Junk removal costs in New York

A New York cleanout runs into one hard fact: there are no public dumps. NYC311 says it plainly, and the city's special waste drop-off sites won't take bulk items either. So everything you clear out goes one of two ways. It goes to the curb for the Department of Sanitation, or it leaves in a private truck.

The curb takes more than people expect. You can set out up to six bulk items a night, between 6 PM and midnight before pickup. Metal and rigid plastic go out the night before your recycling day; a couch or a dresser goes out before trash day. Pickup appointments are gone, so you just put it out. A mattress or box spring has to be sealed in a plastic bag first, or it stays on the sidewalk and you may be fined. Electronics can't go in the trash at all.

Debris from a renovation follows other rules. If a contractor did the work, or the house has three or more units, it needs a private carter or a dumpster. A container on the street needs a DOT permit, and only the carting company can pull it. Each permit covers one container for five days.

A fridge, freezer or air conditioner takes the most planning. Sanitation removes the CFC gas by appointment only, never the same day. Then it tags the unit, and the crew takes it away on your next recycling day.