Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Union City
Trash Day
Trash is collected once per week, Monday through Friday, depending on your address. Residents can verify their scheduled collection day using the city's 'My Area' online address lookup or by calling City Hall at (770) 515-7953.
Recycling
Recycling is collected weekly in the provided blue 96-gallon cart on your designated collection day.
Yard Waste
Yard debris is collected curbside by GFL; contact GFL at (770) 474-9273 or City Hall for scheduling and guidelines.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash, recycling, and stormwater service fees are bundled directly into your monthly City of Union City municipal water and sewer utility bill.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Mobile App, Mail, Drop Box, Phone, In-Person
GFL-issued Cart Bin (Trash)
All trash must be securely bagged and placed inside the cart with the lid fully closed. Place the cart at the curb by 5:00 a.m. on your collection day with the wheels facing your home and the lid opening facing the street. Loose bags placed outside the cart will not be collected.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Standard non-hazardous refuse
GFL-issued Recycling Cart Bin (Recycling)
Place approved recyclables inside the cart. Do not place glass in the recycling bin under any circumstances. When in doubt about an item's recyclability, leave it out and dispose of it in the trash.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Newspaper, magazines, and junk mail
- ✓Office paper
- ✓Aluminum cans and tin/steel cans
- ✓Plastic jugs and soft drink bottles
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass of any kind
- ✕Hot ashes or coals
- ✕Concrete, rocks, or dirt
- ✕Large pieces of metal
- ✕Hazardous waste (paints, oils, batteries)
Yard Waste Bin
You must call GFL at 770-474-9273 to schedule pickup at least 24 hours in advance. Leaves and clippings must be bagged in paper or plastic yard waste bags. Limbs must be piled neatly and cannot exceed 4 feet in length. Total yard waste combined must not exceed 4 cubic yards per pickup.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Twigs, limbs, and branches
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-Demand (Must call to schedule)
Placement
Place up to 3 approved bulk items neatly at the curb by 5:00 a.m. on the scheduled service day. Ensure they do not block sidewalks or sit under low-hanging wires.
Accepted
- ✓ Household furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Large appliances
- ✓ Up to 3 bulk items per scheduled pickup
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction materials
- ✕ Concrete, rocks, and tile
- ✕ Dirt
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Hazardous wastes (paint, oil, chemicals)
Up to 3 items are collected at no extra charge per week once scheduled. If you have more than 3 items, you must notify GFL directly, and additional fees may be quoted.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, your scheduled service day will be delayed by one day. The regular collection schedule resumes the following week.
Yard Waste Exception
Scheduled yard waste and bulk item collections are subject to the same holiday delay timeline and still require you to call 24 hours in advance.
Always ensure your carts are placed by the curb by 5:00 a.m. even on holiday-adjusted weeks, as truck route times may fluctuate following a long weekend.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Fall
October - DecemberDuring heavy leaf accumulation, remember that all leaves must be securely bagged (in paper or plastic yard bags) and placed at the curb. You still must call GFL 24 hours in advance to alert them of your yard waste.
Winter
December - JanuaryHoliday scheduling adjustments frequently apply during this season. If Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Day falls on a weekday, your standard collection day will be delayed by one full day for that week.
Spring/Summer
March - AugustDuring peak lawn care season, ensure all brush and limbs are cut to 4 feet or less. Keep in mind that a single scheduled yard waste pickup cannot exceed a maximum total volume of 4 cubic yards.
Local Tips & Community Info
Union City Solid Waste Standards and Cart Regulations
As Union City continues to experience rapid residential growth, the Public Services Department strictly enforces neighborhood sanitation guidelines to preserve the community's aesthetic appeal. Weekly household garbage collection requires residents to use the official 95-gallon rollout carts provided by the city's contracted waste hauler. To ensure your household refuse is collected, push your cart to the curbside no later than 7:00 AM on your designated morning. However, to comply with local code enforcement, bins must not remain on the street indefinitely; they should be returned to the side or rear of your property by the evening after collection.
Curbside Recycling Do's and Don'ts
Union City encourages sustainability through its residential recycling initiatives, but minimizing contamination is critical. You can toss standard recyclables such as broken-down shipping boxes, junk mail, aluminum beverage cans, and rinsed plastic jugs directly into your recycling cart. Please be aware that plastic shopping bags, styrofoam takeout containers, and greasy pizza boxes are strictly prohibited. Putting these unapproved materials into your bin can contaminate the entire truckload, forcing the processing facility to redirect the recyclable materials straight to a local landfill.
Handling Yard Trimmings and Seasonal Brush
Maintaining your lawn in Union City means dealing with seasonal yard waste, which is collected separately from household garbage. If you are disposing of leaves, pine straw, or grass clippings, you must pack them neatly into biodegradable brown paper lawn bags. The sanitation crews will completely ignore yard debris stuffed into black plastic trash bags. For tree branches and pruned limbs, cut the wood into sections no longer than four feet. Stack these limbs in a tidy pile near the curb, ensuring the pile does not obstruct the sidewalk or rest against a fire hydrant.
Arranging for Bulk Trash and Heavy Furniture Removal
When it is time to upgrade your living room furniture or replace a worn-out mattress, do not simply drag the oversized items to the curb and hope for the best. Standard weekly garbage trucks are not equipped to crush couches, box springs, or large appliances. Union City residents must contact the Public Services Department or the authorized waste contractor to arrange a specialized bulk pickup. Keep in mind that construction materials like drywall, roofing shingles, and wet paint are not considered standard bulk waste and must be hauled to an independent transfer station at the homeowner's expense.
Sanitation Schedule Shifts During Major Holidays
The sanitation calendar in Union City observes several major holidays that will briefly disrupt your normal weekly routine. If your regular collection day falls on or immediately after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day, expect your pickup to be delayed by exactly 24 hours. For example, a Wednesday pickup will shift to Thursday, and Thursday routes will be completed on Friday. For all other minor federal holidays, you should assume that the garbage trucks are operating on their normal schedule unless the city issues a specific public notice.
Drop-off Facilities
Merk Miles Citizens Convenience Center
3225 Merk Road SW, College Park, GA 30349
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do I need to roll my trash cart to the street in Union City?
All sanitation carts must be placed at the edge of the curb by 7:00 AM on your scheduled collection day to avoid a missed pickup.
Will the city pick up renovation debris from my home project?
No. The contracted waste haulers do not collect construction or demolition materials such as drywall, concrete, or roofing shingles. You must rent a private dumpster or haul these items to a landfill.
How long can my garbage bin sit at the curb?
To comply with Union City code enforcement, residents must remove their empty rollout carts from the curb by the evening of their designated collection day.