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Collection Procedures

Person in a brown and white striped shirt sorting through trash and recyclable material, holding a translucent green bottle, with three bins.

DeKalb County’s Sanitation Division is committed to delivering reliable, efficient, and environmentally responsible waste collection services for residents and businesses.

This page outlines the procedures that help ensure safe, timely, and consistent service across our community. By following these guidelines, customers can help our crews work more effectively, protect public health, and keep DeKalb County clean and sustainable for all.

How to Prepare Items for Curbside Collection
Garbage Collection

Container Requirements:

  • Use only county-issued 95-gallon roll carts
  • All garbage must be in secure plastic bags
  • No loose garbage or liquids in carts
  • No excess bags outside roll carts

Placement Guidelines:

  • Place cart curbside after 7:00 PM the night 
before collection
  • Cart must be available by 7:00 AM on collection day
  • Remove cart within 24 hours after service
  • Do Not block flower beds or mailboxes; no vehicles blocking containers

Prohibited Items:

  • Liquids of any kind
  • Hazardous materials, including batteries
  • Large appliances (schedule as bulky item)
  • Construction materials
  • Yard trimmings

View Acceptable & Unacceptable Items List

Recycling Collection

What Goes in Recycling:

  • Mixed paper
  • All cardboard
  • Plastic bottles and containers (#1 and #2 ONLY)
  • Metal & aluminum cans & containers
  • Up to 10 flattened cardboard boxes

What Does Not Go in Recycling (Causes Recycling Contamination):

  • Glass (use glass drop-off locations)
  • Shredded paper
  • Plastic bags
  • Electronics
  • Hazardous materials
  • Food waste
  • Plastics #3 through #7

Preparation:

  • Items should be loose in cart (no bags)
  • Only include acceptable items
  • Flatten cardboard boxes

View Complete Recycling Guide

Large brown brick house with a luscious green yard and trees in the back yard with a green and blue trash/recycling bins on the street.
Yard Trimmings Collection

Approved Containers:

  • Metal or plastic containers (up to 40 gallons)
  • Biodegradable paper bags

Branches & Limbs:

  • Cut to maximum 4' feet in length
  • Bundle and tie securely
  • Stack neatly at curb
  • Each piece maximum 25 pounds

Tree Parts:

  • Cut as small as possible
  • Maximum 25 pounds per piece
  • Large tree parts (>3 inches diameter) require special collection fee

Not Accepted:

  • Plastic bags
  • Containers with dirt
  • Limbs cut by professional contractors
  • Tree parts over 25 pounds
  • Contaminated yard waste
Collection Schedule

Weekly Service

All items collected on the same day:

  • Garbage
  • Recycling
  • Yard trimmings

Timing Requirements

  • Place items: After 7:00 PM night before
  • Available by: 7:00 AM collection day
  • Remove containers: Within 24 hours of servicing

Weather PolicyService may be suspended during inclement weather. Suspended collections resume the next scheduled business day, weather permitting.

Missed Collections

If Your Items Were Not Collected:

  1. Verify compliance with collection procedures
  2. Check collection day - items must be out by 7:00 AM
  3. Call 404-294-2900 if items were properly placed
  4. Email option: sanitation@dekalbcountyga.gov
  5. Service request created - typically serviced by Friday

Common Reasons for Missed Service:

  • Items not placed by 7:00 AM
  • Use of non-county containers
  • Prohibited items mixed in
  • Containers blocking access
  • Non-compliant preparation
Additional Resources

Quick Reference Guides

Need Help?

Holiday Schedule

Collection schedules change during county-observed holidays. View our Holiday Collection Schedule for specific dates.

Hard-to-Recycle Items

For items not accepted in regular collection or recycling:

CHaRM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)

Best Buy E-Recycling

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