; a scheduled no-show still counts against your 12.
3. Load size — check the pile against 8 cubic yards, and keep electronics, hazardous waste, contractor material and pressurized cylinders out.
4. Set-out window and placement — after 7 p.m. the day before, front curb, six feet of clearance, path clear.
5. Renter status — settle who may schedule before promising anything.
6. If CHaRM is the plan — confirm spring-only acceptance, dry condition, the current $15/$18 fees and the appointment.
7. If donation or retailer haul-away is the plan — confirm ZIP coverage and condition, or the current price and purchase requirement.
8. If you are outside the city — contact your own city or county solid waste office and phone ahead before driving to any facility.

Frequently asked questions

Can the City of Atlanta pick up my mattress at the curb? Yes, at eligible single-family addresses — but only as a scheduled collection booked in advance.

Does it have to be wrapped or bagged? No. No city source requires wrapping, bagging, taping or labeling, and the only wrap rule covers flat glass.

Is the pickup free? It is covered within the 12 scheduled collections per year for single-family residents; the 13th and later collection is charged $343.10 in FY2026.

When do I schedule, and when do I set it out? At least one business day ahead, and no earlier than 7 p.m. the day before, neatly at your own front curb.

Can I take it to CHaRM instead? Yes, with an appointment, if it is a spring mattress or box spring — $15 Twin/Full, $18 Queen/King per item, no cash accepted.

My mattress is foam or memory foam — where does it go? Not to CHaRM, but it is still an approved curbside bulk item at an eligible address. Otherwise use a donation pickup or retailer haul-away.

Will the store take my old mattress? Only as a paid add-on with a purchase: Mattress Firm $109.99, IKEA $30 in store with delivery.

I rent. Can I schedule curbside bulk? Not established by any official source — call ATL311 at (404) 546-0311 and ask your landlord or property manager.

I live in a six-or-more-unit building. Who removes it? The building, not the City: Code Sec. 130-38 requires the owner or association to arrange private hauling.

Is there a free statewide mattress recycling program? No — no Bye Bye Mattress program, no statewide recycling network and no mattress landfill ban in Georgia.

What will a private hauler charge? No official source publishes private hauler or junk-removal pricing. Get a written quote.

Who to call

• ATL311: 3-1-1 or (404) 546-0311 — scheduling, eligibility, missed collections, illegal dumping
• CHaRM (Live Thrive): (404) 600-6386
• Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta: 404-355-8530 / donations@furniturebankatlanta.org
• Solid waste billing: DPW Solid Waste Dispute Form / DPWSolidWasteBilling@atlantaga.gov
• Merk Miles: (470) 552-4311 · Keep North Fulton Beautiful: (770) 551-7766 · Fulton County: (404) 612-4000

Sources

1. Bulk Waste Collection (official hub), City of Atlanta: https://www.atlantaga.gov/government/departments/public-works/bulk-waste-collection
2. Office of Solid Waste Services, City of Atlanta: https://www.atlantaga.gov/government/departments/public-works/office-of-solid-waste-services
3. Bulk Collection Request, ATL311 Customer Self-Service: https://www.atl311.com/knowledgearticle?code=KB0011524
4. Billing Questions & Solid Waste Fees (2025–2027 Solid Waste Service Rate), City of Atlanta: https://www.atlantaga.gov/government/departments/public-works/2025-2027-solid-waste-service-rate
5. Household Hazardous Waste Disposal, City of Atlanta: https://www.atlantaga.gov/government/departments/public-works/office-of-solid-waste-services/household-hazardous-waste-disposal
6. Municipal Code Sec. 130-40 (Regulation of bulky items), Municode: https://library.municode.com/ga/atlanta/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COORATGEVOII_CH130SOWAMA_ARTIIIMUCODISY_DIV1GE_S130-40REBUITMIDEPIRU
7. Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM), ATL311 Customer Self-Service: https://www.atl311.com/en-US/knowledgearticle/?code=KB0011610
8. Items We Accept, Live Thrive (CHaRM): https://livethrive.org/charm/items-we-accept
9. Accepted Items List with pricing, Live Thrive: https://livethrive.org/accepted-items-list/
10. CHaRM, Live Thrive: https://livethrive.org/charm/
11. Did You Know CHaRM Accepts Mattresses?, Live Thrive News: https://livethrive.org/news
12. Residential VIP Membership Program, Live Thrive (CHaRM Atlanta): https://livethrive.org/charm/vip-program
13. Give Furniture, The Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta: https://furniturebankatlanta.org/give-furniture/
14. Delivery & Shipping Services, Mattress Firm: https://www.mattressfirm.com/delivery-shipping.html
15. Your Mattress Delivery: Tips, Details, Timing, and Links, Mattress Firm: https://www.mattressfirm.com/blog/mattress-obsessed/tips-prepare-mattress-delivery
16. Removal Services, IKEA US: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/customer-service/services/removal
17. Bye Bye Mattress, Mattress Recycling Council: https://byebyemattress.com/
18. GA R&R Subject 391-3-4 Solid Waste Management, Georgia Secretary of State: https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/391-3-4
19. Pollution Prevention, Fulton County: https://www.fultoncountyga.gov/services/water-services/public-education-and-outreach/pollution-prevention
20. Merk Miles Citizens Convenience Center, City of South Fulton: https://cityofsouthfultonga.gov/3254/Merk-Miles-Citizens-Convenience-Center

City of Atlanta pages are the final authority on bulk eligibility, fees and set-out rules. This guide covers the City of Atlanta service area only — neighboring cities and unincorporated Fulton or DeKalb run their own programs, multi-family buildings of six or more units are on private service, and Georgia has no statewide mattress program. Fees, hours, appointment rules and condition rules change; confirm current details on the official pages or with ATL311 at (404) 546-0311 before you set anything out, pay a fee or drive to a drop-off.