Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Johns Creek
Georgia municipal collections typically run weekly. Your exact service day is determined by your local county or city zoning schedule.
State Mandate
EPD laws restrict yard trimmings from being mixed with general household garbage.
Varies by private hauler (typically a 90-gallon cart) Bin (Trash)
Cart colors and precise placement times are dictated by your contracted hauler. Generally, trash must be securely bagged and placed at the curb by 7:00 AM on your designated service day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Standard household refuse
Varies by private hauler (typically 30-gallon or 65-gallon cart) Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables must be kept loose in your cart—never place them inside plastic garbage bags. Only clean and dry materials are accepted.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Mixed paper, junk mail, and magazines
- ✓Plastics #1 and #2
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass bottles and jars (use city drop-offs)
- ✕Plastic grocery bags or film
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wires)
Yard Waste Bin
Included in your minimum weekly service, but specific rules vary by hauler. Most require paper lawn bags for loose debris and restrict limb sizes to 4 feet in length and under 50 pounds.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Small brush and twigs
- ✓Bundled tree limbs
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Minimum of once per month, as mandated by the City.
Placement
Follow the precise placement instructions provided by your private hauler when you request the service. Items generally need to be at the curb by 7:00 AM.
Accepted
- ✓ Household furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Large appliances (refrigerators typically require freon removal)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste (chemicals, wet paint)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Tires and automotive parts
While one pickup per month is included in your base rate, excessively large piles or extremely heavy items (like pianos or hot tubs) may incur extra fees negotiated directly with your hauler.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Holiday schedule shifts are determined entirely by your private sanitation provider. In most cases, if a major holiday falls on a weekday, collections for the remainder of that week are delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and bulk collections typically observe the same one-day delay as your standard household garbage during holiday weeks.
Always check your specific hauler's website or mobile app (e.g., My WM, Republic Services app) for real-time notifications regarding holiday service disruptions in your specific neighborhood.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Use the Purple Bins for Glass
Never throw glass into your curbside recycling cart. Save your clean, food-grade glass jars and bottles and drop them off at the Ripple Glass purple bins located at Ocee Park or Cauley Creek Park.
Ditch the Plastic Shopping Bags
Stretchy plastic bags from the grocery store cause catastrophic jams at the recycling plant. Take them back to local grocery store drop-off vestibules rather than wish-cycling them in your curbside bin.
Batteries Do Not Belong in the Trash
Single-use alkaline batteries can be thrown away, but rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are major fire hazards. Never place them in your trash or recycling; utilize mail-back programs or retail drop-offs like Home Depot.
Seasonal Information
Summer
June to AugustThe city hosts its highly anticipated Bulky Items Recycling Day during the summer months at City Hall. Pre-registration is required, and spots fill up fast, so monitor the city's event page early in the season.
Fall
October to DecemberAs the leaves begin to fall, remember that your private hauler may impose strict limits on the number of yard waste bags they will accept per week. Plan your landscaping cleanouts accordingly or schedule a special pick-up.
Year-Round Holidays
All YearBecause Johns Creek operates on an open market, your holiday collection delays are determined solely by your specific waste hauler. Most major companies (like WM and Republic) will push service back one day following a major weekday holiday.
About Johns Creek Waste Management
Understanding Johns Creek’s Open-Market Sanitation System
The City of Johns Creek does not provide municipal trash or recycling collection through a unified city department. Instead, the city operates on an open-market, private subscription system. Residents are responsible for independently researching, selecting, and establishing a contract with one of the city's registered private waste haulers, such as Waste Management, Republic Services, Legacy Disposal, or Red Oak Sanitation. Rates are highly competitive and can vary depending on your specific neighborhood and homeowners association agreements.
Mandatory Minimum Service Levels for Every Resident
While the city does not set exact pricing for these private companies, the Johns Creek Public Works Department strictly regulates the minimum level of service that haulers must offer. Every registered hauler is legally required to provide residential customers with weekly curbside collection of a 90-gallon waste cart, a 30-gallon (or larger) recycling cart, weekly yard trimmings collection, and at least one bulky item pickup per month as part of their standard base rate.
The Ban on Curbside Glass Recycling
Like many Metro Atlanta communities, Johns Creek strictly prohibits glass bottles and jars from being placed in your single-stream curbside recycling carts, regardless of which private hauler you use. Broken glass degrades the value of recycled paper and damages mechanical sorting equipment. To offset this, the city partners with Ripple Glass to provide dedicated purple glass-drop-off bins located at Ocee Park on Buice Road and Cauley Creek Park on Bell Road.
The Annual Bulky Items Recycling Day
For massive items that your private hauler might refuse, the city hosts an annual Bulky Items Recycling Day at Johns Creek City Hall every summer. This pre-registration event allows residents to safely offload hard-to-dispose-of materials such as CRT televisions, large household appliances, metal file cabinets, bicycles, and fluorescent lights. It serves as an excellent, eco-friendly way to declutter your home while keeping salvageable materials out of Fulton County landfills.
Managing Yard Debris Under the Private Hauler System
Weekly yard waste collection is mandated by the city as part of your base subscription, but the exact rules for preparing your organic debris rely heavily on your specific contractor. Generally, branches must be cut down to manageable sizes (usually under four feet) and tied in bundles, while leaves and grass clippings should be packed tightly in biodegradable paper lawn bags. Contact your chosen hauler directly to ensure you are compliant with their exact volume limits and bagging policies.
Drop-off Facilities
Ocee Park Glass Recycling (Ripple Glass)
10900 Buice Road, Johns Creek, GA 30022
Materials Accepted
Cauley Creek Park Glass Recycling (Ripple Glass)
7255 Bell Road, Johns Creek, GA 30097
Materials Accepted
Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM)
1110 Hill Street SE, Atlanta, GA 30315
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of Johns Creek provide municipal trash collection?
No. The City of Johns Creek does not manage a municipal sanitation fleet. Residents are required to independently set up an account with one of the city's registered private waste haulers, such as Waste Management, Republic Services, or Red Oak Sanitation.
Is bulk trash pickup included in my Johns Creek sanitation service?
Yes. While you pay a private company, the City of Johns Creek mandates that all registered haulers include at least one monthly bulk waste collection in their base service package. You usually need to contact your hauler ahead of time to schedule it.
Where can I recycle glass in Johns Creek?
Glass is strictly prohibited in your curbside recycling cart because it breaks and contaminates other materials. You can drop off clean, food-grade glass jars and bottles at the Ripple Glass purple bins located at Ocee Park and Cauley Creek Park.
How do I safely dispose of old computers or heavy appliances?
You can wait for the city's annual Bulky Items Recycling Day, which is held in the summer at City Hall (pre-registration required). Alternatively, you can schedule a bulk pickup with your private hauler or drop electronics off at a certified facility like CHaRM.