City guide · Georgia

Columbus Trash Pickup Schedule

This Columbus trash pickup schedule - not to be confused with Columbus, Ohio - runs garbage, recycling, bulk waste, and yard waste all on the same weekly day for your address. The city also tightened its rules in September 2024: everything now has to go in a city-issued cart, or it simply won't get picked up. Here's exactly how the Columbus garbage collection schedule works in practice, plus what bulk waste and tree removal actually cost.

This page covers the Columbus GA trash pickup schedule. If you meant Columbus, Ohio, use that guide instead.

How often is trash picked up in Columbus, Georgia?

The Columbus curbside collection schedule collects household garbage and recycling on the same day each week, with bulk waste and yard waste also collected on that same day rather than on a separate schedule.

Since September 9, 2024, all household waste must be in a city-issued black or brown cart - anything set out loose or in an unapproved container won't be collected.

Find your exact pickup day

Every address on the Columbus trash collection calendar has its own collection day - there isn't one schedule for the whole city. The Columbus GA Recycles app is the accurate source:

Look up your address on columbusga.gov →

For route or billing questions, call 311 or (706) 653-4000.

Bin placement rules

• Household waste must go in a city-issued black or brown cart
• Keep cart lids closed
• Cut limbs for yard waste to under 4 feet long and 6 inches in diameter
• Don't mix bulk waste into one pile - crews cannot collect mixed piles

Columbus Trash Holiday Schedule

Columbus Consolidated Government observes the holidays below, and garbage, recycling, yard waste and bulk collection all stop on them. Because every stream runs on the same day here, a holiday moves your entire service, not just the trash cart.

Columbus does not use a fixed slide rule. It announces a make-up day for each holiday, which can fall before or after the holiday itself.

Recent make-up days show the pattern: Thursday routes ran a day early on the Wednesday before both Juneteenth and Christmas, while Memorial Day collection moved to the Wednesday after. Call 311 or check the city's holiday notice for the exact date.

What goes in each bin

How much does an extra garbage cart cost in Columbus?

A second brown cart for household waste is a one-time purchase of $55, with no additional recurring collection fees tied to it. Regular garbage, recycling, and bulk/yard waste collection is otherwise included in your standard city service.

Bulk waste & tree removal

Call 311 to request scheduled bulk waste pickup - crews can't collect mixed piles, so keep different item types separated. Cut limbs for yard waste can't exceed 4 feet long or 6 inches in diameter. Up to 5 tires per household are accepted curbside at no charge, along with solidified or empty paint cans. For larger tree removal, the city's "Tree For Fee" program charges a $50 collection fee per load plus a $76.50 tipping fee per ton - request authorization before setting material out.

Reporting illegal dumping

Report illegal dumping through the Columbus Recycles app or by calling 311 (Columbus Citizen Services), Monday through Friday 8 AM to 5 PM. The city's Quality Control Team patrols neighborhoods and investigates citizen complaints, and cases with enough evidence and a willing witness can be prosecuted.

Frequently asked questions

More Georgia guides

City contact & resources

Bookmark this Columbus waste collection schedule and check back whenever a holiday shifts the calendar. Need more than curbside pickup? Compare local bulk & junk removal quotes. Browse all Georgia cities or the full state directory.