Solid waste services "curbing waste"

The City of Atlanta Department of Public Works (DPW) Office of Solid Waste Services seeks to establishing long-term improvements in operations, resource management, customer service, and environmental sustainability.

Solid Waste Improvements

Effective beginning the week of September 14, 2009:

• Balanced collection routes, evenly distributing customer collections Monday through Thursday.
• 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 trimmings 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

These 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

• 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.

Curbside Recycling

Recycling collection is weekly on the same day as garbage collection. Please use a City-issued recycling bin or a larger bin clearly labeled "RECYLING".

Paper:

• All paper products (except boxes/paper with food contamination)
• Shredded paper in a clear plastic bag
• NO paper towels or tissues

Glass

• All bottles and jars (rinse, remove the lids)

Cans

• Aluminum cans and steel (tin) cans

Plastics

• All hard plastic food containers and plastic bottles #1-7 (please rinse)
• NO plastic bags, NO hoses or wires, NO plastic pipes, NO plastic furniture, NO styrofoam

Cardboard

• Broken down or cut to fit in the bin. Keep it dry.  No Styrofoam

All recyclables are placed together in the bin and are separated at the recycling processing facility.

To find recycling drop-off sites near your home or office, for items not accepted curbside, check out: www.earth911.com.

Yard Trimmings Collection Guidelines

• Yard trimmings 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 trimmings are collected weekly on the same day as your garbage collection.  
• Plastic bags containing yard trimmings will not be collected. Yard trimmings may only be set out in paper yard trimming 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.