Household Trash Collection

Trash collection for the City of Columbus is managed by the Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection.

How to Determine Your Trash-collection Day

• Wheeled containers are emptied once a week.
• Columbus Dumpsters are emptied once a week, within a two-day window.
• Look up your designated collection trash-collection day or color schedule.

What Can I Place in My Trash Container?

• Most of your household trash can be placed in your container.
• Trash must be bagged and tied before you place it in your container. This prevents litter and is required by Columbus City Code.
• Do not put trash around the outside of the container. Only trash inside the container will be collected.
• Yard waste cannot be thrown away with regular trash. Visit the yard-waste page for more information.
• Items such as old furniture that are too large for your container are considered bulk trash. The City provides free collection of these items, but you must contact us to schedule a bulk collection. Visit the bulk-collection page for more information or to schedule a collection via the web.
• Recyclable items such as plastic bottles, paper and cans should not be placed with your household trash. Visit our recycling page for information on the City's free recycling options and convenient curbside recycling subscription service.
• Some household trash, such as pesticides or other chemicals, is hazardous and cannot be placed with regular trash. Please visit the household hazardous waste page for information on convenient disposal of these items.

Where Do I Place My Wheeled Container?

• Refuse containers must be placed out for collection by 6:00 am on your scheduled day of collection.
• Please call the 311 Service Center at (614) 645-3111 if you do not know your designated collection day.
• Containers must be removed from the point of collection by 2:00 pm on the day following the scheduled collection day.

My Container is Missing or Damaged

• If your City-provided trash container is missing, stolen, vandalized or defaced, please call the 311 Service Center at (614) 645-3111.
• If your container is damaged in the collection process or from normal wear and tear, please call the 311 Service Center (614) 645-3111. Please have your serial number ready. It can be located on the side of the container.
• The container assigned to your address remains the property of the City of Columbus and is printed with the address of the home. If you move, leave the container on the property in a secure place.

Proper Disposal of Trash and Use of Refuse Containers

• City Code requires regular trash to be placed in a bag before it is placed in a Refuse Collection container
  • Please use plastic garbage bags for regular trash
  • Please use biodegradable paper bags or rigid containers marked "yard waste" for yard waste (tied bundles of tree branches should be no larger than four feet long and two feet wide)
• Trash on the ground around a Refuse container to be picked up by the property owner and/or the occupants of the property
• City Code Section 1303.021 (C.4. and C.5.) – General Duty for Containment and Storage of Acceptable Waste” states:

Bagging Up

All acceptable common household waste generated at residential units, other than bulk, recyclables or yard waste, shall be placed into plastic or paper bags (bagging up) and then disposed of in the appropriate container for the applicable collection method.

Keeping the Collection Area Free of Debris and Spillage

It shall be the duty of the property owner, to keep the designated point of collection and the surrounding area free from debris, spillage, and other overflow pursuant to Sections 705.03 and 707.03 of the Columbus City Codes.

Hazardous Waste

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Food Waste Prevention