Bulky Waste in Zurich: What Counts and How to Get Rid of It

Anyone who has just moved flat in Kreis 9 (Albisrieden district) and finds a shelf, chairs and boxes in the stairwell asks the same question: is this bulky waste or household waste? For bulky waste in Zurich, you have five options, and the right one depends on volume, access and deadline.

Household waste counts as municipal waste (Siedlungsabfälle) under the Verordnung über die Vermeidung und die Entsorgung von Abfällen (VVEA), the Swiss waste ordinance. Under the Umweltschutzgesetz (USG), the Federal Act on the Protection of the Environment, the cantons are responsible, and in practice the municipalities.

This guide explains the term and points you to the right option. Status: October 2026. The Mobile Recycling Centre is replacing the Entsorgungstram (cargo tram), which made its last run on 20 October 2026.

Bulky waste is called Sperrgut in Zurich: items too big for the rubbish bag, like furniture or mattresses. You can dispose of it free at the ERZ Mobile Recycling Centre, for a weight-based fee at a recycling centre, through the paid ERZ pickup service, by passing it on, or with pickup from your flat.

Bulky Waste in Zurich: What Counts as Sperrgut?

Bulky waste in Zurich means Sperrgut: items too big for the Züri-Sack, the official city rubbish bag, such as furniture, mattresses and carpets. ERZ uses the word Sperrgut, and you may also see Sperrmüll. Source: City of Zurich, bulky waste.

For the ERZ pickup service, no single piece may be longer than 2.5 m or heavier than 40 kg. Sofas and upholstered furniture have a stricter length limit of 2 m. Source: City of Zurich, bulky waste collection.

Many people searching for bulky waste mean the same thing: large household items that do not fit in a bag. Metal, electrical appliances and hazardous items follow their own routes, which the next table shows.

For a longer list of examples, see what counts as bulky waste in Zurich. The difference from everyday rubbish is explained in bulky waste vs household waste.

Bulky Waste, Metal, Electrical or Household Waste: How to Sort

ERZ separates bulky waste, metal, electrical appliances and pit waste, because each category has its own recovery route. Electrical appliances belong in device returns under the Verordnung über die Rückgabe, die Rücknahme und die Entsorgung elektrischer und elektronischer Geräte (VREG), not in bulky waste.

Category	Examples	Route
Bulky waste (Sperrgut)	Furniture, mattresses, carpets	ERZ pickup or recycling centre, or pickup from your flat
Metal	Metal parts such as a metal shelf	The Mobile Recycling Centre and the recycling centres accept metal
Electrical appliances	Fridge, television	Device return under the VREG, see electronic waste disposal
Pit waste (Grubengut)	ERZ gives details	Separate category in ERZ pickup
Household waste	Everyday rubbish	Züri-Sack, not bulky waste
Hazardous items	Asbestos, active chemicals	Not collected, licensed specialist company needed

Sort mixed loads before your appointment: furniture parts with furniture parts, appliances with appliances. This saves time at a recycling centre and effort for a pickup service. If in doubt, ask ERZ which category an item falls into.

Five Options at a Glance: Cost, Lead Time and Effort

Only the Mobile Recycling Centre is free, the recycling centre is cheap if the load is light, and only a pickup from your flat takes the carrying off your hands. The table compares all five options.

Option	Cost	Lead time	Who carries	Best if
1. Mobile Recycling Centre (ERZ)	Free	Check location and date; usually every five weeks for four hours per stop	You, on foot, without a car	You have a few portable pieces
2. Recycling centre Werdhölzli or Looächer	CHF 22.70 for the first 100 kg, CHF 19.45 per further 100 kg (2024 rates)	None, but check opening hours	You, with your own transport	You have a van and helpers
3. ERZ pickup service	CHF 86.50 per quarter hour of loading time	3 working days recommended, Monday to Friday only	You, down to the pavement	You can carry everything out yourself
4. Pass it on or donate	No fee	Ask in advance	The taker or you	The pieces are clean and in good condition
5. Pickup from your flat (Disposal.ch)	Fixed price after your photos	Same or next day in most cases, seven days a week	Our team, from any floor	No lift, many pieces or a tight deadline

The Mobile Recycling Centre accepts bulky waste, metal and electrical appliances free of charge and is designed for visitors on foot. There are 31 locations today, and 33 are planned from early 2027. Source: City of Zurich media release, October 2026.

The recycling centre fees come from the City of Zurich media release of September 2024 and may have changed. The free vouchers for 400 kg no longer exist, see bulky waste rules after the free vouchers ended.

The ERZ pickup service takes orders by phone only. Bulky waste must lie clearly visible on the pavement before 7 am on collection day, and you may put it out the evening before. More on timing: collection dates.

Clean items in good condition can go to the swap point at the Mobile Recycling Centre. Our principle is Spende zuerst, Transport danach (donate first, transport second): we check every pickup for pieces that can be passed on.

What Does Bulky Waste Disposal in Zurich Really Cost?

The cost depends less on the waste itself than on volume, access and route. ERZ prices by loading time or weight. The Mobile Recycling Centre has no fee, but you carry and transport the pieces yourself. Combining routes, such as light items to the Mobile Recycling Centre and heavy ones to a pickup, can cut cost and effort.

With Disposal.ch you receive a fixed price after sending photos, and you know it before the appointment. We give no CHF range here, because a fair price needs photos. More on the cost question: free bulky waste disposal.

Cost factor	Why it matters
Floor and lift	A third-floor flat without a lift means far more carrying than a ground-floor flat.
Number and volume	Many pieces need more people and trips than a single item.
Dismantling	Pieces taken apart pass more easily through narrow stairwells.
Disposal route	Wood, metal and electrical parts go through separate routes.
Time pressure	Same-day or weekend pickup needs more planning than an appointment in two weeks.

 

Tip Photograph everything that has to go, give the floor number and say whether there is a lift. This usually lets us confirm a fixed price within an hour.

Step by Step: Getting Bulky Waste Out of Your Flat

Five steps get bulky waste out of your flat without stress.

1.       Sort your items: Separate bulky waste, metal, electrical appliances and household waste. Set aside anything in good condition for passing on.

2.       Check sizes and weight: Measure long pieces. ERZ pickup accepts 2.5 m and 40 kg at most, and 2 m for sofas.

3.       Choose an option: Compare the table above by cost, lead time and effort. Treat your handover date as the fixed deadline.

4.       Secure an appointment: Phone ERZ, or send photos via WhatsApp to +41 76 413 61 83 for a fixed price. Mention the floor, lift and preferred date.

5.       Prepare the pieces: Bundle loose parts and keep the stairwell and entrance clear. For ERZ, pieces must be on the pavement before 7 am.

When to Call a Professional: Volume, Deadlines and Special Cases

Pickup from your flat makes most sense with large volumes, a building without a lift or a tight deadline.

Before the Wohnungsabgabe (move-out handover with your property manager), the flat usually has to be besenrein (broom-clean). Your property manager sets the requirements. For tenancy law questions, ask them or a legal adviser. End-of-tenancy cleaning is a separate service that you can book on its own.

If you are emptying a whole flat, a cellar or a shop, an apartment clearance in one visit is often simpler than many separate routes. Send us photos for a fixed price.

We do not collect asbestos-containing materials, active chemicals and gases, or certain contaminated materials. These require a licensed specialist company. For heavily soiled or mouldy bulky waste, please ask us before booking.

Disposal.ch in Zurich: Pickup From Your Flat at a Fixed Price

Disposal.ch collects your bulky waste from your flat, from any floor, with or without a lift, at a fixed price you know before the appointment. Send photos via WhatsApp, and you usually receive your quote within an hour.

Pickup is possible on the same or next day in most cases, seven days a week, including evenings and weekends. Our team is bilingual in German and English, which helps if you are new to Swiss waste rules. The team is insured.

We serve all 12 city districts (Kreise) of Zurich, for example Kreis 9 (Albisrieden district) and Kreis 11 (Oerlikon district). We also cover Winterthur, Uster, Dübendorf, Schlieren, Dietikon, Kloten, Bülach, Horgen, Thalwil and Küsnacht, plus Aargau, Luzern and Zug.

Disposal.ch is a pickup and transport service. We do not operate our own recycling plant. We deliver your items to certified partners.

Conclusion

There is no single best way to get rid of bulky waste in Zurich. Free options need carrying, while the recycling centre and ERZ pickup need your own effort and lead time.

With a tight deadline, a building without a lift or large volumes, pickup from your flat saves time and effort. Questions about bulky waste disposal in Zurich? Send us photos via WhatsApp and get a no-obligation quote.

The information in this article is for general guidance. Rules and fees can differ by municipality and canton and may change. Please check with your local authority before disposing, or ask us.

 

Disposal.ch collects seven days a week in Zurich, Aargau, Luzern and Zug. Send photos via WhatsApp to +41 76 413 61 83 and you usually get a fixed price within one hour. No obligation.

Request a quote  |  Send photos via WhatsApp

Kind regards, The Disposal.ch Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Which rule applies to bulky waste in Zurich?

Bulky waste from households counts as municipal waste under the Verordnung über die Vermeidung und die Entsorgung von Abfällen (VVEA). The Umweltschutzgesetz (USG) makes the cantons responsible, and in the city of Zurich, Entsorgung + Recycling Zürich (ERZ) runs the collection. ERZ pickups accept single pieces up to 2.5 m in length and 40 kg.

How much does bulky waste disposal cost in Zurich?

It depends on the route. The Mobile Recycling Centre is free, a recycling centre charged CHF 22.70 for the first 100 kg according to the City of Zurich, and ERZ pickup costs CHF 86.50 per quarter hour of loading time. Disposal.ch gives a fixed price after your photos, based on volume, floor, access and dismantling.

How fast can pickup happen?

With Disposal.ch, pickup is possible on the same or next day in most cases, seven days a week. You usually receive a fixed price within one hour of sending photos. The ERZ pickup service runs Monday to Friday only and recommends three working days of notice.

Do you serve Winterthur or Aargau?

Yes. Disposal.ch collects in all 12 city districts of Zurich, as well as Winterthur, Uster, Dübendorf, Schlieren, Dietikon, Kloten, Bülach, Horgen, Thalwil and Küsnacht, plus the cantons of Aargau, Luzern and Zug. Send your postcode via WhatsApp and we will confirm the visit.

What can you not collect?

Yes. Disposal.ch collects in all 12 city districts of Zurich, as well as Winterthur, Uster, Dübendorf, Schlieren, Dietikon, Kloten, Bülach, Horgen, Thalwil and Küsnacht, plus the cantons of Aargau, Luzern and Zug. Send your postcode via WhatsApp and we will confirm the visit.