Athens Trash & Recycling Schedule
Official garbage collection rules, bin guidelines, and holiday schedules for residents of Athens, Texas.
Find Your Exact Pickup Days
Enter your street address on the official collection map to see your specific trash, recycling, and yard waste schedule.
📍 View Official Collection MapService Provider
City of Athens Sanitation Department
Phone Number
903-675-5131Facility Address
508 E Tyler St, Athens, TX 75751
Collection Schedule
Trash collected weekly by neighborhood routes.
Bin Colors
City-issued trash carts
Guidelines & Rules
🎄 Holiday Delays
Holiday pickup delayed one day.
🛋️ Bulk Waste Pickup
Bulk pickup scheduled by request.
⚠️ Important Guidelines
Place carts curbside before 7:00 a.m.
Comprehensive Guide & Details
Integrated Garbage and Recycling Billing
The City of Athens partners closely with Republic Services to manage residential solid waste across the community. Residents pay a combined, highly affordable monthly fee of $18.32, which is seamlessly added to the city water and sewer statement. This flat rate covers your primary household refuse cart alongside one dedicated recycling bin. If you manage a larger household and consistently generate more waste than a single bin can hold, you can easily request an additional garbage cart from the public works department for a minor supplementary charge of just $2.00 per month.
Wednesday Recycling and Yard Waste Routines
Mid-week is the absolute busiest time for sanitation trucks in Athens. Every single Wednesday, automated crews navigate the neighborhoods to collect both your sorted recyclables and prepared yard debris. When setting out your recycling, please remember that organic brush or leaves should never be placed inside the designated recycling cart. For seasonal yard waste, residents are permitted to leave out a maximum of ten bags of leaves per week. Any tree branches must be cut to lengths strictly under four feet, be less than three inches in diameter, and bundled tightly for the workers to safely grab.
Utilizing the Aaron Street Collection Station
If you are completing a massive garage cleanout or a heavy landscaping overhaul that exceeds regular curbside limits, the Athens Community Collection Station is your best resource. Located at 500 Aaron Street, this municipal facility is open exclusively to local residents on Saturdays from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. To gain access to the dumpers, you absolutely must present a valid driver's license alongside a current city utility bill. The station gladly accepts heavy tree brush, glass recycling, and standard household refuse, but completely prohibits hazardous liquids, freon appliances, and construction debris like asphalt shingles.
Automated Cart Loading Clearances
Because Republic Services utilizes highly efficient automated mechanical arms to empty the rolling carts, proper street placement is critical. Always ensure your containers are positioned at the curb with the metal lifting bar facing the roadway, leaving a minimum clearance of three feet between the bins, mailboxes, and parked vehicles. Most importantly, do not overload your cart. If the lid is unable to close completely or garbage is stacked vertically above the plastic rim, the mechanical lifting arm cannot properly secure the container, and the truck driver will be forced to skip your property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When is trash collected in Athens?
A: Trash collected weekly by neighborhood routes.
Q: How does the holiday schedule affect garbage pickup?
A: Holiday pickup delayed one day.
Q: Which bins should I use for trash and recycling?
A: City-issued trash carts
Q: How can I schedule a bulk waste pickup?
A: Bulk pickup scheduled by request.
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