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Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Bulk junk removal
in Cape Girardeau.

Bags, boxes and the last things left to clear, gone from the curb. Choose what’s going, see your exact price and book by 2pm for same-day pickup. You don’t need to be home.

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What is ready to go?

First item / additional item

All bags & boxesFind yours
See my instant price

Book by 2pm for same-day pickup.

Choose items or browse the full catalog.

Two separate tied household bags and one filled box grouped outside an open doorway, with the entrance kept clear.
Two bags. One filled box. Count what goes, then book it together.

Finish clearing the space

The last few things still deserve a pickup.

You have decided what is going. Now give those bags and boxes a pickup day, with a price you can see before anyone arrives.

The move is nearly done.

Book the unwanted bags and boxes left after packing. Choose an available pickup day before you hand back the keys, and arrange to have them outside.

The clear-out can be finished.

You do not need a whole house of junk. Select the bags, boxes and larger items you actually have. Your combined price is shown online.

You want to know it is handled.

When the next collection does not fit your plans, choose a Dropcurb pickup day. Updates keep you informed, and completion photos show when the booked items are gone.

See my instant price

A clear count. An exact price.

Count the bags and boxes, not everything inside.

A few simple choices turn a mixed pile into a clear booking. No need to estimate how much of a truck it might fill.

Filled bags and boxes

Count each trash bag or filled household box. Books and media go by the box. Clothes, bedding and shoes go by the filled bag. Toys packed together have a Box of toys choice. Ask us about unusually heavy or oversized bags and boxes first.

Empty cardboard and containers

Empty cardboard is a different choice: choose single empty boxes or tied bundles of 10 flattened boxes. Compacted bales have their own weight-based choices and require loading-dock access. A Storage bin choice covers the empty bin itself; ask us to confirm the contents if they are going too.

Furniture and other larger items

Add the actual larger item alongside your bags and boxes, such as a sofa, chair or mattress. It has its own price and preparation. Keep construction materials and items needing special handling out of ordinary household bags.

Bulk junk removal prices in Cape Girardeau

First item / additional item

  • Trash bag$59 / $10
  • Filled household box$59 / $15
  • Bag of clothes & bedding$59 / $10
  • Empty cardboard box$59 / $5
  • 10 flattened cardboard boxes$79 / $20
  • Box of toys$89 / $29
  • Dumpster Bag$300 / $250

The highest first-item price applies once. Every remaining item uses its additional-item price. Loading, transportation and disposal are included. Applicable sales tax is shown before payment.

Choose my items

Ready for pickup

Bring the booked items together outside.

You handle sorting and getting things out of the home or building. We load and haul away the items on your booking from an accessible outdoor spot.

Book by 2pm at the pickup address for same-day pickup, using the dates shown at checkout. Pickup is booked for a day, not an exact arrival time. Confirm any short building-access window with us before booking.

Your place. One easy pickup plan.

A house, a condo or an apartment. Choose an accessible outdoor spot that works for your property. You arrange the move outside; we take it from there.

Text us about your setup

  1. Count it before you book.

    Add the bags, boxes and separate larger items, then choose an available day. Have an unusual pile or uncertain contents? Send a photo before booking so we can help with the choices.

  2. Make the handoff easy.

    Bag or box small household items as much as possible. Keep the booked items together, separate from anything staying. Follow your confirmation for when they need to be outside and accessible.

  3. Show us what goes.

    Add photos and clear pickup-location notes on your order page. You do not need to be home when everything is outside and accessible. We send pickup updates and completion photos.

You’re in the loop.
Until it’s gone.

Confirmation when you book. A heads-up before arrival. Photos when it’s done.

Dropcurb

Your pickup is booked.

You’re booked.

Your confirmation comes straight to your phone.

The local disposal guide

What are your
local options?

Bulk junk removal in Cape Girardeau: start with the item’s collection rules, then choose the arrangement that fits.

Reviewed · Sources below

Weekly trash and recycling carts

Accepted with preparation

The City issues a tan trash cart and a dark green recycling cart to each residential customer and collects both once a week on the address's route day.

City cost & eligibility
The City bills a monthly solid waste service charge on the utility account and the retained pages do not state the amount, so call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 or Utility Billing on (573) 339-6322 and confirm the current monthly charge, including the doubled charge that applies when a second trash cart is issued.
When & how
Once a week on the address's route day, with the carts out by six in the morning and no earlier than twelve hours before collection, and the carts taken back off the curb the same day.
Get it ready
Put all trash in the tan cart and keep the lid shut, because anything outside the cart or protruding from it is not collected. Keep the cart within four feet of the curb or the edge of the roadway, keep four feet of clearance from other carts, mailboxes, fire hydrants, low branches and parked cars, and do not block the sidewalk. Do not tightly pack the cart, because stuck trash will not drop into the automated truck, and note the cart weight limits the handbook publishes: 335 pounds for a 96-gallon cart, 224 pounds for a 64-gallon cart and 168 pounds for a 48-gallon cart.
City solid waste and recycling hub with the carts, the placement rule and the contact detailsCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routes

Single stream recycling and glass drop-off

Accepted with preparation

Cardboard, paper and metal go in the green cart as one sort-free stream, and glass bottles and jars go to one of the City's drop-off points because glass is not collected at the curb.

City cost & eligibility
No charge. Curbside recycling is part of the residential solid waste service, and the City Recycling Center at 2007 Southern Expressway accepts recyclable material free of charge.
When & how
Once a week on the route day with the recycling cart out by six in the morning, or at the drive-through Recycling Center Monday to Friday from seven thirty to four.
Get it ready
Put corrugated cardboard, gray board and chipboard such as soda, cereal and frozen pizza boxes, newspaper, magazines, catalogs, junk mail and paper, aluminum, steel and tin, and rinsed plastic containers in the recycling cart loose, because recyclables in a bag of any kind are refused. Keep garbage bags, newspaper sleeves and plastic shopping bags, plastic wrap, pet food bags, pesticide containers, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, PLA plastic, number six plastic, foam, clothing, hoses, hardcover books, photographs, paper towels, tissues, take-out containers, wood and yard waste out of the cart. Glass bottles and jars go to the drop-off points instead, rinsed with lids, caps and metal rings removed, and broken glass, window panes, automobile glass, china and glassware are not accepted anywhere.
City 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routesCity recycling page with the single stream rules, the glass drop-off points, the electronics program and the used fluid rulesCity solid waste and recycling hub with the carts, the placement rule and the contact details

Wednesday Special Pickups

Accepted with preparation

Large items are collected on a Wednesday by appointment, and each residential trash customer gets one free pickup a calendar year.

City cost & eligibility
No charge. One Wednesday Special Pickup a calendar year is free for each residential trash customer, and the first ten minutes of loading are part of that free pickup. A pickup that takes staff more than ten minutes converts to a chargeable pickup, and additional pickups after the free one are chargeable at the published rates.
When & how
Call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 to check availability and book the Wednesday you want, and schedule by three in the afternoon on the Tuesday before. Pickups are not scheduled during a week that contains a holiday, and only a limited number of free slots are available each week.
Get it ready
Put the items at the front curb where the regular trash is collected and keep every small loose item in a bag or a box, because loose items are left behind. Separate the load into three groups so the right truck takes each one: boxes, bags and bulky items such as furniture, then major appliances such as a washer, dryer, stove or refrigerator, then bundled limbs and compost. Appliances and yard waste are collected by a different truck from household trash, the trash and recycling carts are not emptied during a special pickup, and doors must be removed from a refrigerator or freezer, which also has to be empty.
City special pickup page with the Wednesday booking rule, the free annual pickup and the published charge scheduleCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routes

Couches, chairs and household furniture

Accepted with preparation

Furniture is named on the special pickup route, and a piece that needs more than one person to lift is priced per minute after the first ten.

City cost & eligibility
From $25 per pickup for furniture, mattresses and large items that require more than one person to lift, with the first ten minutes of labour included and a per minute per person charge after that. Any residential trash customer, whether the pickup is the free annual one or an additional chargeable pickup, with a fuel charge added when fuel prices rise above the threshold the City publishes.
When & how
Book the Wednesday Special Pickup on (573) 339-6351 by three in the afternoon on the Tuesday before, then put the piece at the front curb with the rest of the load.
Get it ready
Keep the piece out of the trash cart, because appliances and furniture are refused there and belong on the special pickup route. Put it in the first separation group with the boxes, bags and other bulky items so the right truck collects it.
City special pickup page with the Wednesday booking rule, the free annual pickup and the published charge scheduleCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routes

Mattresses and box springs

Accepted with preparation

A mattress is named on the special pickup route, and it is priced with the large items that need more than one person to lift.

City cost & eligibility
From $25 per pickup for furniture, mattresses and large items requiring more than one person to lift, with the first ten minutes included and a per minute per person charge after that. Any residential trash customer, on the free annual pickup or on an additional chargeable pickup, with the fuel charge the City publishes applied when fuel prices rise above its threshold.
When & how
Book the Wednesday Special Pickup on (573) 339-6351 by three in the afternoon on the Tuesday before, then set the mattress at the front curb.
Get it ready
Keep the set out of the trash cart and set it flat where it can be lifted, and keep it dry. Ask about the box spring at the same time so both pieces are on the one booking.
City special pickup page with the Wednesday booking rule, the free annual pickup and the published charge scheduleCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routes

Appliances and cooling units

Accepted with preparation

Appliances go out on the special pickup route at a published per appliance charge, and the transfer station takes them as white goods.

City cost & eligibility
$25 per appliance on a Wednesday Special Pickup, with the same per appliance rate charged at the transfer station as white goods. Any residential trash customer, on the free annual pickup or on an additional chargeable pickup, with the fuel charge the City publishes applied when fuel prices rise above its threshold.
When & how
Book the Wednesday Special Pickup on (573) 339-6351 by three in the afternoon on the Tuesday before, or take the unit to the transfer station at 2055 Corporate Circle on a weekday between seven and four.
Get it ready
Remove the doors from a refrigerator or freezer and empty the unit before it goes out, because the City requires both. Keep appliances out of the trash cart and put them in the second separation group at the curb, and note that appliances are collected by a different truck from household trash, so they will not go at the same time as the bags.
City special pickup page with the Wednesday booking rule, the free annual pickup and the published charge scheduleCity transfer station page with the hours, the secured load rules and the published gate ratesCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routes

Electronics and televisions

Special rules apply

Computers and most small electronics are free at the City Recycling Center, but televisions and CRT monitors are not accepted there and have to go to the transfer station for disposal.

City cost & eligibility
No charge. Electronics on the City's accepted list are taken free of charge at the Recycling Center, in working or broken condition. A television or CRT monitor is not on that list and goes to the transfer station instead, where the general disposal rate applies.
When & how
Take accepted electronics to the Recycling Center at 2007 Southern Expressway on a weekday between seven thirty and four, or take a television to the transfer station at 2055 Corporate Circle on a weekday between seven and four.
Get it ready
The Recycling Center takes computers, non-CRT flat screen monitors, printers, keyboards, laptops, hard drives, cell phones, speakers, VCR and DVD players, fax machines, answering machines, stereos and microwaves, working or broken. It does not take televisions, CRT monitors, smoke detectors, glass lamps, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, chemicals, hazardous material, thermostats or alkaline batteries.
City recycling page with the single stream rules, the glass drop-off points, the electronics program and the used fluid rulesCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routesCity transfer station page with the hours, the secured load rules and the published gate rates

Construction material and concrete

Not on the regular city route

Concrete and bricks are refused in the trash cart, on the special pickup route and at the transfer station gate, and no city construction collection is published, so a project load has to be arranged privately.

City cost & eligibility
The City publishes no construction collection and no construction rate. Concrete and bricks are refused in the trash cart, refused on the Wednesday Special Pickup route and named among the materials the transfer station will not accept, and the handbook tells a household that tore down a shed to make arrangements to take it to the landfill, so the load has to go through a private hauler or container that sets its own price and through a receiving site that confirms it takes the material.
When & how
Arrange the private haul or container before the work starts, because the City publishes no collection day for construction material and the transfer station gate is closed on weekends and City holidays.
Get it ready
Keep concrete, bricks and project debris out of the trash cart and off the special pickup pile, because all three channels refuse them, and keep tires, batteries, motor oil, railroad ties, automobile parts, pesticides, oil-based paint and other hazardous material out of the load entirely. Secure anything that does travel with a tarp and the tailgate up, because an uncovered load carries the published unsecured load fee wherever it is tipped, and confirm with the receiving site that it takes the material before the load is moved.
City transfer station page with the hours, the secured load rules and the published gate ratesCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routesCity special pickup page with the Wednesday booking rule, the free annual pickup and the published charge schedule

Tires

Not on the regular city route

Every City channel refuses tires: the cart, the special pickup route, the transfer station and the hazardous waste event all list them as not accepted.

City cost & eligibility
The City publishes no tire collection and no tire rate, and tires are refused in the trash cart, on the Wednesday Special Pickup route, at the transfer station and at the hazardous waste drop-off event, so a tire has to go to a retailer or another private route that sets its own price.
When & how
Ask the shop that sells or services the tires about a take back, rather than setting them out on a collection day.
Get it ready
Keep tires out of the trash cart, off the special pickup pile, out of the transfer station load and out of a hazardous waste load, because each of those channels refuses them by name.
City transfer station page with the hours, the secured load rules and the published gate ratesCity special pickup page with the Wednesday booking rule, the free annual pickup and the published charge scheduleCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routes

Scrap metal and metal cans

Special rules apply

Aluminum, steel and tin cans go in the recycling cart, and no separate scrap metal program is published for larger metal.

City cost & eligibility
The City publishes no scrap metal collection or rate for a large metal item, so call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 and ask how the load should be routed, because the published routes cover small metal cans, appliances and general disposal rather than loose scrap.
When & how
Put food and beverage cans in the recycling cart on the route day, and ask Public Works about a larger metal item before hauling it anywhere.
Get it ready
Rinse cans and put them in the recycling cart loose, because aluminum, steel and tin are on the accepted list. For a larger metal item, ask whether it is handled as general disposal at the transfer station or through another route, since the City lists no scrap metal program and the transfer station's rates cover general disposal, limbs and brush, and white goods.
City 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routesCity transfer station page with the hours, the secured load rules and the published gate ratesCity recycling page with the single stream rules, the glass drop-off points, the electronics program and the used fluid rules

Paint, chemicals and household hazardous waste

Special rules apply

Latex paint is solidified and put out with the trash or a special pickup, oil-based paint counts as hazardous, and the City's hazardous waste drop-off depends on state grant funding.

City cost & eligibility
The City publishes no fee for its household hazardous waste drop-off and states the event depends on state grant funding, so call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 and ask when the next event runs and what the current terms are. Solidified latex paint goes out with the normal service at no separate charge.
When & how
Solidify latex paint and either seal it in the trash cart or put it beside the special pickup load with the lid off, and wait for the City's next hazardous waste drop-off for oil-based paint and other chemicals.
Get it ready
Never put liquid paint in the trash or pour it down a drain, onto the ground or into a waterway. To solidify latex paint, mix two parts cat litter or sand with one part paint and let it dry completely, then seal the container for the cart or leave the lid off on a special pickup so staff can see it is solid. Oil-based paint is treated as hazardous and has to go through a hazardous waste collection, and the local ReStore accepts new, unopened, sealed paint. The hazardous waste event refuses ammunition, asbestos, batteries, biological waste, cooking oil, explosives, fertilizers, fire extinguishers, gas cylinders, infectious waste, paint in glass containers, pharmaceuticals, prescription drugs, radioactive waste, smoke detectors, syringes and tires.
City other waste page with the latex paint method, the oil based paint rule and the hazardous waste eventCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routes

Yard waste, leaves and limbs

Accepted with preparation

Yard waste moves through city compost bags, the Recycling Center for small material, the transfer station for larger limbs and a curbside leaf program from October to March.

City cost & eligibility
From $15 for for a set of five City compost bags, which covers the scheduled compost bag pickup with no separate pickup charge. Compost bags are sold at the Utility Billing office outside the Osage Center and at Schnucks, which adds its own fee. Small yard waste is free at the Recycling Center, and limbs larger than a quarter inch in diameter go to the transfer station at its published rates.
When & how
Buy the bags and call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 to schedule the Wednesday compost pickup, take small material to the Recycling Center on a weekday, take larger limbs to the transfer station on a weekday, or rake leaves to the curb during the leaf program that runs from October to March.
Get it ready
Use the City compost bags with the bright green stickers for leaves, grass clippings and gumballs, and keep mulch and dirt out of them, because those are not accepted in the compost bags. Leaves and twigs a quarter inch in diameter or smaller can go to the Recycling Center at no charge, while limbs a quarter inch or larger go to the transfer station. Bundle limbs and brush for a special pickup at no more than four feet long and eighteen inches in diameter, and keep leaf piles free of limbs and other debris so the vacuum truck is not damaged.
City yard waste page with the compost bags, the drop-off routing and the leaf programCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routesCity special pickup page with the Wednesday booking rule, the free annual pickup and the published charge scheduleCity transfer station page with the hours, the secured load rules and the published gate rates

The handoff matters

Right item.
Right place.

Carts out by six, four feet clear

All trash goes in the tan cart with the lid shut and everything inside, and recyclables go in the dark green cart loose, because a bag of any kind inside the recycling cart is refused. Place the cart within four feet of the curb or the edge of the roadway and keep four feet of clearance from other carts, mailboxes, fire hydrants, low branches and parked cars. Carts go out by six in the morning and not more than twelve hours ahead of collection, and they come back off the curb the same day.

City 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routesCity solid waste and recycling hub with the carts, the placement rule and the contact details

Book the Wednesday pickup and sort the pile

Call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 to check availability and book the Wednesday you want, no later than three in the afternoon on the Tuesday before, and remember that no pickup runs during a week with a holiday. Put everything at the front curb, keep small loose items in bags or boxes, and separate the load into boxes, bags and bulky items, then major appliances, then bundled limbs and compost, because each goes on a different truck. Doors come off a refrigerator or freezer and the unit has to be empty.

City special pickup page with the Wednesday booking rule, the free annual pickup and the published charge scheduleCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routes

Glass and electronics each have their own drop-off

Glass is not collected in the recycling cart, so bottles and jars go to one of the City's drop-off points: Fire Station 1 on South Sprigg Street, Fire Station 2 on South Mount Auburn Road, Fire Station 3 on North Sprigg Street, the Public Works drop-off at 2007 Southern Expressway, the Osage Center on North Kingshighway or the A.C. Brase Arena on Kiwanis Drive. Rinse the containers and remove lids, caps and rings, and leave broken glass, window panes, automobile glass, china and glassware out. Computers and most small electronics are free at the Recycling Center on weekdays, but a television or CRT monitor is not accepted there and goes to the transfer station instead.

City recycling page with the single stream rules, the glass drop-off points, the electronics program and the used fluid rulesCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routes

Tarp the load before the transfer station gate

The transfer station at 2055 Corporate Circle is open weekdays from seven to four and closed on weekends and City holidays, and fees are paid on site with cash, check or a credit or debit card. A trailer without sides has to be completely covered by tarps, the tailgate has to be up, and nothing may hang off the vehicle, because an uncovered load is assessed the published unsecured load fee on top of the disposal rate. Tires, batteries, motor oil, concrete, railroad ties, automobile parts, pesticides, oil-based paint and other hazardous material are refused at the gate.

City transfer station page with the hours, the secured load rules and the published gate ratesCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routes

For your Dropcurb pickup

Use a permitted, accessible outdoor spot. Arrange the move out of your home, keep shared access clear and follow your confirmation’s readiness instructions. Check with your building about access or staging limits before booking.

See your pickup preparation

Choose what fits

A few ways
to get it gone.

The right option depends on what you have, where it is and when you need the space back.

Outdoor pickup

Dropcurb

See your price, choose an available day and follow your pickup updates.

Price
Upfront item pricing. Loading, transportation and disposal included; applicable sales tax shown before payment.
Your part
Bring the selected items to an accessible outdoor spot. We load and haul them away.
See my instant price

City of Cape Girardeau Public Works Solid Waste Division

Use the Wednesday Special Pickup

A Cape Girardeau household with furniture, a mattress, an appliance, extra bags or bundled brush that will not fit a cart.

Cost & conditions
No charge. One Wednesday Special Pickup a calendar year is free for each residential trash customer, including the first ten minutes of loading, and a pickup that runs past ten minutes converts to a chargeable pickup at the published rates.
Arrange it
Call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 to book a Wednesday by three in the afternoon on the Tuesday before, sort the pile into the three groups, and put it at the front curb.

No pickup runs during a holiday week, only a limited number of free slots are available each week, the trash and recycling carts are not emptied at the same time, tires, batteries, oil, bricks, concrete, railroad ties, automobile parts, pesticides, oil-based paint and hazardous material are refused, and brush bundles are not part of the free pickup.

Open the city special pickups page

City of Cape Girardeau Public Works Solid Waste Division

Haul the load to the transfer station

A household with extra trash, an appliance, a construction load or bulky material that cannot wait for a pickup slot.

Cost & conditions
From $25 per load as the transfer station minimum disposal charge, with the general disposal rate charged per ton above that. Anyone bringing a load to 2055 Corporate Circle, where the fee is paid on site with cash, check or a credit or debit card.
Arrange it
Secure the load with a tarp, tailgate up and nothing hanging off the vehicle, then arrive on a weekday between seven and four.

The gate is closed on weekends and City holidays, an uncovered load carries the published unsecured load fee, appliances are charged at the published white goods rate, and tires, batteries, motor oil, concrete, railroad ties, automobile parts, pesticides, oil-based paint and other hazardous material are refused.

Open the city transfer station page

City of Cape Girardeau Public Works Solid Waste Division

Drop off at the City Recycling Center

A household with cardboard, single stream recyclables, computers and small electronics, small yard waste or used motor oil.

Cost & conditions
No charge. The Recycling Center at 2007 Southern Expressway accepts recyclable material, the listed electronics, small yard waste and used motor oil free of charge.
Arrange it
Drive through the center at 2007 Southern Expressway on a weekday between seven thirty and four, use the cardboard, glass and single stream bins, and bring used motor oil to the southeast corner of the Public Works building between eight and three thirty on a weekday.

The center does not accept garbage bags, newspaper sleeves or plastic shopping bags of any kind, and televisions, CRT monitors, smoke detectors, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, chemicals, hazardous material, thermostats and alkaline batteries are refused there. Used oil has to be strictly motor oil or the listed fluids with no solvent, water, gasoline or antifreeze mixed in, no commercial oil is accepted, and the drop-off requires signing a log sheet.

Open the city recycling page

City of Cape Girardeau Public Works Solid Waste Division

Wait for the City hazardous waste drop-off

A household with oil-based paint, solvents, pesticides, gasoline, antifreeze, mercury devices or another household chemical.

Cost & conditions
The City states the household hazardous waste drop-off event depends on state grant funding and publishes no fee, so call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 and ask when the next event runs and what the current terms are.
Arrange it
Keep the material in its original container until the City posts an event, then bring it to the drop-off and leave the solidified latex paint for the ordinary service instead.

Ammunition, asbestos, batteries, biological waste, cooking oil, explosives, fertilizers, fire extinguishers, gas cylinders, infectious waste, paint in glass containers, pharmaceuticals, prescription drugs, radioactive waste, smoke detectors, syringes and tires are not accepted at the event.

Open the city other waste page

With a new purchase

Hand usable paint to the local ReStore

A household with new, unopened and sealed paint that someone else can use.

Cost & conditions
No charge. The ReStore accepts new, unopened and sealed paint at no charge, and the City asks households to confirm with the store first.
Arrange it
Contact the ReStore on 573-651-9080 or restore@capeareahabitat.org to confirm the paint and the drop-off before bringing it in.

Only new, unopened and sealed paint is accepted, so an opened or partly used can still has to be solidified for the trash or held for a hazardous waste collection when it is oil-based.

Open the city other waste page

Taking it somewhere yourself?

Self haul in Cape Girardeau means the Recycling Center and the Transfer Station. The Recycling Center at 2007 Southern Expressway is a drive-through building with bins for cardboard, glass and single stream material, open Monday to Friday seven thirty to four, and it also takes the listed electronics free of charge, small yard waste such as leaves and twigs a quarter inch or smaller, and used motor oil and the other accepted fluids at the southeast corner of the Public Works building between eight and three thirty on weekdays. Televisions and CRT monitors are not accepted at the Recycling Center and go to the Transfer Station at 2055 Corporate Circle for disposal, which is open Monday to Friday seven to four and closed on weekends and City holidays. The gate charges a general disposal rate per ton with a minimum charge per load, the same per ton rate for limbs and brush, and a per item rate for white goods, and it refuses tires, batteries, motor oil, concrete, railroad ties, automobile parts, pesticides, oil-based paint and other hazardous material. Every load has to be secured with tarps and the tailgate up, because an uncovered load carries the published unsecured load fee. Tires have no city route at all, and the household hazardous waste drop-off depends on state grant funding. City recycling page with the single stream rules, the glass drop-off points, the electronics program and the used fluid rulesCity transfer station page with the hours, the secured load rules and the published gate ratesCity 2025-2026 trash and recycling handbook with cart limits, accepted and refused lists, special pickup rules and holiday routesCity other waste page with the latex paint method, the oil based paint rule and the hazardous waste event

Drive-through recycling, electronics and yard waste drop-off

City of Cape Girardeau Recycling Center

2007 Southern Expressway, Cape Girardeau, MO 63703

Cardboard, glass and single stream recyclables in drive-through bins, the listed electronics such as computers, non-CRT flat screen monitors, printers, keyboards, laptops, hard drives, cell phones, speakers, VCR and DVD players, fax machines, answering machines, stereos and microwaves, small yard waste such as leaves and twigs a quarter inch or smaller, and used motor oil, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, differential oil and kerosene brought to the southeast corner of the Public Works building.

Garbage bags, newspaper sleeves and plastic shopping bags of any kind are not accepted. Televisions, CRT monitors, smoke detectors, glass lamps, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, chemicals, hazardous material, thermostats and alkaline batteries are refused. Used oil has to be strictly motor oil or the listed fluids with nothing mixed in, no commercial oil is taken, and the drop-off requires signing a log sheet.

Recycling Center Monday to Friday seven thirty to four. Used motor oil and fluids Monday to Friday eight to three thirty. Telephone (573) 339-6351.

No charge. Recyclable material, the listed electronics, small yard waste and the accepted used fluids are taken free of charge.

Check accepted items & visiting details

City gate for appliances, bulky items and extra trash

City of Cape Girardeau Transfer Station

2055 Corporate Circle, Cape Girardeau, MO 63703

Appliances, bulky items and extra trash, with the gate charging a general disposal rate per ton, the same per ton rate for limbs and brush, and a per item rate for white goods such as appliances.

Tires, batteries, motor oil, concrete, railroad ties, automobile parts, pesticides, oil-based paint and any other hazardous material are not accepted. All loads must be secured with tarps, the tailgate up and nothing hanging off the vehicle, and an uncovered load is assessed the published unsecured load fee.

Monday to Friday seven to four, closed weekends and City holidays. Telephone (573) 339-6353.

From $25 per load as the minimum disposal charge, with the general disposal rate charged per ton above that and a separate per item rate for white goods. Anyone bringing a load to the gate, where the fee is paid on site with cash, check or a credit or debit card.

Check accepted items & visiting details

Customer reviews

Less stuff. A lot less stress.

“Super easy service to use! They kept me up to date on the pick up and it helped ease a lot of my moving stress.”

Mariella W.Google review

“Quick and easy pickup. I wasn’t home and they sent me a picture of the pickup. Good communication too.”

Paul H.Google review

“Easy to schedule, same or next day appt and excellent prices. Highly recommend!”

Kathleen S.Trustpilot review
Google5.0 / 5200+ reviewsAcross our profilesTrustpilot4.9 / 5224 reviewsTrustScore

Selected customer reviews. Counts checked September 2026.

Before you book

A few things
worth knowing.

Bulk junk removal, from choosing your item to pickup day in Cape Girardeau.

How much does bulk junk removal cost in Cape Girardeau?

A trash bag is $59 as the first item and $10 additional. A filled household box is $59 as the first item. Add your actual items and quantities to see the combined price before booking. Loading, transportation and disposal are included; any applicable sales tax is shown before payment.

Can you pick up bags of junk today?

Book by 2pm in the pickup address’s local time for same-day pickup. Available dates appear at checkout. Have the booked bags and boxes outside and accessible according to your confirmation. You receive pickup updates and completion photos; the booking is for a day rather than an exact arrival time.

Do I count every object inside a bag or box?

No. Count the filled bags or boxes using the matching choice. Books and media go in Filled household box; clothes, bedding and shoes go in Bag of clothes & bedding; packed toys have a Box of toys choice. Empty cardboard is separate, with individual empty boxes and bundles of 10 flattened boxes. Heavy, oversized or unusual contents need a photo review before booking.

Can you pick up a small loose pile of household junk?

Yes. Estimate how many trash bags the small household pile would fill, and bag or box as much as possible. Select furniture and other larger items separately. There is no extra charge just because the pile is loose. Send a photo first if the count or contents are unclear. A household Dumpster Bag choice does not accept construction debris.

Can I book bags, boxes and furniture together?

Yes. Select the bags and boxes, then add each larger item using its own catalog choice. The booking shows one combined price for the selected items. Move everything to an accessible outdoor spot before pickup; indoor carrying and sorting are not included. Keep anything you want to retain apart from the booked items and identify what goes in your photos and notes.

How should a Cape Girardeau cart be placed?

Within four feet of the curb or the edge of the roadway, with four feet of clearance from other carts, mailboxes, fire hydrants, low branches and parked cars, and with the lid shut. Carts go out by six in the morning and not before twelve hours ahead of collection, and a cart the truck cannot reach is not emptied.Official guidance

What cannot go in a Cape Girardeau trash cart?

Hot ashes or coals, household hazardous waste and chemicals, flammable material such as oil, gas or oil-based paint, dirt, sod or rock, appliances or furniture, concrete or bricks, yard waste, limbs and brush, and wet paint or paint in a glass container. Syringes and needles are the exception with special handling: seal them in a rigid labeled container and place that in the tan cart.Official guidance

Where does glass go in Cape Girardeau?

To a drop-off point, because glass is not collected in the recycling cart. The City lists Fire Station 1 on South Sprigg Street, Fire Station 2 on South Mount Auburn Road, Fire Station 3 on North Sprigg Street, the Public Works drop-off at 2007 Southern Expressway, the Osage Center on North Kingshighway and the A.C. Brase Arena on Kiwanis Drive. Only bottles and jars are accepted, rinsed, with lids and rings removed.Official guidance

Can I put recyclables in a bag in Cape Girardeau?

No. Recyclables are refused if they are placed in a bag of any kind inside the recycling cart, and plastic shopping bags, garbage bags and newspaper sleeves are no longer accepted in the single stream program at all. Those bags go in the tan trash cart with the other non-recyclable material.Official guidance

How do I book a Cape Girardeau special pickup?

Call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 to check availability and choose a Wednesday, and book by three in the afternoon on the Tuesday before. Each residential trash customer gets one free pickup a calendar year, only a limited number of free slots exist each week, and no pickup is scheduled during a week that contains a holiday.Official guidance

How should a Cape Girardeau special pickup load be sorted?

Into three groups so the right truck takes each one: boxes, bags and bulky items such as furniture first, then major appliances such as a washer, dryer, stove or refrigerator, then bundled limbs and compost. Small loose items have to be in a bag or a box or they are left behind, and the trash and recycling carts are not emptied during a special pickup.Official guidance

How do I get rid of a couch in Cape Girardeau?

Book a Wednesday Special Pickup on (573) 339-6351 by three in the afternoon on the Tuesday before and put the couch at the front curb. Furniture is refused in the trash cart. If the piece takes more than one person to lift, the published charge is a base amount for the pickup with the first ten minutes included and a per minute per person charge after that.Official guidance

Will Cape Girardeau collect a mattress?

Yes, on a Wednesday Special Pickup. Mattresses are named among the large items that require more than one person to lift, so the published charge is a base amount for the pickup with the first ten minutes included and a per minute per person charge after that. Book on (573) 339-6351 by three in the afternoon on the Tuesday before.Official guidance

How do I get rid of a refrigerator in Cape Girardeau?

Empty it, take the doors off, and either book a Wednesday Special Pickup on (573) 339-6351 or take it to the transfer station at 2055 Corporate Circle. Appliances are refused in the trash cart, they are collected by a separate truck from household trash, and the City charges a published per appliance rate on the pickup route and the same white goods rate at the gate.Official guidance

Where does a television go in Cape Girardeau?

Not to the Recycling Center, because televisions and CRT monitors are on its not accepted list. The City directs a television to the transfer station at 2055 Corporate Circle for disposal, where the general disposal rate and the load rules apply. Computers and most other electronics are still free at the Recycling Center.Official guidance

Where does concrete go in Cape Girardeau?

There is no city route for it. Concrete and bricks are refused in the trash cart, refused on the Wednesday Special Pickup route and named among the materials the transfer station will not accept, and the handbook tells a household that tore down a shed to make arrangements to take it to the landfill, so the load needs a private hauler or container and a receiving site that confirms it takes the material. Secure anything that travels and expect the published unsecured load fee if it is not covered.Official guidance

Will Cape Girardeau take tires?

No. Tires are refused in the trash cart, refused on the Wednesday Special Pickup route, refused at the transfer station and refused at the City's hazardous waste drop-off event, and no tire collection or rate is published, so a tire shop or another private route has to take them at its own price.Official guidance

Where does scrap metal go in Cape Girardeau?

Small metal cans go in the recycling cart, because aluminum, steel and tin are on the accepted list. No scrap metal program is published for a larger item, so call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 and ask whether the load is handled as general disposal at the transfer station, where the published rates cover general disposal, limbs and brush, and white goods.Official guidance

What happens to oil based paint in Cape Girardeau?

It is treated as hazardous waste and has to go through a hazardous waste collection, not the trash cart and not a solidifying trick. Latex paint is the one that can be solidified with cat litter or sand at two parts to one part paint, then sealed in the tan cart or left with the lid off on a Wednesday Special Pickup. New, unopened, sealed paint can also go to the local ReStore.Official guidance

How do I get rid of limbs in Cape Girardeau?

A quarter inch thick or smaller goes to the Recycling Center at 2007 Southern Expressway free of charge, and a thicker limb goes to the transfer station at 2055 Corporate Circle at the published rates. Limbs and brush can also be bundled for a Wednesday Special Pickup, at no more than four feet long and eighteen inches in diameter per bundle, and brush bundles are not part of the free annual pickup.Official guidance

Who collects trash in Cape Girardeau?

The City does, through the Public Works Solid Waste Division, which issues a tan trash cart and a dark green recycling cart to each residential customer and collects both weekly on the address's route day. Public Works answers questions on (573) 339-6351, and the department also runs the Recycling Center and the Transfer Station.Official guidance

How do I find my Cape Girardeau collection day?

Each residential customer has one trash and one recycling collection day a week, and the City publishes a route map for the days. Call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 if the map is unclear, and sign up for city service updates to hear about schedule changes before the truck runs.Official guidance

What happens to collection on a Cape Girardeau holiday?

During a holiday week there is no Wednesday Special Pickup, and the routes shift by the day of the holiday: a Monday holiday moves Monday's route to Tuesday and Tuesday's route to Wednesday, a Tuesday holiday moves Tuesday's route to Wednesday, a Thursday holiday moves Thursday's route to Wednesday, and a Friday holiday moves Thursday's route to Wednesday and Friday's route to Thursday, with the other routes unchanged. The City publishes a full holiday calendar in its handbook.Official guidance

When can I drop off household hazardous waste in Cape Girardeau?

The City periodically offers a household hazardous waste drop-off in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Southeast Missouri Solid Waste Management District, and the City states the event depends on state grant funding, so call Public Works on (573) 339-6351 or watch the solid waste page for the next date. The event takes acids, antifreeze, brake fluid, gasoline, kerosene, paint, paint thinner, pesticides and herbicides, photo chemicals, solvents, used motor oil and used oil filters, and it refuses ammunition, asbestos, batteries, biological waste, cooking oil, explosives, fertilizers, fire extinguishers, gas cylinders, infectious waste, paint in glass containers, pharmaceuticals, radioactive waste, smoke detectors, syringes and tires.Official guidance

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