Bulk pickup Bulk trash pickup in Summerville

How bulk pickup works in Summerville

Summerville splits trash service between two crews. Carolina Waste collects your garbage and recycling carts each week under contract with the Town, both on the same weekday. Bulk waste and yard debris are handled by the Town's own Street Department and Public Works.

• When: once a month, on your usual weekday during the second and third full weeks of the month. These are full weeks, not the second or third time your weekday appears on the calendar.
• How to find your week: use the Town's Bulk and Yard Debris Collection Locator map or the 2026 bulk calendar on its bulk waste page.
• Booking: none is described for ordinary items. Just set them out for your week.
• Hot tubs and very large items: call Public Works at 843-851-4225 first.

The Town doesn't list a fee or a cap on how much you can put out. If you have a big load, call Public Works to check before you set it all out.

What goes in the bulk pile

The Town gives furniture, appliances, boards and fencing as examples of bulk items. A few rules keep your pile from being left behind:

• Secure the doors on refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers.
• Keep household trash and yard debris out of the bulk pile.
• Mattresses aren't mentioned on the Town's page. Call Public Works at 843-851-4225 before you put one out.

Pro tip if your pickup day lands on a Town holiday, collection moves to the next business day. The Town's 2026 holidays include Veterans Day (November 11), Thanksgiving and the day after (November 26 and 27), Christmas Eve, Christmas and December 28.

What Summerville won't take at the curb

These items can't go in the bulk pile: combustibles, concrete, electronics, paint, sand, televisions, tree stumps and tires. The Town points residents to Dorchester County or Berkeley County drop-off sites for them. See where to recycle a TV in the Charleston area and how to get rid of old tires.

Yard debris is weekly

Yard debris is picked up every week, separate from bulk. Use open piles or recyclable paper bags. Debris in plastic bins, cans or roll carts isn't emptied. Limbs can be up to 4 feet long and 6 inches across. Large trunks and stumps aren't picked up, and piles mixed with lumber, tile, bricks or plastic are left at the curb.

Use your own county's drop-off sites

Summerville sits mostly in Dorchester County, with parts in Berkeley and Charleston counties, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Town's pages describe one service for all town residents and don't say it changes by county. Drop-off sites are a different story, since each county limits its sites to its own residents:

• Dorchester County: sites are for Dorchester County residential waste only, and proof of residency may be required. Furniture, appliances and construction debris go to the Knightsville, Oakbrook, St. George, Givhans and Sandy Pines sites. See Dorchester County convenience sites.
• Berkeley County: the 10 centers are for Berkeley County residents, and staff check a valid photo ID. See Berkeley County convenience centers.
• Charleston County: you need a government photo ID with a Charleston County address. See Charleston County convenience centers.

Donate or hire a crew

Furniture in good shape can go to the Dorchester Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 101 Greyback Road in Summerville. It offers free pickup of large items for Dorchester County residents. It doesn't take mattresses, console or large tube TVs, or ripped, stained or particle-board furniture.

If your bulk week is a month away, or the item is too heavy to get to the curb, a junk removal crew can carry it out for you. See what junk removal costs.

Questions about your pickup? Call Public Works at 843-851-4225, Town Hall at 843-871-6000, or Carolina Waste at 843-576-1100, option 0, for carts.

Frequently asked questions