COLLECTION SCHEDULE AND GUIDELINES
The City has contracted with Rumpke to provide refuse, recycling and yard waste collection for the City. In addition to weekly citywide collections, Rumpke handles large pick-ups and bulk items on a regular basis with no additional charge to the residents.
Yard Waste Day: MONDAY
Refuse (Trash) and Recycling Day: TUESDAY
If a holiday is the day-of or a weekday before your service day, collection service will be delayed one day that week. If a holiday is on a weekend or a weekday after your service day, collection service will remain as scheduled. Observed holidays for Rumpke include New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Visit Rumpke’s website for a complete holiday schedule.
Rumpke may begin service as early as 7:00am. Place all containers at the curb or designated location by 6:00am the day of collection but no earlier than 5:00pm the day before. If your collection is missed, report it to the Department of Public Service, Utility Billing Division at 614-342-4440 by 5:00pm the next day. Items reported after that time must be held until the following week. Residents with a disability limiting or impairing the ability to walk (per ORC 4503.44) may request carryout service from Rumpke. Proof of disability must be provided. Please follow the guidelines listed below to ensure proper collection. If materials are not properly prepared, the Rumpke driver will leave a tag with an explanation. The first instance serves as a friendly reminder. Rumpke may refuse collection upon subsequent instances.
YARD WASTE
Yard waste includes organic waste from gardening and landscaping activities (grass clippings, leaves, twigs, branches, and shrubbery). After collection, yard waste is taken to a compost facility to be recycled into mulch and compost. Residents are responsible for providing their own yard waste containers. Each biodegradable bag, container or bundle must weigh less than 50 pounds.
Branches
Branches less than 8 inches in diameter must be cut to 4 feet or shorter in length and bundled with string or twine. The bundle cannot exceed 2 feet in diameter. Tree trunks must be less than 8 inches in diameter.
Christmas Tree
Please keep trees whole. All decorations and stands must be removed including ornaments, tinsel, garland and lights. Trees in plastic bags will not be collected.
Loose Material
Place loose material in biodegradable bags (paper, kraft, or 100% compostable according to ASTM standards) or rigid containers clearly marked ‘yard waste’. Biodegradable bags are available at many local grocery stores as well as home and garden stores. Please do not line these bags or containers with plastic bags.
Unacceptable Items
Plastic bags, plastic pots, food waste, rocks and dirt are not accepted.
REFUSE
All refuse and trash must be placed in bags or containers. Residents are responsible for providing their own refuse bags and containers. Each bag or container must weigh less than 50 pounds. Cardboard containers may be used for bulky or loose materials; however, wet cardboard may not be collected. Residents may rent a large rolling trash cart from Rumpke for $36 per year. This charge is independent from your City utility bill and is set up directly with Rumpke.
Residents age 60 and over who are the head of household may sign up to receive a discount on the trash portion of their bill. Sign up by bringing your driver’s license or other official ID to the Department of Public Service, Utility Billing Division office at City Hall. For details, please contact the Department of Public Service, Utility Billing Division at 614-342-4440.
Appliances Containing Freon
A certified technician must remove CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) from Freon containing appliances including refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, etc and place a certificate of removal on the item. The appliance can then be put at the curb with the weekly refuse collection. Doors MUST be removed from appliances as a safety measure.
Bulk Items
Furniture, carpeting, mattresses, box springs and other bulk items will be collected with the regular refuse when placed at the curb. Any upholstered items (including mattresses and box springs) must be wrapped in plastic.
Car Batteries
State law bans lead acid batteries from landfill disposal. You can dispose of lead acid batteries at many auto service centers and places where you purchase auto batteries.
Carpet and Padding
Carpeting and padding must be rolled in a tight bundle AND TIED OR TAPED to facilitate easy handling. Large pieces must be cut into 4-foot lengths. Residents with carryout service must place all bulk items at the curb.
Needles
Make your own disposal container using an empty plastic laundry detergent bottle, bleach bottle, liter pop bottles or other thick plastic container. Label the container “SHARPS-DANGEROUS” with permanent marker. Keep the lid tightly on the container between uses and store it out of the reach of children. Dispose of the container in the trash when full, with the lid on tightly and taped shut.
Paint
Paint must be in a solid state before it can be placed in the trash. It can be air dried or solidified using cat litter or sand.
Prescriptions
The National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) has launched a program designed to significantly reduce the prescription drugs in homes that are either no longer needed or outdated. Law enforcement is the only entity legally able to accept these medications and process them properly so that they do not fall into the wrong hands. Law enforcement takes control of and destroys drugs on a regular basis as part of their regular operations. Visit the NADDI website to find a drop box location.
Unacceptable Items
Household hazardous waste, tires and appliances containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) such as refrigerators or personal air conditioner units are not accepted.
Visit the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) website for disposal guidelines for the following common items: building, construction and demolition materials, electronics (computers, printers, televisions, cell phones, stereos, CDs, DVDs, etc), fluorescent light bulbs, household hazardous waste (HHW), old tires, used motor oil.
RECYCLING
Rumpke provides each resident with two recycling containers and one lid for light weight items that might blow away. The City is not responsible for lost or misplaced recycling bins. It is advisable to label the bottom of your bins with your street address. To replace your recycling bin, please visit or contact the Gahanna Water, Sewer, and Refuse Division at 614-342-4440. Residents may rent a large rolling recycling cart from Rumpke for $36 per year. This charge is independent from your City utility bill and is set up directly with Rumpke.
After collection, recyclables are taken and processed at one of Rumpke’s Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF). Here recyclables are separated by category and prepared for their respective markets. They are then shipped to manufacturers that recycle the items into new products.
Additional Information: General Recycling Guidelines, Acceptable Material for Recycling, Recycling Reuse Search Tool, and SWACO Recycling Drop Off Program
Recycling Tips:
- No plastic bags
- Empty all containers
- Flatten cardboard
- No need to remove labels
- Mix all recyclables together (no separation required)
- Unacceptable items include: butter tubs, food trays, dishware, pots, pans, cups, utensils, foil juice pouches, ceramics, bed sheets, clothes, metal hangers, toys, electronics, VCR tapes, light bulbs, batteries, chemicals, car parts, wood, window glass, ropes, wires, cords, hoses, buckets, metal chains, and syringes
Visit the Goodwill website for donating clothing, household items and shoes. Visit the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio website for donating furniture.
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE (HHW)
Hazardous, corrosive, toxic or ignitable wastes (including medical and hospital wastes, liquids, and sludge) cannot be accepted by landfills due to Federal and EPA regulations and are excluded from collection. Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) provides free household hazardous waste (HHW) disposal services for Franklin County residents. The drop-off location is located at 645 E 8th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201 (at the corner of E 8th Ave and Essex Ave just south of the fairgrounds). The following are examples of items accepted: oil based paint, motor oil, spray paint, lighter fluid, propane tanks/cylinders, oxygen tanks, pool chemicals, bleach, household cleaners, fluorescent light bulbs (including compact fluorescent lightbulbs CFLs and ballasts), lawn chemicals, fertilizers, insecticides, antifreeze and batteries. Please note, asbestos, appliances, tires, ammunition, trash, needles, pharmaceuticals and medical waste are not accepted. SWACO will dispose of latex and water based paint for a fee. For a complete list of acceptable items, hours of operation and directions, visit the SWACO HHW website or call SWACO’s HHW drop-off facility at 614-294-1300.
HHW Mobile Collection Events (subject to change, please visit SWACO’s website for verification):
Business
Visitors
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