Makenzie Read
Waste and Resources Coordinator
mread@knoxvilletn.gov
865-215-2817
NOTICE REGARDING HOLIDAYS: “When in doubt, set it out!” Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only days of the year when curbside trash and recycling are not picked up as scheduled. For the week following those two holidays, collection is delayed by one day and Sanitation Workers work through Saturday to catch up. The following Monday, service resumes as usual. |
If your brown City of Knoxville recycling cart was not emptied on your regular pickup day then please report using the blue link above or call 311. Note that Waste Connections has until the end of your pickup day to empty your City of Knoxville recycling cart so please wait until the following day to call 311 and report the miss. Drivers cannot be sent back for misses reported more than two business days after your service day.
WAYS TO RECYCLE IN KNOXVILLE:
CURBSIDE SINGLE-STREAM COLLECTION |

View our
Curbside Recycling Calendar in PDF format.
We are expanding this program! If you do not already have a curbside recycling cart please call 311 or
Sign Up Here. For more information about this program please visit
Curbside Recycling.
NO GLASS ALLOWED IN RECYCLE CARTS
As of January 1st 2017 glass is no longer accepted in curbside single-stream carts.
This change is due to the fact that when glass is co-mingled with other recyclables in the same cart it easily breaks into tiny pieces that contaminate the other recyclables, thus creating a very low quality product for which there is no buyer. This type of end product cannot be recycled. In order to ensure that we maintain a viable curbside recycling program glass had to be removed from single-stream.
Glass is recyclable only when brought to a
City Drop-Off Center and separated by color.
NO PLASTIC BAGS OR OTHER PLASTIC FILMS ALLOWED IN RECYCLING CARTS (OR AT RECYCLING DROP-OFF CENTERS)
Plastic bags and plastic film are not recyclable in single-stream or when brought to a recycling drop-off center. These items break down the machines used to process your recycling. Please place your recyclables loose in the carts and at the drop-off centers to ensure efficient recycling. To recycle your plastic bags please bring them back to a grocery or hardware store that accepts them for recycling. We also highly encourage the use of reusable bags.
RECYCLING DROP-OFF CENTERS |
There are five recycling drop-off centers in the city and each is attended by Goodwill Industries. The Centers are open and staffed from 8 AM to 8 PM. We also encourage you to take advantage of Knox County drop-off centers as well as the one on UT campus.
For more information, please visit
Recycling Drop-Off Centers.
Please take your glass to a
City drop-off center because it is still readily recycled when separated by color.
Specialty recyclables such as used motor oil, electronics, and scrap metal, etc. can be taken to our
Solid Waste Facility.
Do you have questions about recycling? We have the answers!
Here at the City, we want to make it as easy as possible
for you to have the answers to your recycling
questions.
See the simple guide below to learn what can and can’t be recycled.
For more information about the City of Knoxville’s recycling program, go to:
knoxvilletn.gov/recycling or call 215-2817.
View the Can I Recycle That Guide in PDF format