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Local Aurora Guide

Aurora trash pickup vs. junk removal

Aurora works differently from Denver. The city doesn’t run residential trash and recycling pickup — residents arrange that themselves. Here’s how it actually works, and when a private junk removal pickup is the better answer.

Quick answer

Aurora does not run city trash or recycling pickup. Every household contracts with one of the city’s permitted private haulers for weekly trash service. There’s no Denver-style nine-week bulky pickup. For one-off bulky items, your options are: ask your hauler about a bulky add-on, drop the item at one of Aurora’s recycling resources, or hire a private junk removal company.

Curbside trash and recycling in Aurora

The City of Aurora’s official trash and recycling page is unambiguous: residential trash and recycling pickup is not a city-provided service. Instead, the city says it is “the responsibility of the individual residents, homeowners associations, or multifamily building management company to arrange for service with one of the city’s permitted trash and recycling haulers.”

The city also says all homes in Aurora are required to have weekly trash service, and that trash must be in an approved, secure container. Some haulers provide the container as part of the service or for a small fee.

Aurora’s permitted trash and recycling haulers

The City of Aurora publishes a current list of permitted residential trash and recycling haulers. Inclusion on this list is, per the city’s own wording, “not an endorsement or recommendation of any individual company.” As of this writing, that list includes:

  • Apex Waste Solutions
  • Best Cleaner Disposal
  • Eastern Dispose All
  • HBS Trash Services
  • Mountain High Disposal
  • Republic Services
  • Waste Connections
  • Waste Management

The city also separately lists Wompost for compost and yard waste service. Pricing, container size, recycling cadence, and bulk-item add-ons vary by hauler — ask each one directly.

Bulky items, appliances, electronics, mattresses

Aurora doesn’t have a Denver-style every-nine-weeks Large Item Pickup. Your three real paths for a one-off bulky item are:

  • Your private hauler’s bulk service. Many haulers will pick up a bulky item for an extra fee, often with advance notice. Call yours and ask about size, weight, and item-type limits.
  • Aurora’s Recycling Opportunities. The city’s Recycling Opportunities page lists separate resources for appliances, electronics, mattresses, paint and household chemicals, batteries, light bulbs, tires, used cooking oil, organics/yard waste, and recycling events. Many of these are drop-off or event-based.
  • Private junk removal. If you need it gone now, if the item is inside the house, or if you have a pile rather than one item, hiring a private hauler is usually faster than the other two paths combined.

Storage pods, roll-offs, and on-street dumpsters

The city is also explicit on this: storage pods and dumpsters are not allowed on public streets in Aurora. They may be allowed on private property (such as a driveway) through the city’s Temporary Use Permit program. Plan accordingly if you’re considering a multi-day cleanout that needs a container.

Electronics in Aurora

Aurora does not use Denver’s E-cycle coupon program. Instead, the city sponsors electronics recycling events for residents, operated by Pedal Point LifeCycle Solutions in Aurora. There’s usually a small per-vehicle fee, with additional charges for CRT and flat-screen televisions. Aurora’s electronics recycling page has current event dates and acceptance details.

As a Colorado-wide rule, electronics have not been allowed in the trash anywhere in the state since July 1, 2013, under the Electronic Recycling Jobs Act (SB 12-133). That applies in Aurora just as much as in Denver.

Quick decision guide for Aurora residents

Use your private hauler

You have one bulky item, your hauler offers bulky pickup, and you can wait until your next service day. Call them first — if there’s a flat fee or it’s included, this is usually the cheapest path.

Use a city recycling resource

You have something Aurora has a dedicated path for — an old TV, a mattress, a paint can, a car battery — and you can transport it yourself to a drop-off or event. Lower environmental footprint, often cheap.

Hire a private junk hauler

You need it gone soon, you have a pile rather than one item, the item is inside (basement, upstairs, garage), or you don’t want to sort it across four destinations. A private crew handles all of it in one trip.

Get a temporary use permit

You have a multi-day project (move-out, full clean-up, renovation) and want a container in the driveway. Talk to the city about a Temporary Use Permit before any pod or dumpster lands on your property.

Aurora junk removal — FAQs

Does Aurora pick up trash and recycling like Denver does?
No. The City of Aurora's official trash and recycling page states that residential trash and recycling pickup is not a city-provided service. Residents, HOAs, and multifamily property managers arrange service with one of the city's permitted private haulers.
Does Aurora have a free large-item or bulky pickup program?
Aurora does not run a Denver-style city large-item pickup program. Bulky items typically go through your private trash hauler's bulk pickup service (if your hauler offers one) or through a private junk removal company. Some items can also be taken to Aurora's recycling events or Recycling Opportunities resources.
Can I just leave a couch at the curb?
Not as a rule. Aurora requires homes to use weekly trash service in approved containers. Bulky items left at the curb without a scheduled pickup from your hauler can result in code-enforcement issues. The practical paths are: call your private hauler to ask about bulky add-on service, schedule a private junk removal pickup, or use one of the city's Recycling Opportunities for items like mattresses, appliances, or electronics.
Where do appliances, electronics, and mattresses go in Aurora?
Aurora's Recycling Opportunities page lists separate paths for appliances, electronics, mattresses, paint and household chemicals, batteries, light bulbs, tires, cooking oil, and yard waste. Many of these are event-based or drop-off-based rather than curbside. For example, Aurora's electronics recycling events are operated by Pedal Point LifeCycle Solutions in Aurora.
Can I put a storage pod or dumpster on the street?
No. Aurora explicitly does not allow storage pods or dumpsters on public streets. They may be considered for placement on private property (such as a driveway) through the city's Temporary Use Permit program.
When does a private junk removal company make more sense?
When timing matters, when items need to be carried out of a home, when there are more items than a routine bulk pickup will take, or when the items are mixed enough that a single haul is easier than four different drop-offs. Private haulers can also coordinate inside-home removal, stairs, garages, and storage units in a way curbside service cannot.

Official Aurora resources

These are the City of Aurora’s own pages for current rules, hauler lists, and recycling resources. If anything on this page disagrees with the city’s site, the city’s site is right.

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