Atlanta trash & recycling schedule
Trash is picked up weekly; your day depends on your ZIP.
At a glance
| Trash | Weekly curbside in City-issued 96-gallon green solid-waste roll cart. Verified 2026-10-15 · atlantaga.gov |
|---|---|
| Curbside | Carts curbside by 7:00 a.m. collection day; remove by 9:00 a.m. day after. Recycling miss report after 3:30 p.m. same day (ATL311). Checklist Verified 2026-10-15 · atlantaga.gov |
| Recycling | Weekly same day as garbage in City blue recycling cart (or clearly marked lidded recyclables container). Verified 2026-10-15 · atlantaga.gov |
| Bulk | Bulk details — contact the city or your hauler. Bulk page Verified 2026-10-15 · atl311.com |
| Hauler | City of Atlanta Department of Public Works — Office of Solid Waste. |
| Contacts | ATL311 — 3-1-1 or 404-546-0311; [email protected]; Fax 404-221-9518 (Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–midnight). Verified 2026-10-15 · atlantaga.gov |
Curbside
Curbside checklist
City rules before collection day. Confirm with the city if anything looks off.
When
Carts curbside by 7:00 a.m. collection day; remove by 9:00 a.m. day after. Recycling miss report after 3:30 p.m. same day (ATL311).
Where
Curbside / right-of-way. Bulk in front of property only. Keep carts & yard trimmings ≥6 ft from bulk piles. Don't block with mailboxes, cars, overhanging branches, powerlines.
Limits
Yard trimmings ≤20 paper bags/collection, ≤35 lb/bag; reusable yard containers ≤32 gal marked YARD TRIMMINGS all sides; no plastic bags for yard.
Not allowed
Recycling bans: plastic bags (except shredded paper bagged inside cart), food/liquid, tanglers/cords/hoses/chains, electronics, tanks/wood/plastic furniture/metal scrap, Orange Hefty bags, garbage. Yard: no plastic bags.
Bags
Household trash in green cart (city doesn't require pay-as-you-throw bags). Recyclables loose in blue cart (shredded paper exception). Yard: paper bags only.
Verified 2026-10-15 · atlantaga.gov
Add curbside reminder to Google CalendarFind your pickup day
Verified 2026-10-15 · atlantaga.gov
Holidays
| Holiday | Date | Shift |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day 2026 | 2026-01-01 | — |
| Mlk 2026 | 2026-01-19 | — |
| Memorial Day 2026 | 2026-05-25 | — |
| Juneteenth 2026 | 2026-06-19 | — |
| Labor Day 2026 | 2026-09-07 | — |
| Thanksgiving 2026 | 2026-11-26 | — |
| Christmas 2026 | 2026-12-25 | — |
(Mon Jan 19); Memorial Day (Mon May 25); Juneteenth (Fri Jun 19); Labor Day (Mon Sep 7); Christmas (Fri Dec 25).
Verified 2026-10-15 · atlantaga.gov
Private junk pickup
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Full details for Atlanta: every rule, with sources
- Trash
- Weekly curbside in City-issued 96-gallon green solid-waste roll cart. Day by address via Solid Waste Services Collection Tool. Place cart curbside no later than 7:00 a.m. collection day (Code Sec. 130-37); remove by 9:00 a.m. the day after. Report missed collection if not serviced by 8:00 p.m. collection day (ATL311). Carts not out in time wait until the following week. Residents keep carts clean/odor-free.
- Recycling
- Weekly same day as garbage in City blue recycling cart (or clearly marked lidded recyclables container). Out by 7:00 a.m.; remove by 9:00 a.m. next day. Accepted (ATL311 Recyclable Items / SWS materials): glass bottles/jars; aluminum & steel cans; cartons, mixed paper, newspaper, magazines, cardboard; plastic bottles/containers #1–5 & #7. All recyclables inside cart; shredded paper may be in a plastic bag inside cart — empty bags or bags with other contents → entire cart aren't collected. Contaminated carts (garbage, unclean food trays, grocery plastic bags) aren't collected until corrected; citation risk. Hard-to-recycle / household hazardous waste / e-waste → CHARM by appointment — not curbside (1110 Hill St SE; 404-600-6386). Orange Hefty Energy Bags: take to CHARM; don't put in recycling cart.
- Bulk pickup
- Must schedule (SWS Collection Tool / ATL311 404-546-0311 / @ATL311 social). Effective Feb 16, 2026, bulk runs on your regular weekly collection day. Single-family: 12 free scheduled pickups/year; overage fee $343.10 per additional collection (city SWS page; ATL311 lists $336.38.10). Cap ≤8 cubic yards per collection (extra volume counts as another collection). Eligible: household furniture, white goods/appliances; garbage carts with debris OK if set with bulk. Not: auto parts incl. Tires; building/construction materials; evictions; vacant properties; contractor leftovers. Must be front curb / right-of-way, not blocked by mailboxes/cars/trees/powerlines. Keep garbage/recycling carts and yard trimmings ≥6 ft from bulk. Don't set out before 7:00 p.m. day before (citation risk). Cancel by 3:00 p.m. day before. Missed bulk: report within 2 business days or reschedule. Yard trimmings: biweekly; paper yard bags ≤35 lb, up to 20 bags/collection; 21+ bags or oversized → schedule as bulk. Yard trim branches on regular service: ≤4 ft / ≤4 in dia (SWS); ATL311 bulky-yard language also cites ≤6 in dia / 4 ft. Stumps ≤4 ft; if fits in paper bag use yard stream else bulk.
- Curbside: when
- Carts curbside by 7:00 a.m. collection day; remove by 9:00 a.m. day after. Bulk: not before 7:00 p.m. evening before scheduled day. Recycling miss report after 3:30 p.m. same day (ATL311).
- Curbside: where
- Curbside / right-of-way. Bulk in front of property only. Keep carts & yard trimmings ≥6 ft from bulk piles. Don't block with mailboxes, cars, overhanging branches, powerlines.
- Curbside: limits
- Yard trimmings ≤20 paper bags/collection, ≤35 lb/bag; reusable yard containers ≤32 gal marked YARD TRIMMINGS all sides; no plastic bags for yard. Bulk ≤8 cy per scheduled collection; 12 free bulk/year then fee. Branches for yard stream ≤4 ft / ≤4 in dia (SWS).
- Curbside: brush
- Yard trimmings in paper bags manufactured for yard waste or labeled containers (no plastic bags). Bulky branches/stumps via scheduled bulk if over bag limits; stumps ≤4 ft.
- Curbside: not allowed
- Bulk bans: tires/auto parts, construction/building materials, eviction/vacant/contractor piles. Recycling bans: plastic bags (except shredded paper bagged inside cart), food/liquid, tanglers/cords/hoses/chains, electronics, tanks/wood/plastic furniture/metal scrap, Orange Hefty bags, garbage. Yard: no plastic bags. Household hazardous waste/e-waste not in trash/recycle — CHARM.
- Curbside: bags
- Household trash in green cart (city doesn't require pay-as-you-throw bags). Recyclables loose in blue cart (shredded paper exception). Yard: paper bags only.
- Curbside: fees and fines
- Early bulk set-out may draw citation. Contaminated recycling may draw citation. Excess bulk over 12/year billed $343.10 (city page). Specific code fine dollar amounts for set-out window Ask the city or your hauler.
- Holidays
- New Year's Day 2026 (2026-01-01): shift not yet confirmed
- Mlk 2026 (2026-01-19): shift not yet confirmed
- Memorial Day 2026 (2026-05-25): shift not yet confirmed
- Juneteenth 2026 (2026-06-19): shift not yet confirmed
- Labor Day 2026 (2026-09-07): shift not yet confirmed
- Thanksgiving 2026 (2026-11-26): shift not yet confirmed
- Christmas 2026 (2026-12-25): shift not yet confirmed
City posts 2026 Solid Waste Services Holiday Collections Schedule: listed holidays with One-Day Delay — New Year’s Day (Thu Jan 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jr. (Mon Jan 19), Memorial Day (Mon May 25), Juneteenth (Fri Jun 19), Labor Day (Mon Sep 7), Thanksgiving (Thu Nov 26), Christmas (Fri Dec 25). Regular schedule (no delay): Presidents’ Day (Mon Feb 16), Independence Day (Sat Jul 4), Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Mon Oct 12), Veterans Day (Wed Nov 11). Jan 1 2027 / other 2027.
- Hauler
- City of Atlanta Department of Public Works — Office of Solid Waste Services (SWS)
- Contacts
- ATL311 — 3-1-1 or 404-546-0311; [email protected]; Fax 404-221-9518 (Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–midnight)
- Find your day
- Solid Waste Services Collection Tool (address → day; schedule bulk / reminders)
- Sources
- Trash and recycling: atlantaga.gov
Bulk: atl311.com
Holidays: atlantaga.gov
Curbside: atlantaga.gov - Verified
- 2026-10-15
Town Rulebook is independent and not affiliated with any city or hauler. Schedules change — always confirm with your city. About & disclaimer