Trash pickup in Atlanta, GA

Who collects trash in Atlanta, how trash day works, and which holidays move pickup. Checked against official city and hauler pages on Oct 15, 2026.

Next holiday to check: Veterans Day, Wed, Nov 11, 2026Not announcedSee every holiday

At a glance

Who collects
City crews
Hauler
City of Atlanta Department of Public Works, Office of Solid Waste Services (SWS)
Recycling
Every week
Holiday schedule
2026 not found, 2027 not posted yet
Last checked
Oct 15, 2026

The City of Atlanta Department of Public Works' Office of Solid Waste Services (SWS) collects residential garbage, recycling, yard trimmings and bulk items across the whole city. Garbage and recycling are collected once a week on the same day; carts must be at the curb by 7 a.m. and back in by 9 a.m. the next day. Bulk items moved to the regular weekly collection day on Feb 16, 2026. The city announces holiday changes by press release shortly before each holiday; on recent closures (Labor Day and Thanksgiving 2025, New Year's Day 2026) there was no pickup on the holiday and a one-day delay for the rest of the week, with Friday routes on Saturday.

Who picks up trash in Atlanta

City crews.

City of Atlanta Department of Public Works, Office of Solid Waste Services (SWS)

City serviceTrashRecyclingYard wasteBulk
Area
Whole city (inside Atlanta city limits)
Phone
3-1-1 inside city limits, or 404-546-0311

Garbage goes in a 96-gallon City-issued roll cart, and residents must keep carts clean and odor-free. Recycling is weekly, on the same day as garbage. Yard trimmings go in paper bags or labeled containers, up to 20 bags per collection. Bulk pickup is available up to 12 times a year, on the regular weekly collection day since Feb 16, 2026; keep carts at least 6 feet from bulk items. If you're not serviced by 8 p.m., report it to 311. Backyard service is available for qualifying residents 70 and older. A 2026 rate study proposes raising the annual fee from $559 to $619 (FY2027) and $685 (FY2028); this isn't final.

Not covered

SWS residential service is household curbside service only. Businesses aren't served by this program, and apartments and other multifamily properties are handled separately (the 2026 rate proposal sets multifamily rates separately). The city doesn't give a unit cutoff for apartments.

How trash day works in Atlanta

Each address has a fixed weekly collection day, Monday to Friday. Look it up with the SWS Operations Tool on the Solid Waste Services web page or in the Atlanta Solid Waste Services mobile app, or call 311.

Find a trash day on atlantaga.gov

Recycling: every week. Recycling goes out on the same day as garbage.

Carts out: Carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day and back in by 9 a.m. the next day. Bulk items can go out no earlier than 7 p.m. the day before. Carts set out late are picked up the following week. Source

Yard trimmings: the city's page only mentions 'yard trimming collection weeks.' A 2026 Axios report says the city's schedule is every other week, but pickup is weekly in practice. Bulk items have gone on the regular weekly collection day since Feb 16, 2026.

Atlanta trash pickup holiday schedule

Upcoming holidays in Atlanta and what each does to pickup. Atlanta hasn’t announced yet how these holidays change pickup.

The city's holiday page still shows only the 2024 calendar. In 2025 and 2026 the city announced each holiday's schedule by press release a few days before (Labor Day 2025, Thanksgiving 2025, New Year's Day 2026). It hasn't announced Veterans Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas 2026 yet, hasn't posted a 2027 schedule and doesn't publish a holiday rule that covers every year.

2026

  1. Veterans Day, Wed, Nov 11, 2026

    Not announced

    Garbage, recycling, yard trimmings and bulk, all city routes

    Not announced yet. On the 2024 calendar, the latest the city posted, Veterans Day was a regular collection day. Check the city's press releases the week before.

    Source: atlantaga.gov

  2. Thanksgiving Day, Thu, Nov 26, 2026

    Not announced

    Garbage, recycling, yard trimmings and bulk, all city routes

    Not announced yet. In 2025 there was no collection on Thanksgiving: Thursday routes ran Friday and Friday routes ran Saturday. The city posts each holiday's schedule by press release a few days before (the Thanksgiving 2025 notice came out Nov 25, 2025, and the New Year's Day 2026 notice on Dec 31, 2025), so check atlantaga.gov that week.

    Source: atlantaga.gov

  3. Christmas Day, Fri, Dec 25, 2026

    Not announced

    Garbage, recycling, yard trimmings and bulk, all city routes

    Not announced yet. Christmas 2026 is a Friday. On recent closure holidays there was no collection on the holiday and a one-day delay for the rest of the week, with Friday routes on Saturday, and WSB-TV reported the same for Christmas 2024. The city posts each holiday's schedule by press release a few days before, so check atlantaga.gov that week.

    Source: atlantaga.gov
Not announced
The city hasn’t said yet. The note has what’s known, such as last year’s pattern.
Cleaning bins in Atlanta?

Bins get cleaned right after pickup, so when a holiday moves trash day, your route moves with it. In Clean Bin System you give each zone its hauler and add the hauler’s holidays once: that week’s cleanings move with the pickup, and each customer gets a text. See how it works

Atlanta neighborhoods

248 names from City of Atlanta Neighborhoods (Department of City Planning).

  • Adair Park
  • Adams Park
  • Adamsville
  • Almond Park
  • Amal Heights
  • Ansley Park
  • Arden/Habersham
  • Ardmore
  • Argonne Forest
  • Arlington Estates
  • Ashley Courts
  • Ashview Heights
  • Atkins Park
  • Atlanta Industrial Park
  • Atlanta University Center
  • Atlantic Station
  • Audobon Forest
  • Audobon Forest West
  • Baker Hills
  • Baker Hills at Campbellton
  • Bakers Ferry
  • Bankhead Courts
  • Bankhead/Bolton
  • Beecher Hills
  • Ben Hill
  • Ben Hill Acres
  • Ben Hill Forest
  • Ben Hill Pines
  • Ben Hill Terrace
  • Benteen Park
  • Berkeley Park
  • Betmar LaVilla
  • Blair Villa/Poole Creek
  • Blandtown
  • Bolton
  • Bolton Hills
  • Bonnybrook Estates
  • Boulder Park
  • Boulevard Heights
  • Brandon
  • Brentwood
  • Briar Glen
  • Brookhaven
  • Brookview Heights
  • Brookwood
  • Brookwood Hills
  • Browns Mill Park
  • Buckhead Forest
  • Buckhead Heights
  • Buckhead Village
  • Bush Mountain
  • Butner/Tell
  • Cabbagetown
  • Campbellton Road
  • Candler Park
  • Capitol Gateway
  • Capitol View
  • Capitol View Manor
  • Carey Park
  • Carroll Heights
  • Carver Hills
  • Cascade Avenue/Road
  • Cascade Green
  • Cascade Heights
  • Castleberry Hill
  • Castlewood
  • Center Hill
  • Chalet Woods
  • Channing Valley
  • Chastain Park
  • Chattahoochee
  • Chosewood Park
  • Collier Heights
  • Collier Hills
  • Collier Hills North
  • Colonial Homes
  • Continental Colony
  • Cross Creek
  • Custer/McDonough/Guice
  • Deerwood
  • Dixie Hills
  • Downtown
  • Druid Hills
  • East Ardley Road
  • East Atlanta
  • East Chastain Park
  • East Lake
  • Edgewood
  • Edmund Park
  • Elmco Estates
  • Emory
  • English Avenue
  • English Park
  • Fairburn
  • Fairburn Heights
  • Fairburn Mays
  • Fairburn Road/Wisteria Lane
  • Fairburn Tell
  • Fairway Acres
  • Fernleaf
  • Florida Heights
  • Fort McPherson
  • Fort Valley
  • Garden Hills
  • Georgia Tech
  • Glenrose Heights
  • Grant Park
  • Green Acres Valley
  • Green Forest Acres
  • Greenbriar
  • Greenbriar Village
  • Grove Park
  • Hammond Park
  • Hanover West
  • Harland Terrace
  • Harris Chiles
  • Harvel Homes Community
  • Heritage Valley
  • High Point
  • Hills Park
  • Historic Westin Heights/Bankhead
  • Home Park
  • Horseshoe Community
  • Hunter Hills
  • Huntington
  • Inman Park
  • Ivan Hill
  • Joyland
  • Just Us
  • Kings Forest
  • Kingswood
  • Kirkwood
  • Knight Park/Howell Station
  • Lake Claire
  • Lake Estates
  • Lakewood
  • Lakewood Heights
  • Laurens Valley
  • Leila Valley
  • Lenox
  • Lincoln Homes
  • Lindbergh/Morosgo
  • Lindridge/Martin Manor
  • Loring Heights
  • Magnum Manor
  • Margaret Mitchell
  • Marietta Street Artery
  • Mays
  • Meadowbrook Forest
  • Mechanicsville
  • Mellwood
  • Memorial Park
  • Midtown
  • Monroe Heights
  • Morningside/Lenox Park
  • Mozley Park
  • Mt. Gilead Woods
  • Mt. Paran Parkway
  • Mt. Paran/Northside
  • Niskey Cove
  • Niskey Lake
  • North Buckhead
  • Norwood Manor
  • Oakcliff
  • Oakland
  • Oakland City
  • Old Fairburn Village
  • Old Fourth Ward
  • Old Gordon
  • Orchard Knob
  • Ormewood Park
  • Paces
  • Peachtree Battle Alliance
  • Peachtree Heights East
  • Peachtree Heights West
  • Peachtree Hills
  • Peachtree Park
  • Penelope Neighbors
  • Peoplestown
  • Perkerson
  • Peyton Forest
  • Peyton Heights
  • Piedmont Heights
  • Pine Hills
  • Pittsburgh
  • Pleasant Hill
  • Polar Rock
  • Pomona Park
  • Poncey-Highland
  • Princeton Lakes
  • Randall Mill
  • Rebel Valley Forest
  • Regency Trace
  • Reynoldstown
  • Ridgecrest Forest
  • Ridgedale Park
  • Ridgewood Heights
  • Riverside
  • Rockdale
  • Rosedale Heights
  • Rue Royal
  • Sandlewood Estates
  • Scotts Crossing
  • Sherwood Forest
  • South Atlanta
  • South Oakes at Cascade
  • South River Gardens
  • South Tuxedo Park
  • Southwest
  • Springlake
  • State Facility
  • Summerhill
  • Swallow Circle/Baywood
  • Sweet Auburn
  • Sylvan Hills
  • Tampa Park
  • The Villages at Carver
  • The Villages at Castleberry Hill
  • The Villages at East Lake
  • Thomasville Heights
  • Tuxedo Park
  • Underwood Hills
  • Venetian Hills
  • Vine City
  • Virginia Highland
  • Washington Park
  • Wesley Battle
  • West Cascade
  • West End
  • West Highlands
  • West Lake
  • West Manor
  • West Paces Ferry/Northside
  • Westhaven
  • Westminster/Milmar
  • Westover Plantation
  • Westview
  • Westwood Terrace
  • Whitewater Creek
  • Whittier Mill Village
  • Wildwood (NPU-C)
  • Wildwood (NPU-H)
  • Wildwood Forest
  • Wilson Mill Meadows
  • Wisteria Gardens
  • Woodfield
  • Woodland Hills
  • Wyngate

Questions about trash pickup in Atlanta

Who picks up trash in Atlanta?

The City of Atlanta Department of Public Works' Office of Solid Waste Services (SWS) collects residential garbage, recycling, yard trimmings and bulk items across the whole city. Garbage and recycling are collected once a week on the same day; carts must be at the curb by 7 a.m. and back in by 9 a.m. the next day. Bulk items moved to the regular weekly collection day on Feb 16, 2026. The city announces holiday changes by press release shortly before each holiday; on recent closures (Labor Day and Thanksgiving 2025, New Year's Day 2026) there was no pickup on the holiday and a one-day delay for the rest of the week, with Friday routes on Saturday.

How do I find my trash day in Atlanta?

Each address has a fixed weekly collection day, Monday to Friday. Look it up with the SWS Operations Tool on the Solid Waste Services web page or in the Atlanta Solid Waste Services mobile app, or call 311.

Is recycling picked up every week in Atlanta?

Yes, every week. Recycling goes out on the same day as garbage.

When do trash carts go out in Atlanta?

Carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day and back in by 9 a.m. the next day. Bulk items can go out no earlier than 7 p.m. the day before. Carts set out late are picked up the following week.

Is trash picked up on Thanksgiving in Atlanta?

Thanksgiving is Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Not announced yet. In 2025 there was no collection on Thanksgiving: Thursday routes ran Friday and Friday routes ran Saturday. The city posts each holiday's schedule by press release a few days before (the Thanksgiving 2025 notice came out Nov 25, 2025, and the New Year's Day 2026 notice on Dec 31, 2025), so check atlantaga.gov that week.

Is trash picked up on Christmas in Atlanta?

Christmas is Fri, Dec 25, 2026. Not announced yet. Christmas 2026 is a Friday. On recent closure holidays there was no collection on the holiday and a one-day delay for the rest of the week, with Friday routes on Saturday, and WSB-TV reported the same for Christmas 2024. The city posts each holiday's schedule by press release a few days before, so check atlantaga.gov that week.

Sources

Official city and hauler pages, checked Oct 15, 2026. News and other sites used for details the official pages don’t give are listed separately. Schedules change, especially around holidays: check the city’s page before you plan routes. Something out of date? Email taylor@bincleanmarketing.com.

Other sources (2)
  • axios.com: Proposed 2026 rate increase, yard trimmings schedule, multifamily rates
  • wsbtv.com: Christmas 2024 schedule

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