Trash and recycling pickup in Dunwoody: schedule, holidays, bulk

Last checked Oct. 5, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Dunwoody’s sanitation page and DeKalb County’s Department of Solid Waste Management.

The city of Dunwoody does not run its own trash service. DeKalb County’s Department of Solid Waste Management, formerly the Sanitation Division, collects household garbage, recycling and yard trimmings in Dunwoody, as it does in unincorporated DeKalb and the cities of Brookhaven, Decatur, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Stonecrest, Stone Mountain and Tucker.

Who to call

• Missed pickup, carts, bulky items, new service: DeKalb County Solid Waste Management customer care, 404-294-2900, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, or solidwaste@dekalbcountyga.gov. The county says it answers email within three business days.
• New service set-up: NewResidentialService@dekalbcountyga.gov
• In person: 3720 Leroy Scott Drive, Decatur, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday
• Official pages: Dunwoody’s sanitation page and the county’s Solid Waste Management page

When to put the carts out

The county collects each service once a week, all on the same day:

• Garbage: once a week.
• Recycling: once a week, on the same day as garbage.
• Yard trimmings: once a week, on the same day as garbage.

Put carts out after 7 p.m. the night before and have them at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day. Bring them in within 24 hours. The county asks for carts at the curb, not in the street, 3 feet from other containers, with the handle facing the street.

If your pickup is missed, Dunwoody’s city page says to leave the items at the curb and email the county. The county services missed collections shortly after the email arrives, sometimes the same day and no later than the next business day.

The county can suspend service in bad weather. When it does, it resumes on the next scheduled business day and posts updates on its home page and on X at @DKalbSanitation.

Holiday schedule

Collection changes only on county-observed holidays. From the county’s 2026 holiday collection schedule (PDF):

The county had not published its 2027 holiday schedule, including New Year’s Day, when we last checked. Columbus Day is not on the county’s list of service changes.

Recycling

DeKalb runs single-stream recycling: everything accepted goes loose in the same cart, with no bags and no sorting. The county says recycling is optional but included in the annual assessment fee. A 35-gallon cart is free; a 65-gallon cart costs a one-time $28.80, according to the county’s recycling program page.

Accepted: all cardboard (up to 10 flattened boxes), cereal and frozen food boxes, drink cartons, mixed paper and mail, metal and aluminum cans and bottles, and plastics marked 1 or 2 only. Not accepted: glass, plastic bags, foam containers, textiles, diapers and hazardous materials.

Glass never goes in the cart. Dunwoody has one county glass drop-off container, at Brook Run Park, 4770 N. Peachtree Road. Turn onto Barclay Drive from North Peachtree Road to reach it.

Bulky items and special collections

Put the items at the curb first, clear of mailboxes, sidewalks and utilities, then submit a bulky item request. County staff assess the pile and leave a form if a fee applies; any fee is paid before pickup. The county’s bulky item page lists the special collection minimums: $115 for a general special collection and $230 for tree parts more than 3 inches across or for mixed piles.

Free bulky pickup in October 2026. The county’s fall SWEEP program collects furniture, appliances and electronics free in October, without a request, according to the county’s SWEEP announcement (PDF). Put items out on the Thursday of your week:

Not taken: riding mowers, pianos, auto parts, tires, hazardous and medical waste, and construction debris. Items put out after your free date need a prepaid fee.

Yard trimmings

Yard trimmings go out by 7 a.m. on collection day in up to five 40-gallon containers with two handles or in paper yard bags, not plastic. Limbs no longer than 4 feet go stacked neatly or tied in bundles. Six or more bags or containers, dirt, or limbs cut by a hired contractor need a paid special collection, according to the county’s collection procedures brochure (PDF).

Shredding, electronics and hazardous waste

• Free paper shredding: 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Central Transfer Station, 3720 Leroy Scott Drive, Decatur. Up to 10 boxes a vehicle; bring proof of DeKalb residency.
• Electronics: taken year-round at the Seminole Road Landfill, 4203 Clevemont Road, Ellenwood.
• Household hazardous waste: Dunwoody usually holds a hazardous waste and electronics recycling event once a year with its Sustainability Committee, the city says. Paint and chemicals are also taken for a fee at CHaRM Atlanta.

What this means for you

• Carts out after 7 p.m. the night before and by 7 a.m. on the day.
• Veterans Day and Thanksgiving weeks run late for some customers; check the table.
• Glass goes to Brook Run Park, never the cart.
• Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday customers can still use October’s free bulky pickup.

More city services: who to call at City Hall, DeKalb County property taxes and moving to Dunwoody.

Frequently asked questions

Who picks up trash in Dunwoody?

DeKalb County’s Department of Solid Waste Management, formerly the Sanitation Division, collects trash, recycling and yard trimmings for the city of Dunwoody. Its customer care line is 404-294-2900.

What day is trash pickup in Dunwoody?

Garbage, recycling and yard trimmings are each collected once a week, all on the same day. Carts go out after 7 p.m. the night before and must be at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day.

Does Dunwoody trash pickup change on holidays?

Yes, for some holidays. On Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, Wednesday and Thursday customers run one day late, and on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26, Thursday customers are collected Friday.

Can I put glass in my recycling cart in Dunwoody?

No. DeKalb County does not take glass in recycling carts. Dunwoody’s glass drop-off container is at Brook Run Park, 4770 N. Peachtree Road, off Barclay Drive.

How do I get bulky items picked up in Dunwoody?

Put the items at the curb, then submit a bulky item request on the county’s online form. In October 2026 the county’s SWEEP program collects bulky items free on set dates by service day.