How to get rid of a mattress in Atlanta, GA

Mattresses and box springs are on Atlanta's approved bulk list. Schedule a bulk collection, then set the mattress at the curb in front of your home after 7 p.m. the night before your regular collection day.

Last checked against the official City of Atlanta Department of Public Works, Office of Solid Waste Services website. See sources.

Cost
Free (12 a year)
How
Collection Tool or ATL311, 404-546-0311
Set out
After 7 p.m. the night before

Option 1: City pickup (Scheduled bulk waste collection (12 free per year))

Who can use it

  • Single-family residential customers with City solid waste service. Only the resident at the address can schedule.
  • Not for evictions, vacant properties, rental-property cleanouts, business waste or contractor debris.

How to book

  1. Schedule with the City's Solid Waste Services Collection Tool (linked from the Bulk Waste Collection page), message @ATL311 on Facebook, X or Instagram, or call ATL311 at 404-546-0311.
  2. Since February 16, 2026, bulk collections are scheduled on your regular weekly collection day. If you give an email address, you get a confirmation showing your date.

Mattress rules

  • Mattresses and box springs are approved bulk waste materials.
  • Keep them at least 6 feet from your carts and away from mailboxes, meters and hydrants.

Setting it out

  • Place items neatly at the curb in front of the property after 7 p.m. the day before collection.
  • Keep bulk items at least 6 feet from trash and recycling carts and yard trimmings.
  • Do not place items in the street, on the sidewalk, under low-hanging wires, or near mailboxes, fences, utility meters or fire hydrants.
  • One collection is up to 8 cubic yards (about a small room of furniture); more counts as an additional collection.
  • Not accepted: building materials, electronics and TVs, household hazardous waste, tires and auto parts, metal drums, pressurized gas cylinders, explosives.

Fees and limits

  • Up to 12 scheduled bulk collections per year are free.
  • Beyond 12 a year, ATL311 lists a fee of $336.38. A scheduled collection where nothing is out front still counts toward the 12.
  • Improperly set-out bulk can bring a Notice of Violation and, for repeat problems, citations up to $1,000 per offense.

Option 2: Drop it off yourself

We did not find an official public drop-off site for this item. Ask a private hauler, or check the city's page listed under Sources.

Option 3: Donate or give it away

  • Habitat ReStores do not take mattresses under Habitat's national guidance.

Donation rules are set by each charity and can change. Call before you load up.

What we could not confirm

  • We could not find a City page that says whether a mattress must be bagged or wrapped, or that names a mattress recycling option in Atlanta. Georgia has no Bye Bye Mattress state program.

Common questions

Will Atlanta pick up a mattress?
Yes, through scheduled bulk collection, free up to 12 times a year.
Who can schedule it?
Only the resident of the address, for single-family residential customers.
What happens if I miss setting it out?
The scheduled collection still counts toward your 12 a year.

Sources

Last checked Oct 27, 2026. We read each page below on that date.

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