Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Mableton
Trash Day
Trash collection schedules vary by provider and neighborhood. Residents contract directly with one of the city-approved private haulers (such as Arrow Waste, GFL Environmental, Reliable Sanitation, or American Disposal), which operate pickup routes throughout the week.
Recycling
Curbside recycling is provided by city-approved haulers; pickup days and frequencies are determined by your chosen service provider.
Yard Waste
Yard waste collection is offered through individual private haulers; contact your designated provider to confirm your service schedule and guidelines.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Mableton operates an open-market waste collection system where residents subscribe to and pay private, city-approved haulers directly rather than receiving a unified city utility bill.
Billing Cycle
Monthly or Quarterly (set by private hauler)
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail (varies by hauler)
Pro Tip / Discount
City ordinance requires approved haulers to accommodate disabled residents with off-curb pickup services upon request. Check with your individual provider for senior or disability discounts.
Varies by Hauler (Often Black or Green) Bin (Trash)
All trash must be securely bagged to prevent litter, especially on windy days. Carts must generally be placed at the curb by 7:00 AM on your scheduled collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Household garbage
- ✓Food wrappers
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Bagged yard trimmings (if no yard service)
Varies by Hauler (Often Blue or Green) Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag your recyclables; place them loose in the cart. Items must be lightly rinsed and free of heavy food residue. Do not crush aluminum cans, as flat cans can confuse sorting machinery.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard (flattened)
- ✓Paper and junk mail
- ✓Plastics #1-#7
- ✓Clean aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Food and beverage cartons
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass bottles and jars
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Electronics
Yard Waste Bin
If your hauler offers yard waste service, use biodegradable paper yard bags. Georgia state law prohibits putting yard debris in plastic bags destined for compost facilities. Logs and stumps are not collected curbside.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small branches (under 4 feet and 4 inches diameter)
- ✓Pine needles
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By request only (Subject to hauler availability)
Placement
Bulk items should not be placed at the curb until a pickup has been confirmed and scheduled with your hauler to avoid local code enforcement citations.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Appliances (without Freon)
- ✓ Large household junk
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction debris (concrete, bricks)
- ✕ Hazardous waste
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Liquid paint
- ✕ Motor oil
Additional fees always apply for bulk pickup through private haulers. Alternatively, residents can haul items to the Cobb County Transfer Station for a minimum disposal fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Since haulers in Mableton are private, holiday schedules vary. However, most follow a 'slide schedule' where pickups falling on or after a major holiday are delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste collections may be suspended entirely during holiday weeks by some private haulers to prioritize household trash and recycling.
Always verify the exact holiday schedule directly with your chosen provider (e.g., WM, Red Oak, or Trash Reapers) via their website or app, as some regional companies observe different holidays.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Summer
June - SeptemberDuring intense summer storms or the remnants of Gulf hurricanes, wait until the morning of your pickup to place bins out. Windblown trash is a major code enforcement issue in Mableton and can clog local storm drains.
Fall
October - DecemberWhen preparing autumn leaves for pickup, always use biodegradable kraft paper bags. Yard waste packed in standard plastic bags will be left at the curb by haulers due to strict state compost facility regulations.
Spring
March - MayWhen tackling spring cleaning, remember that household hazardous waste like old paint, pesticides, and pool chemicals cannot go in your curbside bin. Save these for Cobb County's specialized scheduled drop-off events.
Local Tips & Community Info
Understanding Your Solid Waste Options in Mableton
Since Mableton is one of Georgia's newest incorporated cities, it currently relies on a subscription-based model for household garbage collection, similar to the rest of unincorporated Cobb County. There is no central, city-run sanitation department that automatically picks up your trash. Instead, homeowners and neighborhood associations must independently hire a private waste hauler that is permitted to operate in the area. Popular service providers serving Mableton neighborhoods include American Disposal Services, Diamond Disposal, and Republic Services. Because it is a free-market system, monthly rates, specific pickup days, and the sizes of the provided trash carts will vary depending on the company you choose.
Curbside Recycling and Acceptable Items
If you want to reduce your household's environmental footprint, you will need to request curbside recycling as an add-on service from your chosen private hauler. Most companies in the Mableton area utilize single-stream recycling. This means you can toss rinsed plastic containers, aluminum and tin cans, clean paper, and flattened cardboard boxes directly into your recycling cart without sorting them. However, it is vital to keep contaminants out of the mix. Never put plastic grocery bags, food waste, greasy pizza boxes, or glass bottles into your curbside bin. For glass disposal and hazardous household materials, residents can utilize specialized drop-off events hosted by Keep Cobb Beautiful.
Rules for Yard Trimmings and Bulky Items
Managing yard debris during the fall leaf drop or spring pruning season requires adherence to your specific sanitation company’s policies. Generally, haulers require loose grass clippings and leaves to be placed in heavy-duty paper lawn bags rather than plastic trash bags. Tree limbs and branches typically need to be cut down to lengths of four feet or shorter and tied securely into manageable bundles. If you are doing spring cleaning and need to throw away bulky items—such as a broken refrigerator, an old mattress, or living room furniture—you cannot simply leave them on the curb. You must contact your provider in advance to schedule a special bulk pickup, which usually incurs a separate flat fee.
Cart Placement and Holiday Schedules
To ensure your bins are emptied without any issues, it is best practice to roll your trash and recycling carts to the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled service day. Place the carts on a flat surface with the lid opening facing the street. Make sure there is a minimum of three feet of clearance around the bins, keeping them away from parked vehicles, mailboxes, and utility poles so the automated truck arms can grab them safely. Also, keep in mind that local haulers typically suspend operations on major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Independence Day, which pushes all subsequent collections back by one day for the remainder of that week.
Drop-off Facilities
Cobb County Transfer Station & Community Recycling Drop-off
1897 County Services Pkwy, Marietta, GA 30008
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of Mableton have a municipal trash pickup service?
No, Mableton does not currently operate a municipal sanitation fleet. Residents are responsible for setting up their own garbage collection through a private, county-approved waste hauler.
How do I get rid of an old couch or mattress?
You will need to call your private sanitation company to schedule a bulk item pickup. Do not leave large furniture on the curb without making prior arrangements, as it will not be collected and may violate local codes.
Why can't I put glass jars in my curbside recycling bin?
Most private haulers prohibit glass in single-stream curbside bins because it frequently breaks during transport, contaminating the cardboard and paper recyclables. Residents are encouraged to use local county glass drop-off centers instead.