Backyard play equipment outlives the kids who used it, and then it's a large, awkward pile of steel, wood, vinyl and sand. This guide covers draining a pool without breaking county rules, the hazardous pieces people miss, and where each part can go in LA, Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena.
Draining an above-ground pool first
The water is the first job and the one with rules. LA County Public Works says to make sure all chemicals have dissipated before draining a pool or spa, not to drain within 5 days of adding chemicals, and never to backwash a filter into the street or a storm drain.[1] The reason: storm drains take runoff straight to creeks and the ocean with no treatment.[1]
So stop adding chlorine or shock at least five days before you plan to drain. Run the water across your own lawn or landscaping rather than down the driveway, and don't let it reach the gutter. Cities can have their own discharge rules on top of the County's guidance, so check with your city before you drain toward the street.
Don't pour leftover pool chemicals into the pool water "to use them up" before draining, and don't bin them. Pool chemicals are household hazardous waste in California.[2]
Leftover pool chemicals and pump parts
Chlorine tablets, shock, algaecide and pH chemicals all go to a household hazardous waste drop-off.[2]
- City of LA and most of the Valley: S.A.F.E. Centers take pool chemicals, along with pesticides, cleaners and batteries.[3] They're free for City and County residents,[4] with a limit of 15 gallons or 125 pounds per visit.[3] The Valley centers are Randall Street in Sun Valley[4] and Nicole Bernson on Balboa Blvd. in Northridge,[5] both open Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You stay in the car while staff unload it, so pack containers upright with lids tight.[3]
- Burbank: the City sends pool and garden chemicals to the Randall Street S.A.F.E. Center.[6]
- Glendale: the Fire Department's HHW facility at 780 Flower St. takes pool and garden chemicals,[7] every Wednesday and the second Saturday of each month.[7]
A pump motor, ladder and steel wall panels are scrap metal (see below). Don't try donating the chemicals: Goodwill lists pool chemicals among the hazardous items it refuses.[8]
Trampolines
Most trampolines come apart into four things: a steel frame, a spring set, a jumping mat and a safety net with poles.
City pickup. In Los Angeles, LA Sanitation picks up bulky items free for homes it services,[9] and a bulky item is anything non-hazardous too big for the black bin.[9] Book one business day before trash day,[9] through MyLA311 or 1-800-773-2489,[9] and put each component on the request, since crews only take what's on the work order.[10]
Scrap. The frame and springs are steel. SA Recycling takes scrap metal at 8250 Tujunga Ave. in Sun Valley[11] and at 9754 San Fernando Rd.,[12] and sellers need a government-issued photo ID.[11]
Reuse. A trampoline with a sound frame and a mat that isn't torn is easy to give away to a neighbor. Donation stores are a harder fit for something this large, so try a free local listing first.
One Legacy customer, Tasha B., wrote on Google that the crew "even disassembled my giant trampoline and hauled it away as well."
Wooden playsets and swing sets
Playsets are mostly lumber, plus plastic slides, hardware and sometimes a canvas roof.
Check the wood. California requires chemically treated wood, meaning wood preserved against insects and fungal decay, to be managed as hazardous waste.[2] In Burbank, treated wood such as railroad ties is handled as household hazardous waste bound for a S.A.F.E. Center.[6] Glendale residents can bring treated railroad ties to the Fire Department's HHW facility.[7] If you don't know how the wood was treated, call the S.A.F.E. Center before you cut it up, bin it or haul it.
Untreated wood. LA's green bin accepts clean, untreated wood,[13] in pieces small enough that the lid closes.[14] LASAN's bulky pickup list also includes large wood pieces.[9]
Plastic parts. Slides and plastic climbers are bulky items in LA. In Burbank, large plastic toys and metal furniture are on the bulky list with no special handling fee.[15]
Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena rules
Each neighboring city runs its own bulky pickup, and each draws the line in a different place.
| City | What to know for these items |
|---|---|
| Burbank | Book through Our Burbank 311 with a photo, 2 business days ahead;[15] fencing, dirt and rocks are excluded[15] |
| Glendale | Only items on the City's printed list are taken[16]; request 3 business days ahead[17] |
| Pasadena | 2 free pickups a year,[18] about 3 cubic yards each, no item heavier than a two-person lift[19] |
Glendale's list doesn't name trampolines or playsets, so ask Glendale Integrated Waste Management at (818) 548-3916 before you put one out.[20] In Pasadena, landscaping debris is excluded from bulky pickup,[19] so put plant trimmings in the yard waste container instead.
The sand base and pavers
Some above-ground pools sit on a sand or dirt pad, and some playsets sit on pavers. LA's curbside pickup won't take dirt, bricks or concrete.[9] Burbank's bulky pickup excludes the same materials, and the City offers its 2-yard rental bin instead,[15] which can hold heavy material only up to 12 inches deep.[21] Our concrete and dirt guide covers the rest.
Takedown checklist
Before the pool, playset or trampoline comes apart
- Stop adding pool chemicals at least 5 days before draining.
- Drain onto your own landscaping, never into the street or storm drain.
- Box leftover chemicals upright with lids tight for a S.A.F.E. Center trip.
- Turn off and unplug the pool pump at the breaker before disconnecting it.
- Find out whether the playset wood was treated before cutting it.
- Wear gloves and eye protection when releasing trampoline springs; they're under tension.
- Sort the pile: steel, clean wood, plastic, liner and mat, sand or dirt.
- List every component on your bulky pickup request.
When to call a hauler
Doing it yourself works if you have a free weekend, some tools and a way to get steel to Sun Valley. Hiring a crew makes more sense when:
- the pool wall is heavy and needs several people to fold and carry;
- the playset is anchored and has to be cut apart;
- the yard only connects to the street through a side gate or down steps;
- you want the frame, the liner, the playset and the rest of the yard junk gone in one visit.
Here's one customer's account of a pool takedown:
I had a 30ft pool in my back yard it was SUPER HEAVY these guys came out went above and beyond and helped me disassemble it (was not part of the original agreement) and hauled it away super fast. If you’re looking for hard working and fast workers they are it. 100% recommend. Thank you! …
Legacy's crew is based in North Hollywood. Snap a couple of photos of the pool, set or trampoline and the path to the street, and we'll come back with a price by text.