Junk removal in Burbank

Burbank runs its own trash service, separate from Los Angeles, and that changes what's free and what costs a fee. Here's how junk jobs work in Burbank, the City rules you're likely to run into, and where the things the City won't take can go.

What jobs look like in Burbank

Burbank is a renters' city. About 57% of occupied homes are rented,^[1] and roughly 41% of housing units are in buildings with five or more units, while about 44% are detached houses.^[1] The median home was built in 1959,^[1] so a lot of garages and back rooms have had decades to fill up.

In practice our Burbank calls split three ways:

• Apartment move-outs and single items. Tell us the floor, whether there's an elevator, and where a truck can stop. Burbank's yellow curbs allow loading for up to 20 minutes between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. unless signs say otherwise,^[2] so a note on parking saves time.
• Storage units. Burbank customers use us to empty units, and one review describes exactly that.

• Garages and houses in neighborhoods like the Burbank Rancho, where the City is writing a specific plan to protect the area's equestrian lifestyle.^[3] Street sweeping runs weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.,^[4] so we plan around the posted day.

Businesses matter here too. The City says more than 1,000 media and entertainment companies are based in Burbank,^[5] and business items can't go out in the City's bulky pickup at all.^[6] For an office, studio or shop, a hauler is the normal route.

Local rules that affect your junk

Bulky pickup. City customers book on Our Burbank 311 two business days before trash day, with a photo,^[6] or by phone one business day ahead.^[6] Furniture such as couches, dressers, tables, bed frames and TVs has no extra charge.^[6] The full walkthrough is in our Burbank bulky pickup guide.

Mattresses. Residents can drop one mattress and one box spring at the Burbank Recycle Center, Monday through Saturday, without the fee.^[6] A store delivering a new mattress for free has to offer to take the old one.^[7] More in how to get rid of a mattress.

Fridges and other appliances. If the City picks up a refrigerator, the doors must come off first.^[6] State law says refrigerant can only be removed by a certified appliance recycler or an EPA-certified technician.^[8] See how to get rid of a refrigerator.

E-waste, batteries and bulbs go to the Recycle Center's Drop Zone, which serves residents and small businesses.^[7] Paint goes to PaintCare, not the Recycle Center, and treated wood such as railroad ties counts as hazardous waste.^[7]

Yard waste. The green cart takes trimmings and food scraps but no dirt or household items.^[9]

Remodel debris. Bulky pickup won't take bricks, concrete, tile, drywall, roofing, carpet or countertops.^[6] Projects that add conditioned space must recycle at least 65% of their debris^[10] and post a refundable deposit, capped at $1,000 for residential work.^[10] That paperwork runs through your contractor and the Building Division.

City pickup or a hauler in Burbank

Sources for the City column: booking and set-out,^[6] fees,^[6] exclusions.^[6]

The City route wins when you have a couch or dresser, can wait for trash day, and can get it to the curb. If an oversized piece doesn't go that day, it's tagged and collected the following Friday.^[6] A hauler makes more sense when the items are upstairs or in a storage unit, when you have several fee items that would add up on the BWP bill, when you're not the account holder, or when the stuff belongs to a business.

Getting a dumpster in Burbank

The City's own bins are the simple option for small jobs. Anyone named on an active BWP account can rent a 2-yard bin for $145 per collection or a 3-yard bin for $175.^[11] Each holds up to 1,000 lb, and heavy material is limited: 12 inches deep in the 2-yard, none in the 3-yard.^[11] Bins arrive within 1–3 business days and sit at the bottom of the driveway or at the edge of your property on an alley.^[11]

Where things can go near Burbank

• Burbank Recycle Center Drop Zone, 500 S. Flower St., (818) 238-3900: e-waste, batteries, bulbs, antifreeze and ink cartridges from residents, and it may ask for proof of residency.^[7] Limits include 100 lb of e-waste per household per year.^[7] The City's two pages list different hours, so call first.^[7] CalRecycle also lists the Recycle Center as a CRV center for bottles and cans.^[12]
• Randall St. S.A.F.E. Center in Sun Valley for paint, solvents, motor oil, pool chemicals, medicine and sharps, weekends 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.^[7] The Drop Zone stopped taking motor oil after December 31, 2025.^[7]
• Sharps can also go back by free mail-back container or to a participating pharmacy.^[7] The City says Burbank's yearly County hazardous waste event is held in early September.^[7]
• Donations: Goodwill Southern California has a store at 3226 W. Magnolia Blvd.^[13] Burbank's recycling guide notes that animal shelters often take old bedding that thrift stores won't.^[14]
• The Burbank landfill is not an option. It's only open to the City's Public Works department.^[15] Sunshine Canyon in Sylmar takes public drop-offs without an appointment,^[16] and our guide to dumps and landfills near the Valley covers the rest.

The City itself notes that most bulky pickups end up in the landfill, apart from electronics, metal appliances and mattresses, and asks people to donate or sell usable items first.^[6]

When a hauler is the easier call

If the job is one couch and you can wait for trash day, use the City. If it's a storage unit, a garage, a load full of fee items or anything from a business, Legacy works in Burbank and carries things out from wherever they sit. Send photos of the pile and where it sits, and we'll text you a price.

Text photos for a priceor call (909) 566-3090