Collection Information

Garbage Collection Facts

Effective Monday, September 9, 2024, “All” Household Waste must be in a city issued Black or Brown City Issued Cart”, or it will not be collected.

Citizens wanting to purchase a second cart (brown cart) for residential household waste at a cost of $55.00 can do so by calling 311. There is no additional charge to collect from the second cart/brown cart purchased from the city.

All collection services will be provided on the SAME DAY. The day that your (black & brown cart) household garbage is collected your recycling, yard waste and bulk waste will be collected.

For example, If your black city issued cart is collected on a MONDAY, your recycle cart, yard waste cart and bulk waste service will be collected on the same day.

If your black cart city issued is collected on a TUESDAY, your recycle cart, yard waste cart and bulk service will be collected on the same day.

If your black city issued cart is collected on a THURSDAY, your recycle cart, yard waste cart and bulk service will be collected on the same day.

If your black city issued cart is collected on a FRIDAY, your recycle cart, yard waste cart and bulk service will be collected on the same day.

There is no change in the yard waste policy. However, yard waste cart collections will be collected on the same day as your household garbage collection day, effective September 9, 2024.

Bulk solid waste as well as bulk yard waste/large piles will require a call to 311 for a requested scheduled pickup. If the bulk yard waste is a cut down tree, a request for a Tree for Fee pick up is required. Our policy will not allow this type of collection without the resident requesting and authorizing the Tree for Fee Collection.

Bulk Waste cannot pick up Mixed Piles.

As a reminder, all limbs cut for the city to collect must be no longer than four (4) feet in length and no wider than six (6) inches in diameter. Any limbs exceeding these dimensions will not be collected.

Vehicle Tires

Five per household at a time. Tires that are on rims must be removed from the rim. No tires will be collected from any commercial establishment. No tires will be collected that have rims. The only tires acceptable are passenger car or light truck tires. These tires are recycled.

Paints

These items must be solidified or empty before collection. Paint cans must be empty or solidified with sand, dirt, or cat litter.

Construction Material

Construction and demolition material is not picked up curbside and should be taken to Pine Grove Landfill. This includes carpet, lumber, wood, toilets, sinks, shingles, car parts, trees, concrete, dirt, etc.

Lancers, Needles and Syringes

Should be containerized in a hard plastic or metal container with a secure lid. You must call 311 for Waste Collection.

Grease

Columbus Water Works has 11 locations to recycle grease.

Trees Cut on Private Property

Special instructions for the collection and disposal of trees cut on private property:

If you would like for the City to collect and dispose of the tree(s) set out, please call (706) 225-4661 and request a "Tree For Fee" Pick Up. The tree(s) and associated debris will be picked up for a $50 collection fee per load, plus a $76.50 tipping fee per ton. You will be billed separately for this service, and please allow one week for services, from the time the request is made. Please Note: If you now pay a reduced garbage fee, this charge will be reduced by the same percentage.

If you elect NOT to have the City collect the tree and associated debris, please have the trees removed within ten days of receipt of notice.

Yard Contractors' Waste

There has been quite a bit of confusion over the years about whether landscaping firms and other contractors must remove their waste from the residential customer's premises or whether the waste can be placed at the curb on the regular trash pickup day. City Ordinance 13-167.2(8) states "All nurseries, landscape gardening firms, clearing, grading and building contractors, and logging and pulpwood related operations shall remove all solid waste which they accumulate through their work."

If you have a contract firm working on your yard, please make sure that they remove their waste in accordance with the law. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance in this matter.

How to Pass a Garbage Truck

Georgia State Law 40-6-16.1

The operator of a motor vehicle approaching a vehicle with active sanitation workers that is displaying flashing yellow, amber, white, or red lights shall approach the vehicle with due caution and shall, absent any other direction by a peace officer, proceed as follows:

  1. Make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the vehicle if possible in the existing safety and traffic conditions; or
  2. If a lane change under paragraph (1) of this subsection would be impossible, prohibited by law, or unsafe, reduce the speed of the motor vehicle to a reasonable and proper speed for the existing road and traffic conditions, which speed shall be at least ten miles per hour less than the posted speed limit or 25 miles per hour, whichever is more, and be prepared to stop.