Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Brookhaven
Trash Day
Trash is collected once per week, Monday through Friday, on your neighborhood's assigned collection day.
Recycling
Recycling is collected once per week on the same designated day as your trash collection.
Yard Waste
Yard trimmings are collected once per week on the same designated day as your trash collection.
Set Out Time
After 7:00 PM the evening before or by 7:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Sanitation services in Brookhaven are managed by the DeKalb County Department of Solid Waste Management and billed annually as a special assessment on your DeKalb County property tax bill.
Billing Cycle
Annual Assessment (Included on Property Tax Bill)
Accepted Methods
Online, Phone, Mail, In-Person, Secure Drop Box
Pro Tip / Discount
Special property tax homestead exemptions are available for seniors (ages 62+) and permanently disabled homeowners/veterans. Specialized back-door collection service is also available for residents with documented physical limitations.
Green roll cart (County-issued 95-gallon or 65-gallon) Bin (Trash)
All trash MUST be enclosed in secure plastic bags before being placed inside the cart. Lids must close completely. Loose garbage and extra bags outside the cart are prohibited. Place curbside by 7:00 AM on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food scraps
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
- ✓Tightly wrapped pet waste
Blue roll cart (County-issued 65-gallon or 35-gallon) Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables must be kept completely loose inside the blue cart (do not use plastic bags). Only official county-issued carts are serviced. Must subscribe to the county recycling program.
Accepted Items
- ✓Mixed office paper, newspaper, and magazines
- ✓Flattened cardboard boxes (up to 10 boxes)
- ✓Plastic bottles and containers (#1 and #2 ONLY)
- ✓Aluminum, steel, and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass bottles and jars (requires glass drop-off)
- ✕Plastic grocery bags or plastic film
- ✕Plastics #3 through #7
- ✕Shredded paper
- ✕Food-soiled paper and pizza boxes
Yard Waste Bin
Must be placed in biodegradable paper bags or unlined durable containers (up to 40 gallons, max 5 per week). Plastic bags are strictly banned. Limbs must be bundled and tied, weighing under 25 lbs per piece.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Pine straw and garden trimmings
- ✓Small brush and twigs
- ✓Tree limbs under 4 feet long and 3 inches in diameter
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-demand by scheduled request.
Placement
Place items neatly at the curb before submitting your request. Do not block mailboxes, sidewalks, flower beds, fire hydrants, or storm drains.
Accepted
- ✓ Household furniture (sofas, tables, chairs, dressers)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ White goods (refrigerators and freezers with doors removed, washers, dryers)
- ✓ Flattened cardboard (up to 10 boxes free)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Scrap tires (must be taken to landfill)
- ✕ Hazardous waste, wet paint, and chemicals
- ✕ Construction and demolition materials (lumber, drywall, concrete)
- ✕ Tree limbs cut by professional contractors
Standard bulky items are serviced at no charge upon request. Heavy or high-volume collections incur fees ($100 minimum, $225 per truckload for general special collection; $200 minimum for large tree parts over 3 inches in diameter).
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When an observed holiday falls on a weekday, sanitation collections for that day and all subsequent days in that week shift back by exactly one day (e.g., Thursday services run Friday, Friday services run Saturday).
Yard Waste Exception
Yard trimmings follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as garbage and recycling, since all three services are collected on the same day.
If an observed holiday falls on a weekend, standard weekday collection schedules remain unaffected.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Fall
October to DecemberFall leaf accumulation can quickly exceed weekly limits. Remember that curbside yard waste is capped at 5 paper bags or cans per week without a special collection request. Plan cleanups across multiple weeks or submit a special collection request.
Winter
Late December to JanuaryDuring holiday weeks, service schedules shift back by one day if a holiday falls on a weekday. Live Christmas trees can be placed curbside during yard waste collection once all stands, tinsel, lights, and ornaments are removed.
Summer
June to AugustHot humid weather in Metro Atlanta speeds up organic decomposition. Ensure all household garbage is tightly tied in plastic bags before placing it in your green cart to minimize odors and prevent maggots or flies.
Local Tips & Community Info
Waste Management Operations Within Brookhaven
The responsibility for collecting household garbage and recyclables in Brookhaven falls primarily under the jurisdiction of the DeKalb County Sanitation Division. Homeowners residing within the city limits are automatically incorporated into this county-wide system. You do not need to seek out independent contractors to keep your curbs clear. Regular domestic trash, single-stream recyclables, and standard yard clippings are systematically picked up on the same designated day each week. The annual fees for these county-provided services are conveniently bundled directly into your property tax assessment, meaning there is no separate monthly bill to worry about for basic garbage collection.
Using the Green and Blue Roll-Out Carts
Every registered address receives standard rollout carts from the county. The green bin is dedicated strictly to household refuse, while the blue one is reserved for mixed recyclables. Brookhaven citizens can freely mix paper, flattened corrugated boxes, metal cans, and certain plastics into the blue cart. It is imperative to remember that glass cannot be thrown into the curbside recycling container, as it frequently breaks and ruins the sorting machinery. For safe disposal of wine bottles and glass jars, residents should utilize specialized local drop-off sites scattered throughout DeKalb County.
Tackling Bulky Goods and Seasonal Yard Trimmings
When tackling a major landscape project or a home cleanout, standard bins are often insufficient. Leaves, grass clippings, and small twigs must be contained within approved biodegradable paper lawn bags or designated yard waste containers. Plastic bags are strictly prohibited for organic debris and will be left behind by the sanitation crew. For oversized items such as a broken refrigerator, an old dining table, or a discarded mattress, citizens cannot merely abandon them on the driveway. You must formally submit a special pickup request through the DeKalb County portal to have a dedicated heavy-duty truck dispatched to your property.
Strict Container Positioning Guidelines
Efficiency is key to keeping the community clean. The sanitation department requires all containers to be pushed to the street edge no later than 7:00 a.m. on the morning of your assigned route. Place the bins on a level surface with the opening facing the roadway. To allow the mechanical arms of the garbage truck to grasp the cart securely, there must be at least a three-foot gap between the bins and any neighboring obstructions like parked cars, fire hydrants, or mailboxes. During federally observed holidays, pickup routes typically shift forward by one calendar day.
Drop-off Facilities
Seminole Road Landfill
4203 Clevemont Rd, Ellenwood, GA 30294
Materials Accepted
DeKalb Sanitation Administrative Office
3720 Leroy Scott Dr, Decatur, GA 30032
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who collects the residential garbage in Brookhaven?
DeKalb County Sanitation manages all weekly household waste, recycling, and yard debris collection for residents living in Brookhaven.
Are glass bottles allowed in the blue recycling cart?
No, glass is strictly forbidden in the curbside single-stream recycling bins. You must take all glass items to a designated county drop-off center to prevent contamination.
How are sanitation services billed in this area?
The annual cost for standard county trash and recycling pickup is directly assessed and included within your yearly DeKalb County property tax bill.