Solid waste services "curbing waste"

The City of Atlanta Department of Public Works (DPW) Office of Solid Waste Services has implemented an initiative that focuses on establishing long-term improvements in operations, resource management, customer service, and environmental sustainability.

Improved Services – Effective March 3, 2008

Atlanta’s population has grown significantly over the past 10 years. To ensure efficient, timely and safe collection of solid waste from all customers, DPW determined a need to redistribute households into more balanced service areas, which will result in new collection days for most of Atlanta’s residents. This, among other city-wide process improvements that will streamline and improve waste collection services, began on March 3, 2008.

New Processes

Here are some of the most noticeable changes in the new solid waste collection process:

• You’ll notice more balanced collection routes, evenly distributing customer collections Monday through Friday, and new collection days for most customers.
• Garbage, recycling and yard waste will be collected weekly on your designated collection day.
• For bulk waste, collection requests will be fulfilled more quickly, within one week from the date called.
• Sanitation workers will adhere to the guideline that yard waste may only be set out in paper yard waste collection bags or a container clearly labeled “yard trimmings. Yard trimmings will not be collected in plastic bags.
• Sanitation workers will observe the guideline that only 5 additional bags of garbage will be collected in addition to the contents of your Herbie Curbie.

Benefits to the City of Atlanta

The new collection improvements will benefit citizens by:

• Creating a more cost-efficient collection process
• Streamlining and balancing collection services
• Improving customer service
• Supporting the City’s commitment to environmental awareness
• Creating a safer, cleaner, “greener” community
• Establishing long-term improvements in operations and resource management

New Collection Days

For more information on your new collection day, please contact the Customer Service Center at 404.330.6333. You may also click on the following link to find your collection schedule by your address:

http://apps.atlantaga.gov/swc/solidwastecalendar.aspx

Household Garbage Collection Guidelines

• Household garbage includes all non-recyclable discarded garbage, food, paper, glass, plastic, leather, textiles and anything else discarded during normal, daily household activities.
• Household garbage is collected weekly.
• Only 5 additional bags of garbage will be collected in addition to the contents of your Herbie Curbie.
• Herbie Curbies are used for household garbage only and should be set out for collection after 7 pm on the evening prior to collection, or no later than 7 am the day of   collection. Please remove your Herbie Curbie no later than 7 pm the day of collection.

Recycling Guidelines

• Recycling collection occurs weekly on the same day as garbage collection.
• City-issued recycling bins should be used for the collection of recycling materials.
• Eligible recycling items include: aluminum cans, glass bottles/jars without lids, steel and tin cans, mixed paper, office paper, junk mail, telephone directories, boxboard, empty cereal boxes, and plastics #1 and #2 (numbers on bottom of containers).
• For questions regarding recycling, to request a bin, or to set up recycling services, call 404.330.6333

Yard Waste Collection Guidelines

• Yard waste includes plant material such as leaves, grass clippings, branches not to exceed 4 ft in length and 6 inches in diameter, Christmas trees, flowers, roots, wood waste and other material commonly thrown away in the course of maintaining yards and gardens.
• Yard waste will be collected weekly, effective March 3, 2008. Previously, yard waste was collected twice a month.
• Plastic bags containing yard trimmings will not be collected. Yard waste may only be set out in paper yard waste collection bags (also known as kraft bags) not exceeding 25 lbs., or a container clearly labeled “yard trimmings”.

Bulk Waste Collection Guidelines

• Bulk waste refers to materials with a total weight, volume and/or size too large for the City’s residential garbage collection trucks to remove. This includes items such as appliances, large furniture, large piles of tree branches, large metal or wooden playground equipment, or similar items.
• Customers should call 404.330.6333 for an appointment to have all bulk waste items collected. As a result of the improved service initiative, items will be picked up within one week from the date called.
• Place all items scheduled for pick up at the curb on the Sunday prior to the collection appointment.