Bulk pickup Bulk trash pickup in North Charleston
North Charleston's Sanitation Division picks up trash weekly, including furniture and white goods, as long as each type is in its own pile. Set it out no earlier than 48 hours before pickup. For a bigger cleanout, residents can ask for a free trash trailer, delivered Thursday and picked up the next Monday. Call Public Works at (843) 745-1026 for your day.
- Who collects
- City of North Charleston Sanitation Division
- Bulk pickup
- Weekly, in separate piles, out no more than 48 hours early
- Free trailer
- Request by Monday 5 PM; delivered Thursday, picked up Monday
- Building materials
- Up to 90 gallons per collection day
- Questions
- Public Works, (843) 745-1026
Who collects
The City of North Charleston's Public Works Sanitation Division collects garbage and trash within City limits and the North Charleston District. It doesn't collect from commercial or industrial properties. To find your pickup day or make a service request, call Public Works at (843) 745-1026 or use the City's online Citizen Support Center.
North Charleston sits in three counties: Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester. Curbside pickup works the same across the City, but where you can drop things off yourself depends on your county. More on that below.
How bulk pickup works
Trash, including bulky items, is collected weekly. Set it out no earlier than 48 hours before pickup. The key rule is sorting: mixed piles can't be collected. Make a separate pile for each of these:
- White goods: refrigerators, stoves, washers, window A/C units and water heaters. Take the doors off refrigerators and freezers.
- Furniture.
- Building materials: no more than 90 gallons per collection day, and no more than 3 cubic feet of concrete.
- Logs, limbs, brush and stumps.
The free trash-trailer service
For a garage cleanout or a move, the City will drop a trailer at your property for free. Here's how it works:
- Fill out the City's request form.
- Send it by email or drop it off at the Public Works building, 5800 Casper Padgett Way, by Monday at 5:00 PM.
- The trailer arrives Thursday (Friday in holiday weeks) and is picked up the following Monday.
The City delivers at most 2 trailers per week, subject to availability. Pro tip: turn in your form early in the week before you need it, and plan your cleanout for that Thursday-to-Monday window.
What the City won't collect
- Lead-acid batteries and auto parts
- Shingles, bricks and tile
- Hazardous materials: batteries, paint and paint containers, oil, gasoline, diesel, petroleum products and chemicals
- Creosote-treated items
- Large stumps and logs
- Pressurized containers
- Trash from contractors, landscapers and businesses
- E-waste such as TVs and computers
The City's white goods page says e-waste can go in a marked dumpster at the Public Works facility, but that note is dated July 3, 2017 and lists no hours. Call (843) 745-1026 before you count on it. The City's pages don't mention tires.
Where to take it: depends on your county
Charleston County part. Use the Charleston County convenience centers. They're free for residents with a photo ID showing a Charleston County address, and the full-service centers take furniture, mattresses, appliances, tires, electronics and paint. Recycling questions go to Charleston County at 843-720-7111.
Dorchester County part. The City sends Dorchester County residents to Dorchester County's own convenience sites. See our Dorchester County drop-off guide.
Berkeley County part. The City's sanitation page doesn't say where Berkeley County residents should go. See our Berkeley County drop-off guide and confirm with Public Works.
Charleston County centers require a Charleston County address on your ID, so residents in the other two counties can't use them.
Yard debris rules
- Bag yard waste in paper bags. Plastic bags aren't collected.
- Logs, limbs, brush and stumps go in their own pile, no more than 4 feet long and 6 inches in diameter.
When hiring a hauler makes sense
The trailer is free, but you still do all the lifting, and you have to book ahead and fit the Thursday-to-Monday window. A junk removal crew is the easier route when you need things gone this week, when items are heavy or upstairs, or when the load includes things the City won't collect. Our junk removal cost guide covers typical prices.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a free trash trailer in North Charleston?
Fill out the City's trailer request form and turn it in by email or at the Public Works building, 5800 Casper Padgett Way, by Monday at 5:00 PM. Trailers are delivered on Thursday, or Friday in holiday weeks, and picked up the following Monday. The City delivers no more than 2 trailers a week, so it depends on availability.
Does North Charleston pick up TVs and computers?
No. The City no longer picks up e-waste. Charleston County residents can take TVs, computers, monitors and printers to Zone 9 at a full-service county convenience center.
Does North Charleston pick up mattresses?
The City's sanitation pages don't mention mattresses. Call Public Works at (843) 745-1026 to ask. Charleston County's full-service convenience centers take mattresses in Zone 2.
What's the limit on building materials?
No more than 90 gallons of building materials per collection day, and no more than 3 cubic feet of concrete. Shingles, bricks and tile aren't collected at all.
Bottom line
North Charleston gives you two free options: weekly curbside pickup for sorted piles, and a free trailer for bigger cleanouts if you book by Monday. For anything on the not-collected list, use your county's drop-off sites, which depend on which county your address is in.
How do we know this?
We check every rule, address and hour on this page against the official source, and re-check on a schedule. Spot something out of date? Tell us.
Charleston Move Guide is not run by, or affiliated with, the City of Charleston or any town, county or public service district named here.