ECUA bulk pickup is the curbside service that takes away large household items, like a couch, mattress or old refrigerator, for residential sanitation customers of the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority. Since July 1, 2023, it has been a requested service: nothing gets picked up unless you ask for it by the deadline. Here is who can use it, how to request it, and what it will and won't take, as posted by ECUA in October 2026. Check ECUA's page for changes before you set anything out.
Who is an ECUA sanitation customer?
Escambia County's page on residential waste providers explains the split. ECUA collects garbage, recycling and yard trash in unincorporated Escambia County, which is all of the county except the City of Pensacola and the Town of Century. If your trash is picked up by the City of Pensacola, ECUA bulk pickup isn't your program; see our guide to City of Pensacola bulk trash pickup instead.
ECUA lists bulk waste among the services included in its standard monthly residential sanitation charge, along with household garbage, recycling and yard waste.
How to request a bulk pickup
- Submit a request with the Bulk Pickup Request form on ECUA's website or in the MyECUA app, by 1:59 p.m. the day before your scheduled pickup day. List every item you are putting out.
- Know when requests are reviewed. Customer Service reviews online requests Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding holidays. Anything submitted after hours is processed the next business day.
- Set items out the night before your collection day, and no earlier than 48 hours before pickup.
- Clear the area around the pile. Keep it away from tree limbs, cars, fences and mailboxes so the truck can reach it safely.
If you aren't sure of your pickup day, ECUA has an address lookup map on the same page.
What counts as bulk, and the limits
ECUA collects one pile per week, no larger than 6 feet wide, 6 feet deep and 6 feet high. ECUA says the limit keeps trucks from overloading and cuts down on landfill trips. Accepted items include:
- Furniture such as couches, desks, chairs and dressers
- Mattresses and box springs
- Small appliances such as vacuums and microwaves
- Large appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers and freezers
- Household electronics such as computers, monitors and TVs
- Bicycles, grills and large toys (remove lithium ion batteries)
- Lawn mowers, drained of gas and oil
- Toilets (limit 2), one tub and a small bathroom vanity
- Tires, kept separate from other bulk, limit 5 per month, no commercial equipment tires
- Large amounts of flattened cardboard
Mattresses get special handling now. ECUA says mattresses must be kept separate from other bulk items when delivered for disposal. In some cases crews collect the mattress or the rest of the pile first and come back for the remainder. Our mattress disposal guide covers the other options.
What is not considered bulk waste?
ECUA says bulk pickup is not meant for construction debris, remodeling materials, excessive trash, mixed piles, contractor waste, hazardous materials, damaged pool materials, fencing, carpet, sheetrock, or anything needing special handling.
Those items may qualify for ECUA's Extra Sanitation Service, which has an additional fee. You send a clear photo, and a supervisor reviews it and contacts you with options and any costs before scheduling. As posted, requests are accepted on Mondays only, while availability lasts.
Hazardous items are a separate track. ECUA does not collect car batteries, propane tanks, paint, pool chemicals or pesticides, and sends residents to Escambia County's household hazardous waste program, which is free for county residents at the Perdido Landfill drop off.
Will ECUA pick up furniture?
Yes. General furniture is first on ECUA's accepted list, which names couches, desks, chairs and dressers. The catch is the process. You need to request it in time, carry it to the curb yourself, and keep the pile under the size limit. A sectional, a mattress set and a dresser can fill a 6 foot cube fast.
When a hauler makes more sense
ECUA bulk pickup is a good deal and worth using when it fits. It doesn't fit when:
- The pile is bigger than one 6 foot cube, or you have more than one pile's worth this week.
- You can't get a heavy item down the stairs or out to the curb.
- Your pickup day is days away and the items need to be gone now, like at a move out.
- Your HOA or apartment complex doesn't allow piles at the curb.
That is where our junk hauling service comes in. We carry items out from wherever they are, and single items are normal jobs. For a deadline, see how same day junk removal works.
Text photos to (850) 273-8546 with your ZIP code and whether there are stairs. We text back a price and the soonest pickup time, same day when available, and the price is confirmed before anything is loaded. Mention the website for $20 off your first pickup.