Columbus, GA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 13-169(1), Columbus Code
- Recyclables container size
- 95 gallons, curbside
- Monthly minimum rate
- $26.00 (commercial/institutional)
- Residential recycling mandate
- Not separately specified
Summary
Columbus, Georgia's commercial and institutional solid waste rate bundles a mandatory 95-gallon curbside recyclables container alongside the garbage cart, billed monthly through the consolidated government's collection service.
A minimum rate of $26.00 per month for one 95-gallon container for the disposal of garbage/trash and one 95-gallon container for the disposal of recyclables collected at the curbside or on the city right-of-way... Collection will occur along with regular waste collection schedules.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).
Full Breakdown
Columbus, Georgia Code of Ordinances § 13-169(1) sets a minimum $26.00 monthly rate for businesses, industries, and nonresidential institutions that includes one 95-gallon container for garbage and trash plus a separate 95-gallon container for recyclables collected at curbside or on city right-of-way, with collection on the regular waste schedule. A higher rate under § 13-169(2) applies when containers sit off the right-of-way on private property. The ordinance does not spell out the same explicit recyclables-container line item for individual residential accounts billed under § 13-169.1, which instead charges a flat monthly waste-collection rate. There is no separate mandatory-participation or sorting rule in the code beyond providing the container.
Violations & Fines
The code sets no penalty specific to skipping recycling; nonpayment of the monthly rate is handled like any unpaid utility charge, triggering a show-cause hearing and possible water and sewer disconnection under § 13-169.1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Columbus, Georgia require businesses to have a recycling cart?
Is recycling mandatory for households in Columbus, Georgia?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbus
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