Newton County, GA Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)

Newton County Code Sec. 42-65(e)(2), part of the Environment chapter's private litter control article, makes weekly trash removal mandatory for every residence, apartment, duplex or other dwelling in unincorporated Newton County. The duty falls jointly on the owner, occupant, tenant and lessee: they must dispose of litter, household trash and garbage by depositing it at a public landfill or public compactor operated by the Solid Waste Management Authority (SWMA), by placing it in proper containers where a private hauler collects at least once each week, or by contracting directly with a hauler for weekly service.

The code sets a specific window for curbside carts: containers cannot be placed at the curb more than 24 hours before the scheduled pickup time, and they must be pulled back within 24 hours after pickup. Once retrieved, the cart belongs in the buildable area of the lot, not left sitting between the front yard and the street. This collection-frequency rule sits alongside the broader private litter control standards in Sec. 42-65, which also require commercial establishments, parking lots and construction sites to maintain adequate solid-waste receptacles.

Sec. 42-66 layers on container specifications: every receptacle used for collection must have a tight-fitting lid, garbage must be bagged, and sharp or injurious trash has to be securely wrapped before it goes out. Newton County code enforcement officers, working under the Development Services director, may issue citations for violations of this article, and the SWMA sets fees and schedules for the public disposal sites residents can use as an alternative to curbside service.