Houston County, GA Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Size limit
- Under 8 inches diameter, 5 feet long
- Weight limit
- No more than 40 lbs per piece
- Pile limit
- Under 10 cubic yards for curbside pickup
- Collection frequency
- Once weekly (§ 50-42(b)(1))
- Placement deadline
- Curbside by 7:00 a.m. on collection day
- Noncompliance fee
- Extra charge under § 50-44
Summary
Houston County collects residential yard waste curbside once a week alongside garbage and bulky waste, but only if it's cut smaller than five feet long, no more than eight inches in diameter, and under 40 pounds per piece. Loose leaves, clippings and small debris must go in bags or bundles, and any pile over ten cubic yards doesn't qualify for curbside pickup.
(7)Yard waste for collection must be cut smaller than five feet in length, no more than eight inches in diameter and must not weigh more than 40 lbs. Loose leaves, grass clippings, pine straw, pinecones, small twigs, sticks, shrubbery clippings and other small items shall be placed in containers, bags, and bundles. Debris placed in bags should be tightly cinched so items do not fall out and must be segregated not mingling with other items placed for removal. A pile less than ten cubic yards qualifies for curbside collection.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 50, "Solid Waste," defines yard waste in section 50-37 as "leaves, brush, grass, clippings, shrub and tree prunings, discarded Christmas trees, nursery and greenhouse vegetative residuals, and vegetative matter resulting from landscaping maintenance," capping individual limbs at "less than eight inches in diameter and five feet long," and excluding land-clearing debris entirely. Section 50-41(7) sets the placement rules residents must follow for that waste to be collected: pieces must be "cut smaller than five feet in length, no more than eight inches in diameter and must not weigh more than 40 lbs," loose material such as leaves, grass clippings, pine straw and twigs has to go in containers, bags or bundles that are tightly cinched, and a "pile less than ten cubic yards qualifies for curbside collection" while anything larger does not.
" The county excludes commercially hired landscaping and farming operations from this residential service under section 50-41(8), and yard waste that doesn't meet the size or bundling rules is billed an additional noncompliance fee under section 50-44.
Violations & Fines
Yard waste that exceeds the eight-inch diameter or five-foot length limit, weighs over 40 pounds per piece, isn't bagged or bundled, or sits in a pile of ten cubic yards or more will be left uncollected as "noncompliant yard waste" under section 50-41(8). The county can then charge an additional disposal fee to the account holder or property owner under section 50-44.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size limits apply to yard waste in Houston County?
How often is yard waste picked up?
Is there a limit on how much yard waste I can put out at once?
What happens if my yard waste doesn't meet the size rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Houston County
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