Junk Removal in Allentown, PA: Pickup or Hire a Hauler

Decide whether city collection fits your cleanout

Start with your address and property arrangement. The city code includes single-family homes and multifamily dwellings with up to 25 units in city collection, subject to its exemptions. An apartment complex with 26 or more units on one undivided tract under common ownership falls outside that service. If you live in a rental or condominium, ask the property manager which collection arrangement serves your building before planning a furniture set-out. [1]

For an eligible property, the second collection night allows one bulk item, such as furniture or a mattress, or a maximum of 40 pounds of construction material. Prepare that material in an acceptable container or bundle, with no piece longer than four feet. The code lists Wednesday, Thursday or Friday as second collection nights, depending on the zone; confirm which applies to your address. [1]

The code lists a prepaid $15 charge for each additional bulk item, each additional 40 pounds of construction material, or each group of five additional trash bags. Contact the Bureau before relying on extra collection. Describe the items and quantities, confirm acceptance and payment instructions, and ask when to set them out. [1]

Separate appliances, electronics and excluded debris

Tell the collector whether an appliance contains refrigerant. Allentown's recycling code identifies refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and other refrigerant appliances as requiring special handling. For eligible city customers, it lists a $20 fee per appliance for collection, transportation, handling and recycling, payable before collection. Confirm the arrangement before placing the appliance at the curb. [2]

Separate televisions, desktop and laptop computers, monitors and computer peripherals from the ordinary junk pile. Allentown prohibits disposing of these covered devices or their components with municipal solid waste and requires electronics recycling. Pennsylvania DEP also identifies these device categories in its Covered Device Recycling Act guidance. [1] [3]

Ask an electronics collector which recycler will receive your devices and whether the collection operates through a manufacturer program. DEP prohibits manufacturers from charging consumers for covered-device collection, transportation or recycling unless they provide an equal or greater financial incentive. That manufacturer rule does not establish a universal free private cleanout service. Ask the hauler to explain any charge and the program involved. [3]

Flag liquid paint, household chemicals, tires and masonry before requesting a quote. The city excludes liquid paint, hazardous waste, tires, concrete, brick, stone and rock from its curbside trash service. Keep these materials separate and ask the collector to confirm an appropriate disposal route for each category. Do not assume a furniture-removal quote includes them. [1]

Compare private-hauler quotes with the same item list

Send each hauler the same photos and inventory. Include furniture dimensions, appliance types, the floor where each item sits, stairs, doorway restrictions, and the proposed loading location. Mark items that must stay. Ask whether the crew will remove items from inside, dismantle furniture, carry items downstairs and sweep the cleared area.

Request a written total that identifies labor, transportation, disposal, recycling and any separate-item charges. If the hauler quotes by truck space, ask for the truck's usable dimensions and how the crew will determine the final charge. Agree on how the crew will approve a price change before loading. The supplied official sources do not establish a private junk-removal price range for Allentown.

Ask for the business name, proof of insurance and evidence of Lehigh County authorization. Section 525-3 requires county authorization for a regular municipal-waste hauling business operating within or from Allentown. Section 525-7 requires disposal at licensed and approved facilities consistent with the county waste plan and applicable regulations. Ask where the crew will take trash, appliances and electronics, and request available disposal or recycling receipts. [1]

Arrange access and staging before pickup

Choose a staging area on your property with the hauler. Allentown requires written Bureau approval before you set municipal waste at the curbline or in the public right-of-way for private collection. A private pickup appointment alone does not authorize a curbside pile. If you cannot stage on your property, resolve the approval question before carrying items outside. [1]

Walk the removal route before the crew arrives. Measure doorways, clear loose belongings from stairs, protect surfaces you want preserved, and arrange access with the property manager if needed. Photograph the items to remove and the surrounding area. At pickup, review the inventory, price and exclusions with the crew before they begin carrying or loading.

Allentown code-listed extra-item collection fees

Choose a removal route for your items

Your hiring checklist

1. Confirm whether your property uses city collection or a private building contract.
2. Photograph the removal items and separate anything you want to keep.
3. Identify refrigerant appliances, covered electronics, chemicals, tires and masonry.
4. Give each bidder the same inventory, stair details and loading-location photos.
5. Request authorization details, proof of insurance and named disposal destinations.
6. Agree on the total, exclusions and price-change approval before loading.
7. Arrange staging on your property and resolve any private curbside approval with the city.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put a mattress out with regular trash?

At a property eligible for city collection, the code allows one bulk item, including a mattress, on the zone's second collection night. Confirm your designated night and the current set-out instructions before moving it outside. [1]

Can a private junk hauler collect from the curb?

Allentown requires written approval from the Bureau of Recycling and Solid Waste before you set municipal waste at the curbline or in the public right-of-way for private collection. Arrange pickup from your property or resolve approval before set-out. [1]

Does the city collect refrigerators?

The residential recycling code provides for refrigerant-appliance collection from entities included in city curbside service, with a prepaid $20 fee per appliance. Contact the Bureau to confirm your eligibility, payment method and collection arrangements. [2]

Can I haul my own household junk?

The city code allows someone who does not regularly operate a waste-collection business to haul their own municipal waste on an irregular, unscheduled basis to a state-permitted disposal facility. Confirm the facility's item acceptance and fees before loading; covered electronics require recycling. [1]