Collection Information

Garbage Collection Facts

 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.

 Electronics

We do recycle electronics. You may put electronics out with your regular garbage or recycle at the Recycling Center located at 8001 Pine Grove Way.

 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 current 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.