Brookhaven, GA Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)

Section 27-928(a) governs every refuse and recycling collection area. Under (a)(1), the area has to be located to minimize its visibility from public streets and R-zoned lots. Under (a)(2), receptacles (dumpsters) with a capacity of 1.5 cubic yards or more are screened with a masonry wall at least six feet and no more than eight feet in height on three sides, and the service opening needs a metal gate oriented away from public rights-of-way and R-zoned lots. Section 27-928(b) separately requires all other outdoor storage areas, service areas and mechanical equipment to be screened from streets and R-zoned lots with buildings, landscaping, masonry walls or decorative fences, and required decorative fences and masonry walls are brick, stone, wrought-iron or wood.

Siting limits follow. Enclosure gates cannot open into or obstruct fire lanes, under (a)(3). Collection areas cannot sit in required landscape areas, required buffers, required parking areas, or required loading areas, under (a)(4). They cannot be within ten feet of sensitive site features such as state waters stream, stream buffers, storm water management facilities and tree critical root zones, under (a)(5), and cannot be designed or located to encourage transfer or discharge of litter, debris, fats, greases and oils into those features, under (a)(6).

Two other parts of the Code reach commercial containers. Section 22-19 requires the city to approve refuse storage and container locations before a building permit issues for a commercial establishment, condominium or multiple dwelling, and existing sites place containers at city-approved locations. Refuse is not collected from commercial establishments or multiple dwellings unless it sits in properly located commercial containers, and cardboard boxes are flattened first. Containers holding appliances, furniture, tires, wooden crates, bed springs, rock, dirt, concrete blocks, logs or limbs over four feet in length or four inches in diameter, or uncontainerized garbage, yard debris and household trash are not emptied. On construction sites, § 7-196(b) says dumpsters or any onsite waste disposal equipment cannot be located on the street, unless the director or designee approves it where traffic controls can be implemented and the street has a paved width greater than 24 feet.