Bulk pickup Bulk trash pickup on Johns Island

First, find out which rules apply to you

Johns Island has two kinds of addresses, and the trash rules are different for each:

• City of Charleston addresses. Trident Waste collects for the City, and City rules apply.
• Unincorporated Charleston County addresses. No one collects automatically. Curbside service is optional and paid.

We couldn't find a published list of which Johns Island streets are in the City. To check yours:

1. Look up your address on the City's MapNet address map or the CHS Trashtracker app. Both show your collection day if you're a City customer.
2. Or call the City's Citizen Services Desk at 843-724-7311, or Environmental Services at 843-720-3891.
3. If you're not in the City, call Charleston County Environmental Management at 843-720-7111 to confirm your options.

Pro tip check your address before you drag anything to the curb. In unincorporated areas, no one is scheduled to collect it unless you subscribe to curbside service.

If you're in the City of Charleston

City addresses on Johns Island are served by Trident Waste under the City's rules. In short:

• Put furniture, junk and other bulk items in their own pile at the curb on your regular collection day.
• Put appliances in a separate pile. Drain water heaters and remove or secure fridge and freezer doors.
• Bag leaves and grass in brown paper bags, and cut limbs to 4-foot lengths and 4 inches across.
• Owner-generated construction refuse is limited to 90 gallons per cycle, and the City doesn't take contractor debris, tires or hazardous waste.

See our City of Charleston bulk pickup page for the full rules, including the conflict in the City's carpet rule and what happened to the mattress program.

If you're in unincorporated Johns Island

Since July 1, 2023, Charleston County has used Trident Waste & Recycling as the only solid waste vendor for unincorporated areas. Curbside pickup is optional. The county's 2023 release listed it at $50.85 per quarter for garbage and yard waste, with curbside recycling an extra $105 per quarter (Charleston County news release, May 2023). Those are 2023 rates and may have changed. To sign up or check your service, call Trident at 843-576-5050.

The county hasn't published bulk-item rules for Trident's curbside subscription. If you're a subscriber, ask Trident how furniture and appliances are handled before you set them out.

Free drop-off at the county centers

Every Charleston County resident can drop off trash and recycling for free at the county's staffed convenience centers. The ones serving the Johns Island area include:

• Wadmalaw: 1558 Liberia Rd., Monday to Saturday, 7:30 AM to 6 PM
• Bees Ferry Road: 1344 Bees Ferry Rd., Charleston, Monday to Saturday, 7:30 AM to 6 PM

Bring a government photo ID with a Charleston County address. The full-service centers take furniture and mattresses, appliances, tires (up to 4 a visit), electronics, paint and yard debris. Yard debris goes in paper bags, and limbs can be up to 6 feet by 2 feet. Box trucks, moving vans and double-axle trailers need an appointment at 843-720-7111. Our Charleston County convenience center guide has the zones and rules.

When hiring a hauler makes sense

If you don't subscribe to curbside service, every bulky item is a trip you make yourself. A junk removal crew is often simpler when you have heavy furniture, no truck, or a full house to clear before a move. Our junk removal cost guide covers typical prices.

Frequently asked questions