Special collections

The special waste collection service is a chargeable service we provide to remove and dispose of large bulky items -items that weigh 25kgs or more and can't be put into your bin - from your home. Before you throw your special items away, consider if you could donate them to a local charity or refurbishment organisation or visit our charity shops and reuse organisations page.

Charges from 1 April 2011 are:

• £20 for up to 3 large items
• £40 for up to 6 large items

Some items will be priced as two items due to their size and weight, for example, double cookers, agas or extra long ladders. Contact us for more details.

We can collect other items which will be priced on request.

You can book a special waste collection by telephoning us and make payment:

• Over the phone by credit or debit card
• At reception in the Civic Centre

Free Special waste collections

If you receive any of the following benefits, you are entitled to two free collections in a 12 month period:

• Income support
• Housing benefit
• Council tax benefit
• Pension credits

These collections must be booked seperately and on different days.

What will we collect?

We will collect:

• Fridges and freezers
• Furniture
• Mattresses
• Electrical items

If you have excess rubbish, look at the contents and you may find you can recyle it:

• Use our free doorstep collection service for recyclable materials, visit our recycle from home page to see what you can recycle
• Take recyclable items including glass and clothing to one of our recycling banks or recycling centres

General points to bear in mind:

• All items must be able to be carried by two able bodied people
• One carpet must be manageable by two people, or cut into manageable pieces, rolled and tied
• Carpet does not include underlay, this is a separate item
• Items should not be filled with other rubbish
• Items for collection must be easy to get to, outside and at one point on the property

What won't we collect?

We will not collect:

• Paint
• Car parts and tyres
• Chemicals
• Asbestos (for details about removing asbestos visit the asbestos page)
• Building or DIY waste
• Any items that cannot be carried by two people
• Any commercial equipment
• Garden waste - you may qualify for our free garden waste collection service

Some commercial waste can be collected through our Trade Waste Service Team, please call 304700 or email tradewaste@plymouth.gov.uk for further details.

Disposal of other items

Please take domestic items that we cannot collect to one of our recycling centres at Weston Mill or Chelson Meadow.

[Back to top]