Barrow County, GA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Unincorporated Barrow County regulates household and business trash containers through the Debris and Waste Control Environmental Ordinance, chapter 78, article II of the Barrow County Code. Section 78-37(d) puts the duty on the tenant, lessee or occupant, not just the property owner, to keep enough garbage containers on hand to cover the gap between collection days, and to keep the surrounding property clear of litter and debris. Section 78-37(f) sets a hard 90-pound weight ceiling on each individual refuse receptacle, whether it is a can, a plastic bag or a single-use paper or cardboard box; anyone who needs a bigger container, such as a multifamily complex or a business, has to get written permission from the county sanitarian first.

Containers also have to be kept clean and, if they start attracting pests, treated with an effective insecticide. Code enforcement officers and other law enforcement officials handle inspection and enforcement under section 78-35, and a violation notice gives the property owner five days to fix the problem (three days for a repeat violation within 24 months) before the county can remove the material itself and bill the owner, or issue a citation returnable to Barrow County Magistrate Court. Because this sits in article II rather than the Unified Development Code, it applies to every occupied residence or establishment in the unincorporated county, not just a particular zoning district.