Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Candler-McAfee
Trash Day
Trash is collected once weekly, Monday through Friday, on your assigned neighborhood collection day.
Recycling
Recycling is collected once weekly on the same day as your trash collection.
Yard Waste
Yard trimmings are collected once weekly on the same day as your trash collection.
Set Out Time
Place carts curbside after 7:00 PM the night before or by 7:00 AM on collection day.
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential sanitation service is billed once a year as a solid waste assessment itemized on your DeKalb County property tax bill.
Billing Cycle
Annual (Included in Property Taxes)
Accepted Methods
Online, e-Check, Phone, Mail, In Person
Pro Tip / Discount
Special homestead exemptions and property tax relief programs are available for seniors (65+), disabled residents, and disabled veterans through the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner's Office.
Green Bin (Trash)
All garbage must be bagged and fit entirely within the 95-gallon county-issued cart. No liquids, construction materials, or hazardous waste are permitted.
Accepted Items
- ✓Household garbage
- ✓Food waste
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Items must be placed loosely in the blue cart. Do not bag your recyclables. Ensure heavy food residue is rinsed away before disposal.
Accepted Items
- ✓Mixed paper
- ✓Flattened cardboard (up to 10 boxes)
- ✓Plastic bottles and containers (#1 and #2 ONLY)
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Electronics
- ✕Plastics #3 through #7
Yard Waste Bin
Use biodegradable paper bags or a personal metal/plastic container (up to 40 gallons). Do not use plastic bags or county-issued rollout carts for yard trimmings.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Branches and limbs (max 4 ft length, max 25 lbs)
- ✓Tree parts under 3 inches in diameter
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By request only
Placement
Place items safely curbside, ensuring they do not block sidewalks, mailboxes, or utility lines. Do not place items in the public roadway.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (couches, chairs, dressers)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Toilets and bathroom fixtures
- ✓ Appliances (doors removed, fully empty)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Concrete, dirt, or rocks
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Propane tanks and batteries
- ✕ Landlord eviction cleanouts
- ✕ Logs over 3 inches in diameter
Certain items, like unflattened cardboard, large tree parts, or excessive waste piles exceeding standard household amounts, will require a paid special collection assessment fee before pickup.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
DeKalb County delays sanitation collection by one day for holidays falling on weekdays. For example, Monday collections move to Tuesday, and Friday collections move to Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard trimmings and recycling follow the exact same one-day delay schedule as standard garbage collection.
Always ensure your carts are set at the curb by 7:00 AM on the adjusted holiday service day, as route times often vary.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Summer
June to AugustThe hot and humid Georgia summers mean rapid odor build-up and increased pest activity in your green trash carts. Ensure all household garbage is tightly tied in secure plastic bags, as DeKalb County prohibits loose garbage or liquids.
Fall
October to DecemberAs autumn leaves drop, strictly use only biodegradable paper bags or open metal/plastic containers under 40 gallons for yard trimmings. Plastic bags are strictly prohibited and will be left at the curb.
Winter
January to FebruaryOccasional winter storms or freezing rain in the greater Atlanta area can delay routes. If weather suspensions occur, sanitation crews will typically resume service the next scheduled business day.
Local Tips & Community Info
Navigating DeKalb County Waste Services in Candler-McAfee
Because Candler-McAfee is an unincorporated community, residential sanitation services are entirely managed by the DeKalb County Solid Waste Management Division. Homeowners are assigned a standard 95-gallon green roll cart specifically for household garbage. To ensure a smooth collection day, all trash must be placed inside plastic garbage bags and loaded into the cart so that the lid closes flat. Sanitation crews operate on a strict schedule and will typically bypass any loose bags or boxes left sitting on the ground next to your bin. To avoid a missed route, always pull your cart down to the curb the night before or before dawn on your specific neighborhood collection morning.
Recycling Guidelines for the Blue Bin
Participating in the local recycling effort is simple thanks to the county's single-stream system. Your blue 65-gallon cart is the designated spot for approved recyclables, which include flattened cardboard boxes, mixed paper, aluminum cans, and plastics stamped with a #1 or #2 recycling symbol. A crucial rule to remember is that recyclables must remain loose. Do not bundle them inside plastic grocery bags, as the film jams the machinery at the processing plant. Additionally, glass is no longer permitted in curbside bins. If you have empty wine bottles or glass jars, you must take them to a designated county drop-off site rather than placing them on the curb.
Proper Preparation for Yard Trimmings
Keeping your Candler-McAfee property looking sharp means dealing with organic yard waste. The county collects landscaping debris on the same day as your regular household trash, but it must be prepped correctly. Leaves, pine straw, and grass clippings should be packed tightly into biodegradable paper lawn bags or stored in a personal, clean 20-to-40-gallon trash receptacle. If you are pruning bushes, make sure any branches are cut down to three feet in length and stacked neatly. Mixing household garbage, soil, or heavy rocks into your yard waste will cause the crew to reject the pile entirely.
Disposing of Heavy Furniture and Appliances
When upgrading your living room or replacing a broken refrigerator, you cannot simply drag the old items to the edge of your driveway and expect the regular truck to haul them away. Bulk waste collection in this area requires coordination. Residents must call the DeKalb County Sanitation Customer Care team at 404-294-2900 to submit a special request. Depending on the size and scope of the items, a special pickup will be scheduled, and applicable fees may apply. Certain hazardous items, such as wet paint, construction debris, and old electronics, are prohibited from curbside pickup and must be driven to the Seminole Road Landfill.
Adjustments for Extreme Heat and Federal Holidays
Weather and national holidays dictate occasional shifts in the local collection calendar. During the intense summer months, typically between July and September, DeKalb County implements a heat safety protocol for its sanitation workers. During this window, residents must have all carts at the curb by 6:00 a.m., as routes begin earlier to beat the afternoon sun. Furthermore, whenever a major federal holiday like Thanksgiving or Independence Day falls on a weekday, all neighborhood collection routes for the remainder of that week will be delayed by exactly one day.
Drop-off Facilities
Seminole Road Landfill
4203 Clevemont Road, Ellenwood, GA 30294
Materials Accepted
Central Transfer Station
3720 Leroy Scott Drive, Decatur, GA 30032
Materials Accepted
CHaRM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)
Atlanta, GA (check livethrive.org for exact facility addresses)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I have more trash than my green cart can hold?
All garbage must fit inside the county-issued cart with the lid completely closed. If you have excess waste, you will need to hold it until the following week or contact DeKalb Sanitation to arrange and pay for a special bulk pickup.
Can I put glass bottles in my blue recycling bin?
No. Glass is strictly prohibited in the DeKalb County curbside recycling program. Residents must recycle glass items by utilizing specific community drop-off locations, such as the one at Brook Run Park.
Who do I contact if the truck misses my house?
If your bins were out on time but were not emptied, leave them at the curb and contact the DeKalb County Sanitation Customer Care line at 404-294-2900 to report the missed service.