Recycling rules in Macon, GA

📍 Macon-Bibb County · 2-cart program

Who collects your recycling in Macon, GA

Residential curbside collection in Macon, GA is provided by Macon-Bibb County under an exclusive franchise, so every household on the route gets the same carts and the same accepted-items list. Households get two carts — a recycling cart for recyclables and a trash cart for everything else. There is no curbside compost cart, so food scraps and food-soiled paper go in the trash cart.

That two-cart setup is the norm for most of the country — curbside food-scrap collection remains rare outside California and a handful of West Coast and Northeast cities.

The quick answer for Macon, GA

Plastic bottles & jugs♻️ Recycling cartEmpty; keep the cap on.
Aluminum & steel cans♻️ Recycling cartGive them a rinse.
Flattened cardboard♻️ Recycling cartClean, dry sections only.
Glass bottles & jars♻️ Recycling cartLids off.
Food scraps🗑️ Trash cartNo curbside compost cart here.
Greasy pizza box🗑️ Trash cartNo curbside compost cart here.
Plastic bags & film🗑️ Trash cartStore drop-off is better.
Batteries⚠️ HazardousNever curbside — tape the terminals.

This is the short list. The full A–Z of what is and isn't recyclable is on what can I recycle? — or scan the item and get the answer for Macon, GA directly.

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Macon, GA recycling FAQ

Can you recycle plastic bags in Macon, GA?
Not in your recycling cart. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility Macon-Bibb County uses, which is why they're excluded almost everywhere. Take clean, dry bags back to a grocery-store drop-off, or put them in your trash cart.
What do I do with batteries in Macon, GA?
Batteries never go in any of your Macon, GA carts — not the recycling cart, not the trash cart. They're household hazardous waste and a genuine fire risk in the truck. Tape the terminals and take them to a local e-waste or household-hazardous-waste drop-off.

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Still not sure?

Rules vary by material and by hauler, and the sorting line is strict — one wrong item can contaminate a whole load. When in doubt, point your camera at the item for a verdict, or check the official Macon-Bibb County guide.