Furniture Disposal in Zurich: The Complete Guide for Residents

Anyone clearing a three-room flat in Kreis 2 (Wollishofen district) is not dealing with one piece of furniture but with twenty. If you need furniture disposal in Zurich, the best option depends on the piece, the access and your 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 matches types of furniture to the right option and shows costs and lead times. Status: October 2026. The Mobile Recycling Centre is replacing the Entsorgungstram (cargo tram), which made its last run on 20 October 2026.

You can dispose of furniture in Zurich in five ways: 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. Only the Mobile Recycling Centre is free, and you carry the furniture. Choose by piece, floor and deadline.

Furniture Disposal in Zurich: What Counts as Bulky Waste?

Furniture counts as Sperrgut (bulky waste) in Zurich because it does not fit into the Züri-Sack, the official city rubbish bag. ERZ advises taking bulky waste to a recycling centre or the Mobile Recycling Centre. Source: City of Zurich, bulky waste.

For ERZ pickup, 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. More examples: what counts as bulky waste.

Type of furniture	Typical route	Note
Wardrobe, shelves, chest of drawers	Bulky waste, carried in parts	Bundle doors and shelves separately
Table, chairs	Bulky waste	A tabletop over 2.5 m does not fit ERZ pickup
Bed, slatted frame	Bulky waste	For the mattress: mattress disposal
Sofa, upholstered furniture	Bulky waste	ERZ pickup: 2 m at most, see sofa disposal
Furniture with a motor or electrics	Electrical parts separately	Return under the VREG, see electronic waste

The table matches common pieces to a route. Electrical parts are the exception: they belong in device returns under the Verordnung über die Rückgabe, die Rücknahme und die Entsorgung elektrischer und elektronischer Geräte (VREG).

Large wardrobes and beds can usually only be moved in parts.

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 city fees come from the City of Zurich media release of September 2024 and may have changed. Check the current rate with ERZ before you book.

The First Four Options in Detail: What to Know

Option 1: Mobile Recycling Centre, free and car-free

The Mobile Recycling Centre accepts bulky waste, metal and electrical appliances free of charge. According to ERZ, it usually stops at each location every five weeks for four hours. It is designed for visitors on foot, so you carry your furniture there.

There are 31 locations today, and 33 are planned from early 2027. For a wardrobe or several chairs, bring helpers. Source: City of Zurich media release, October 2026.

Option 2: Recycling centres Werdhölzli and Looächer, fee by weight

The two city recycling centres (Recyclinghöfe) charge by weight. According to the City of Zurich, the fee was CHF 22.70 for the first 100 kg and CHF 19.45 for each further 100 kg of bulky waste, metal and pit waste, including VAT.

The free vouchers for 400 kg no longer exist. The 2024 vouchers were valid until the end of April 2025. Read more in bulky waste rules after the free vouchers ended.

Option 3: ERZ pickup service, convenient but conditional

ERZ collects bulky waste from Monday to Friday. You can only order by phone, and ERZ recommends three working days of notice. On collection day, your furniture must stand clearly visible on the pavement before 7 am.

You may put it out the evening before and stay responsible until it is collected. Loading time is limited to 60 minutes per day and location. Free cancellation is possible until 12:00 on the previous working day. See collection dates.

Option 4: Pass it on or donate

Clean furniture in good condition can go to the swap point at the Mobile Recycling Centre or be given away privately. Brockenhäuser (charity second-hand shops) and aid organisations sometimes take furniture, but each one decides for itself.

Send a photo first. Our principle is Spende zuerst, Transport danach (donate first, transport second): we check every pickup for pieces that can be passed on.

What Does Furniture Disposal in Zurich Really Cost?

The cost depends less on the furniture 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.

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.

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	Twenty pieces need more people and trips than a single wardrobe.
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.

 

Photograph each room with the furniture in it, 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: Planning Your Furniture Disposal

Five steps get furniture out of your flat without stress.

1.       List what you have: Note each piece with its size and condition. Separate what is still in good condition from what must be disposed of.

2.       Check the details: Check lengths, weight and electrical parts. Plan time for taking large pieces apart.

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: Empty wardrobes and drawers and bundle loose parts. Keep the stairwell and entrance clear. For ERZ, pieces must be on the pavement before 7 am.

When to Call a Professional: Handovers, Old Buildings and Large Volumes

Pickup from your flat makes most sense with many pieces, 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 home, an apartment clearance in one visit is often simpler than many separate routes.

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 furniture, please ask us before booking.

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

Disposal.ch collects your furniture 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 2 (Wollishofen 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 dispose of furniture 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 many pieces, pickup from your flat saves time and effort. Questions about furniture disposal in Zurich? Send us photos via WhatsApp and get a no-obligation quote.

Note 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 furniture disposal in Zurich?

Furniture 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 it cost to dispose of furniture 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?

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 furniture, please ask us before booking, and we will check the individual case together with you. Just send a photo.