Riverside Bulk Item Pickup: Burrtec’s Rules, What Items Qualify & California Recycling Programs

In Riverside, summer temperatures regularly hit 110°F. Plastic patio chairs crack after one season, cushions bleach out, and anything left outside in the sun fades faster than it would anywhere on the coast. When something large needs to go, figuring out who picks it up in the Inland Empire is not a simple question.

In Riverside, bulk item pickup goes through a company called Burrtec. which gives residents two free appointments per year. Residents get two free appointments per year, and most of what you’d expect to set out qualifies, with two exceptions. Electronics and refrigerators aren’t accepted curbside, and mattresses only qualify if completely wrapped in plastic before the crew arrives.

Here’s how Riverside’s Burrtec program works, how the surrounding cities compare, and what to do when two appointments a year doesn’t cover what you need.

Burrtec Waste Industries handles residential collection in Riverside, CA. Bulk item pickup is free, but it requires a scheduled appointment every time.

Annual limits and the auto-deduct rule

• 2 appointments per year per residential address, at no additional charge
• 5 items per appointment (3 trash bags weighing no more than 20 lbs = 1 item; maximum 15 bags)
• Auto-deduct: If you stage more than 5 items and the Burrtec driver picks them all up anyway, your second annual appointment is automatically deducted from your account, whether you intended to use it or not. Stage only what you intend for this appointment.
• Maximum of 5 mattresses per single appointment

How to schedule

• Phone (primary): Call the City of Riverside at (951) 826-5311
• Burrtec customer service: (951) 786-9660 or rivmail@burrtec.com
• Online: burrtec.com/request-services/
• Schedule at least one business day in advance

Setout and cancellation rules

• Items curbside by 5:30 AM on your appointment day
• Items may be placed the night before, but no more than 24 hours early
• To cancel: call before the close of the previous business day. Miss that window and the appointment counts as used regardless of whether pickup happened
• If a holiday falls on a weekday, collection shifts one day later for the rest of that week

The full list of accepted items is on the City of Riverside’s official bulky items page. Several items have prep requirements that matter. If you skip them, the crew will leave your items at the curb.

Mattresses are accepted through the standard Burrtec appointment, but only if the mattress is completely wrapped in plastic with no exposed portion. If any part of the mattress is showing, the crew will leave it. This is strictly enforced in Riverside.

California also has a statewide free mattress recycling program that gives you an alternative path that doesn’t use any of your 2 annual Burrtec appointments.

Bye Bye Mattress (free California statewide program)

The Bye Bye Mattress program, run by the Mattress Recycling Council, operates 240+ permanent drop-off locations across California. Ninety-nine percent of California residents live within 15 miles of a collection site. The recycling fee was paid at purchase, so drop-off itself costs nothing. Find the nearest Inland Empire location at byebyemattress.com.

Other mattress options

• Clean Up Riverside events at Agua Mansa: Mattresses accepted at the third-Saturday drop-off events (see section below)
• Retailer take-back: California law requires mattress retailers to offer removal of the old mattress when delivering a new one. Worth asking before scheduling any program

These two categories cause more missed pickups in Riverside than anything else. They’re common items to set out, and both are on the official not-accepted list.

Electronics

Televisions, computers, monitors, cell phones, and stereos are not accepted curbside in Riverside.

For electronics disposal in Riverside, two free options:

• Clean Up Riverside events at Agua Mansa (every third Saturday, 9 AM-2 PM for HHW including electronics). No appointment needed. Bring your utility bill as proof of residency
• CalRecycle certified collectors: Find a free e-waste drop-off near you at calrecycle.ca.gov/electronics

Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners

Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers all contain refrigerant and are excluded from curbside pickup in Riverside.

There are two different options for these items:

• Clean Up Riverside events at Agua Mansa: Refrigerators are specifically listed as accepted at these third-Saturday events. This is the simplest free option.
• Riverside Public Utilities Refrigerator Recycling Program: A rebate-based program for proper refrigerator disposal. Details at riversideca.gov/utilities/residents/rebates/energy-rebates/refrigerator-recycling.

For refrigerators or AC units that need to come out of a garage, second floor, or tight space before any drop-off event, LoadUp handles appliance removal in Riverside from wherever the item is in your home.

When curbside pickup doesn’t apply (wrong item category, wrong timing, or no appointments left), the City of Riverside’s Clean Up Riverside program runs free drop-off events every third Saturday at Agua Mansa.

Agua Mansa Transfer Station (bulk items and trash):

• Address: 1830 Agua Mansa Road, Riverside, CA 92509
• Hours: Every third Saturday, 8 AM to 4 PM
• Accepted: Residential trash, bulky items, recyclables, refrigerators, yard waste
• Not accepted: Tires (as of April 2025): $14 per passenger car tire, no rims, max 9
• Requirements: Proof of Riverside residency required. Bring your City of Riverside utility bill

County HHW Facility (hazardous waste and electronics, same event day):

• Address: 1780 Agua Mansa Road (separate facility, same area)
• Hours: 9 AM to 2 PM on Clean Up Riverside event days
• Phone: 1-800-304-2226
• Accepted: Paint, batteries, electronics, pesticides, motor oil, solvents, and other household hazardous materials
• Limit: Up to 15 gallons or 125 lbs of chemical waste per trip
• More information at rcwaste.org/agua-mansa-permanent-hhw-facility

Call (951) 826-5311 or check riversideca.gov/clean-riverside before your trip to confirm the next event date and any changes to accepted items.

The Inland Empire spans two counties and dozens of independent cities, each with its own waste contract. Riverside’s Burrtec rules don’t apply anywhere else. Three neighbors tell the story.

Fontana

Fontana also uses Burrtec, so the scheduling process is similar. You can request online at burrtec.com/request-services/ or reach Fontana’s waste services directly. Annual limits may differ from Riverside, so check fontana.org before scheduling. For private hauling, LoadUp serves Fontana.

Moreno Valley

Moreno Valley uses Waste Management of the Inland Empire, not Burrtec. The contrast with Riverside is significant: Moreno Valley residents get up to 4 free bulky item pickups per month (one per week) at no charge. That’s more than 48 per year compared to Riverside’s 2. Call at least 24 hours before your regular service day: 800-423-9986. For private hauling, LoadUp serves Moreno Valley.

Ontario

Ontario runs its own waste department rather than contracting with a private hauler. Residents get 4 free bulky item collections per year, which is double Riverside’s limit. Schedule by calling (909) 395-2800 or at ontarioca.gov. LoadUp serves Ontario with same-day and next-day availability.

San Bernardino and Corona

Both cities run their own separate programs. Check current rules at sbcity.org for San Bernardino and coronaca.gov for Corona before scheduling anything. LoadUp serves San Bernardino as well.

The pattern across all cities in the Inland Empire: every city has its own contract, its own hauler, and its own rules. No IE-wide program exists. If you recently moved, confirm your hauler before anything goes to the curb.

The Inland Empire summers is where the 2-per-year limit gets real. With temperatures regularly hitting over 100° in Riverside, plastic patio furniture cracks and fades after one season. Outdoor rugs and fabric furniture deteriorate from UV exposure faster here than in any coastal California city. One summer can burn through both your annual appointments before fall arrives.

Booking junk removal with a private hauler might be a better fit if:

• You have more than 5 items and one appointment doesn’t cover it, or the second appointment is already used
• Items need to come out from inside the garage, second floor, or storage room. Burrtec picks up from the curb only.
• You have a refrigerator, freezer, or AC unit that can’t wait for the next third-Saturday Clean Up Riverside event
• You have construction or renovation debris: not accepted through any Burrtec residential program
• You’re doing a garage cleanout or estate clearance that exceeds what two 5-item appointments can handle
• UCR students moving out in May or June need bulk items gone on a tight timeline

When Burrtec’s limit doesn’t fit the job, LoadUp provides junk removal across Riverside and the Inland Empire through bulk item pickup with same-day and next-day availability. No 2-per-year cap, no 5-item limit, no requirement that items be at the curb first. Loaders handle the carrying from anywhere inside your home, whether its in the garage, storage room, or on the second floor.

LoadUp runs 20-30% below what most junk removal companies charge for comparable work in the Inland Empire, and offers a price match guarantee for any written quote for the same service.