Sanitation Department - City of Knoxville

πŸ—‘οΈ Sanitation Department

Keeping Knoxville clean and sustainable

πŸ“ž Sanitation Department Contact

Facility: 207 North Line Street

Phone: (309) 289-2814

Regular Hours: 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM, Mon-Fri

Summer Hours (June - August): 6:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Mon-Fri

πŸ“… Curbside Pickup Schedule

Regular garbage and recycling collection schedule for Knoxville residents. Please have your garbage out by 7:00 AM on your scheduled day.

Day Collection Area / Service
Monday North side of Main Street (excluding Lincoln Street)
Tuesday Recycling (entire town) & North side of Main Street (yard waste)
Wednesday South side of Main Street & East of Broad Street
Thursday South side of Main Street (including Lincoln Street) & West of Broad Street
Friday South side of Main Street (yard waste)
⚠️ Important: We strongly encourage residents to have garbage out by 7:00 AM on your scheduled pickup day.

πŸ’΅ Fees & Services

Current rates for sanitation services and container rentals.

🏠 Monthly Sanitation Fees

Location Monthly Rate
Inside City Limits $12.00
Outside City Limits $15.50

🏒 Commercial Container Collection (Per Pickup)

Container Size Per Pickup Fee
2 Yard Container $25.00
4 Yard Container $35.00
6 Yard Container $45.00
8 Yard Container $55.00

🏠 Residential Volume Collection (Keep Dumpster 1 Week)

Container Size Weekly Rate
2 Yard Container $50.00
4 Yard Container $90.00
6 Yard Container $130.00
8 Yard Container $160.00
πŸ’³ Payment Required: Residential dumpsters must be paid for in advance.

πŸ›‹οΈ Large Item Pickup

The City of Knoxville no longer holds Spring or Fall Clean Up events. To help residents dispose of unwanted large items throughout the year, we offer Large Item Stickers.

Fee: $10.00 per item (available at City Hall)

Examples of items requiring stickers:

  • Dressers
  • Mattress and box spring (counted as 1 item)
  • Toilets
  • Vanities
  • Grills

Items with stickers can be placed out on your regular trash day.

🌿 Yard Waste Collection

Proper disposal of lawn and garden waste helps create compost for the community.

πŸ“¦ Accepted Materials

  • Leaves
  • Grass clippings
  • Small hedge or brush trimmings (max ΒΌ inch diameter)
  • Bundled brush (see requirements below)

🚫 Not Accepted

  • Regular garbage
  • Stones
  • Building materials
  • Non-organic waste

πŸ“‹ Collection Instructions

Container Options:

  • City biodegradable bags
  • Garbage cans with stickers (max 30 gallon)

For Larger Brush:

Brush larger than ΒΌ inch diameter must be:

  • Bundled with twine or cord
  • Not exceeding 3 feet in length
  • Not exceeding 20 inches in diameter
  • Not exceeding 50 lbs in weight
  • Must have a sticker attached

Sticker Placement: Place sticker on the inside lid of each garbage can or it will not be collected.

πŸ’° Yard Waste Fees

City Biodegradable Bags: $1.50 each

Available at City Hall and Shell Gas Station

Container Stickers: $1.75 each

Available at City Hall

πŸ“… Collection Schedule:
β€’ North side of Main Street: Tuesday afternoons
β€’ South side of Main Street: Friday afternoons

♻️ Recycling Program

Free recycling service for all Knoxville residents - picked up on Tuesdays only.

πŸ“‹ Program Details

Service: FREE

Pickup Day: Tuesdays only

Containers: City does not provide containers

Residents may use:

  • Plastic tote
  • Trash can (32 gallons or less)

πŸ›οΈ How to Participate

1. Pick up FREE recycling stickers at City Hall

2. Get recycling instructions at City Hall

3. Place sticker on your container

4. Set out on Tuesday for pickup

πŸ“„ More Information: Download our Reuse, Reduce & Recycle Guide (PDF)

πŸ“‹ Regulations & Restrictions

Important rules and guidelines for sanitation services in Knoxville.

πŸ—‘οΈ Garbage/Trash Restrictions

  • Have garbage out by 7:00 AM
  • Maximum 10 containers or bundles combined
  • Bags not to exceed 30 gallons or 50 lbs
  • Other containers not to exceed 32 gallons or 75 lbs
  • Boxes must be broken down and tied with string
  • NO construction materials
  • NO hazardous waste (includes paint)
  • NO yard waste in regular trash

πŸ”₯ Open Burning Regulations

Burning Schedule

  • NO burning: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
  • Burning allowed: Wednesday through Saturday, 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Restrictions

  • NO burning on City streets
  • NO burning in ditches
  • NO smoldering fires that issue noxious fumes
  • ONLY dry landscape waste may be burned
  • NO trash or building materials
  • NO burning of grass clippings

Allowed

  • Wiener roast fires
  • Fire pits
  • Grills

🌱 Mowing Regulations

  • NO discharge of clippings into the streets
  • Unkept yards will receive a nuisance complaint
  • Reference: Chapter 15 of the Knoxville Municipal Code
⚠️ Violations: Failure to comply with sanitation regulations may result in fines or the refusal of service. Items with prohibited materials will not be collected.