We genuinely appreciate your patience and partnership as we navigate necessary changes to the City’s sanitation service.
Temporary Cardboard Allowance Ends September 1
To keep our neighborhoods looking their best and ensure efficient service, all recyclables should fit inside your City-provided carts with the lids closed as much as possible. Keeping items secured inside closed carts prevents loose litter from scattering during pickup and on windy days. Because recycling trucks use automated pickup arms operated by a single driver, loose recycling or trash placed outside of carts will not be collected; the only items permitted outside of carts are yard debris and bulk waste which includes furniture, appliances, rugs and other household items that do not fit into the trash cart. Construction debris is not collected by Waste Pro.
While Waste Pro temporarily collected extra flattened cardboard outside of recycling carts to assist households awaiting larger bins, the vast majority of cart requests have now been fulfilled and this temporary allowance ends September 1.
Options for Handling Excess Cardboard
If your household needs to dispose of extra cardboard, there are three ways to handle the overflow:
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Break It Down: Flatten boxes and crush plastic containers and aluminum cans before tossing them in to maximize space inside your blue cart.
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Use a Drop-Off Container: On September 1, two drop-off containers specifically for excess cardboard will be available at:
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Order a second recycling cart: Customers who regularly have overflow material are allowed up to two recycling and two trash carts per household. A one-time delivery fee of $75 and a monthly collection fee of $7.75 applies to each additional cart.
Germantown Recycles—Here Is Why It Matters
Germantown continues to lead the area in recycling. Because our community achieves such exceptionally high participation rates, your daily efforts help ensure that our region meets environmental compliance metrics.
Rest assured, recyclable items placed in your blue cart are collected, processed and recycled. To check if an item is recyclable, visit Germantown-TN.gov/WasteWizard. By maximizing the amount of debris you recycle, you help our community:
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Preserve Landfill Space: Diverting high volumes of waste saves physical space and delays the need for disruptive, costly new disposal sites.
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Balance Regional Compliance: Strong local recycling rates help our region satisfy environmental requirements.
To request additional carts or just ask questions about sanitation service, contact Customer Service at (901) 757-7200 or CustomerService@Germantown-TN.gov. For information about how to dispose of specific items, visit Germantown-TN.gov/WasteWizard. Thank you for doing your part to keep Germantown clean and green!
