Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Dalton
Trash Day
Trash is collected once weekly, Monday through Friday, based on your street's assigned route schedule.
Recycling
Recycling is collected once weekly on your assigned collection day in the city-provided blue bin.
Yard Waste
Yard trimmings and bulky refuse are collected every other week on an alternating bi-weekly schedule (North side one week, South side the next). Bulky refuse requires advance authorization via SeeClickFix.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Standard weekly residential trash collection (one 95-gallon rollout cart) and curbside recycling are provided to single-family homes at no direct monthly charge, funded through municipal city taxes.
Billing Cycle
Included in Property Taxes
Accepted Methods
Online, Mail, In-Person, Phone
Gray Bin (Trash)
All garbage must be bagged and fit entirely inside the gray cart with the lid completely closed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Styrofoam and packing peanuts (must be bagged)
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables. All boxes must be completely broken down and fit inside the blue bin.
Accepted Items
- ✓Mixed paper (newspaper, magazines, junk mail)
- ✓Broken down cardboard
- ✓Aluminum and bi-metal cans
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs (must have a neck smaller than the base)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass bottles and jars
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Wide-mouth plastic tubs
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food-soiled paper or pizza boxes
Yard Waste Bin
Limbs cannot exceed 8 feet in length or 100 pounds per piece. Maximum limit of 4 cubic yards per collection. Do not mix yard trimmings with household refuse.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Brush
- ✓Tree limbs and branches
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Every other week (alternating North and South zones)
Placement
Limit of 2 cubic yards (size of a long-bed pickup) free of charge. Place items at the curb no earlier than the evening before your scheduled and authorized pickup.
Accepted
- ✓ Household furniture
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ White goods (standard appliances)
- ✓ Bicycles
- ✓ Dried paint (in cans)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and remodeling debris
- ✕ Concrete, brick, or rock
- ✕ Wet/liquid paint
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Hazardous materials
Amounts exceeding the free 2-cubic-yard limit will be charged a fee of $30 per additional cubic yard.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Collections scheduled on or after a major holiday generally shift to an adjacent day (e.g., Thursday collections move to Friday). Always verify with Public Works alerts on the city website.
Yard Waste Exception
Bi-weekly yard debris and bulk refuse routes may be delayed during holiday weeks due to adjusted household trash priorities.
DWSWA Convenience Centers and the Landfill close on all observed major holidays and typically close early on Thanksgiving Eve and Christmas Eve.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter
December to JanuaryAfter the holidays, Dalton partners with local businesses (often Home Depot) and the DWSWA to host specific drop-off events for live Christmas tree recycling and e-waste collection.
Spring
March to MaySpring remodeling season brings strict enforcement: construction and demolition debris (drywall, sinks, lumber, brick) is never accepted curbside. You must haul remodeling waste to the Old Dixie Hwy Landfill.
Summer
June to AugustFollowing summer thunderstorms, ensure storm debris meets the yard waste limits. Debris piles exceeding four cubic yards will trigger a surcharge of $30 per additional cubic yard.
Local Tips & Community Info
Dalton Public Works: A Collaborative Approach to Sanitation
Keeping the Carpet Capital of the World looking its best is a joint effort between city residents and the Dalton Public Works Department. The municipality provides robust weekly garbage collection for single-family homes, aiming to minimize street-level clutter and uphold public health standards. By working in tandem with the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, the city ensures that all household refuse, yard clippings, and recyclable materials are processed responsibly and efficiently throughout the calendar year.
Morning Set-Out Rules for Automated Collection
To facilitate a smooth pickup process, Dalton homeowners must adhere to specific timelines. Your city-issued garbage receptacle needs to be wheeled to the curb no later than 7:00 a.m. on the morning of your scheduled route. For the mechanical arm of the collection truck to operate correctly, position the container so the front arrows point directly toward the asphalt. Always maintain a three-foot clearance perimeter around the bin, ensuring it sits far away from mailboxes, parked vehicles, and low-hanging tree branches.
Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority Facilities
While the Public Works department handles standard curbside trash, the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority oversees the region's broader recycling and waste management infrastructure. Residents eager to recycle household plastics, flattened corrugated cardboard, aluminum, and glass are encouraged to utilize the various Convenience Centers scattered across Whitfield County, including the main facility on Old Dixie Highway. These supervised drop-off locations are pivotal in diverting reusable materials from the local landfill.
Curbside Leaf and Limb Guidelines
Maintaining a pristine lawn often results in excess organic debris. Dalton provides a dedicated brush and limb collection service to help property owners manage this yard waste. Tree limbs must be trimmed to manageable lengths, generally not exceeding six feet, and stacked neatly directly behind the curb without spilling into the roadway. During the autumn months, the city deploys specialized vacuum trucks to gather loose leaves, provided they are raked into long, narrow piles free of rocks, hidden branches, or household trash.
Navigating Heavy Trash and Appliance Removal
When dealing with large-scale disposal needs, such as throwing out a ruined mattress, an outdated sofa, or a broken washing machine, Dalton residents must follow specific bulk waste protocols. You cannot wedge these oversized items into your standard garbage receptacle. Instead, property owners should transport bulky furniture and white goods directly to the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority landfill or coordinate a special pickup arrangement with the city, which may be subject to specific scheduling constraints and local disposal fees.
Service Interruptions During Federal Holidays
The standard sanitation calendar will experience routine adjustments to accommodate major civic holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. When the Public Works facility closes for a federal observance, all subsequent garbage collection routes for that specific week are usually pushed back by one consecutive day. The city actively updates its official social media channels and municipal website during these holiday weeks, giving residents plenty of notice to adjust their set-out routines accordingly.
Drop-off Facilities
Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill & Convenience Center
4189 Old Dixie Hwy. SE, Dalton, GA 30721
Materials Accepted
M.L. King Convenience Center
1924 M.L. King Jr. Blvd., Dalton, GA 30721
Materials Accepted
Westside Convenience Center
1536 Miracle Dr., Rocky Face, GA 30740
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is the absolute deadline to put my trash out in Dalton?
All garbage receptacles must be placed at the edge of the street by 7:00 a.m. on your designated collection morning to ensure they are not missed by the early route drivers.
Where should I take old electronics or hazardous household chemicals?
Electronic waste, wet paint, and hazardous chemicals cannot go in your curbside bin. You must transport these specialized items to the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority drop-off centers.
How should my garbage cart be positioned at the road?
Place the cart on a flat surface near the curb with the directional arrows on the lid pointing directly toward the street, keeping it three feet away from any surrounding obstacles.