About Refuse Collection
City of Columbus trash collection is managed by the Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection. Each week, the division collects trash at more than 359,000 city households while also providing weekly recycling and biweekly yard waste pickup and scheduled bulk service pickup. It also services more than 645 public litter receptacles in the Downtown business district and in neighborhood commercial corridors.
Mission
The Division of Refuse Collection, recognized as a regional and national leader, strives to provide a clean and safe environment for all in our community. With efficient use of taxpayer dollars and other resources, the division is focused on keeping city neighborhoods cleaner, cracking down on illegal dumping and litter, and quickly responding to residents' refuse-related concerns.
Refuse Collection – City Code Title 13
In 2020, the City of Columbus updated Title 13 of the Columbus City Code to define, clarify, and codify refuse collection rules and regulations for residential trash, recycling, yard waste, and bulk pickup services.
Title 13 also establishes civil violations for illegal dumping in city alleys and rights-of-way. These violations are enforceable by Refuse Compliance Investigators and law enforcement officers. The code authorizes the City to assess civil penalties of up to $1,000 for illegal dumping and abandoned property violations.
This civil enforcement complements criminal prosecution efforts, allowing the City to file charges and prosecute offenders through investigations conducted by Refuse Compliance Investigators.
Illegal Dumping
The Division of Refuse Collection leads Mayor Andrew J. Ginther's Clean Neighborhoods initiative, which aims to eliminate illegal dumping in Columbus neighborhoods through prevention, enforcement, and education.
In addition to deploying cameras and using data to target dumping “hot spots,” the Clean Neighborhoods initiative has focused resources on the following actions:
- Launched a dedicated mid-shift to enhance illegal dumping response, providing six-day-a-week coverage by Refuse Collectors and Refuse Compliance Investigators. In 2024 alone, this team has removed over 2,900 tons of illegally dumped trash and more than 2,600 dumped tires from neighborhood alleys.
- Expanded the number of Refuse Compliance Investigators from 1 to 7, strengthening enforcement capacity.
- Partnered with the City Attorney’s Office, leading to dozens of convictions and arraignments in illegal dumping cases prosecuted in Franklin County Municipal Court.
- Replaced all residential 300-gallon trash receptacles in city alleys—often magnets for illegal dumping—with more than 25,000 90-gallon containers, reducing dumping opportunities.
Report Illegal Dumping to 311
Residents should contact the 311 Service Center if they see incidents of tires, furniture, construction material or other items being illegally dumped in an alley or vacant lot. If possible, provide this information:
- License number and description of the vehicle
- Description of the dumper
- Description of type of material dumped
- The dumping location
- Photos or video of the dumping while it is occurring
Illegal dumping negatively impacts our neighborhoods' quality of life, public health and safety, roads, waterways, wildlife and the environment.
Learn about the progress of our Clean Neighborhoods Initiative(PDF, 308KB).
Division History
The Division of Refuse Collection has served Columbus for more than 100 years. Visit the Refuse Collection History(PDF, 2MB) page to learn more about our Division's interesting past.