Atlanta and Fulton County property owners and community managers: simplify recycling compliance while boosting resident satisfaction. National Doorstep’s valet trash & recycling service aligns with the City of Atlanta Multifamily Recycling Ordinance and the recycling expectations in North Fulton cities (Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, Sandy Springs and Johns Creek) to reduce contamination and protect NOI — all with a turnkey, inspector-friendly program.
Within the City of Atlanta, recycling service is mandatory for multifamily communities with six (6) or more living units. City Code § 130-38 (Ordinance 07-O-1335) requires owners or owners’ associations of qualifying apartments, condominiums, townhomes and public housing to furnish commercial containers for recyclables with total capacity of not less than three (3) gallons multiplied by the number of living units, collecting at least the materials in the City’s curbside program. Nearby Fulton County cities such as Milton, Roswell and Sandy Springs have adopted solid waste rules that require haulers to offer recycling programs to residential and multifamily customers, and Roswell is referenced in state-level guidance as having a Utilities & Services ordinance that specifically requires “multi-family complexes” to institute a recycling program. In unincorporated Fulton County and cities like Alpharetta and Johns Creek, multifamily recycling is emerging through hauler offerings, local plans and best practices rather than a dedicated apartment mandate.
- NOI & Property Value Lift: Cleaner, code-aligned waste and recycling areas improve curb appeal, reduce overflow, and support higher resident retention in competitive Atlanta and North Fulton submarkets.
- Resident Convenience & Cleanliness: Doorstep collection cuts down on overfilled enclosures, loose bags and contamination — especially at peak move-in/move-out periods and on high-rise floors.
- Compliance Simplified: Program design that matches Atlanta Code § 130-38 for 6+ unit communities while dovetailing with North Fulton hauler requirements and local recycling initiatives.
- Code-Backed Design: Inspector-friendly container layouts, signage, resident education and documentation that demonstrate good-faith compliance across Atlanta, Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Johns Creek and unincorporated Fulton County.
At a Glance: City of Atlanta vs Fulton County & North Fulton Cities
City of Atlanta
- Mandate Type: Mandatory Multifamily Recycling Program for qualifying multifamily dwellings under City Code § 130-38 (Ordinance 07-O-1335).
- Applicability Threshold: Applies to owners of any multifamily dwelling (including public housing) consisting of six (6) or more living units, and to owners’ associations of condominiums or townhouses with six (6) or more living units.
- Duties (Core Requirements): Owners or associations must:
- Furnish commercial containers for recyclables (e.g., carts, front-load containers) for residents.
- Ensure containers can hold the recyclable material generated and are sized at no less than 3 gallons × number of living units.
- Collect, at a minimum, the materials the City collects in its curbside program (typically glass, plastics, newspapers, aluminum cans and related curbside materials).
- Secure and manage recycling collection contracts for all building locations.
- Provide clearly marked collection bins and, where applicable, report recycling tonnage through the City’s multifamily recycling reporting tools.
- Enforcement: Violations of § 130-38 are enforced under the City’s general penalty provisions (Code § 1-8), which allow fines of up to $1,000 per offense and up to six months imprisonment, with each day of violation charged as a separate offense when conditions continue. In practice, enforcement typically proceeds via inspection, notices and municipal court cases rather than immediate maximum penalties.
- Key City Links:
City of Atlanta – Multi-Family Recycling Program
ATL311 – Multifamily Recycling Initiative (container requirements)
Ordinance 07-O-1335 – Multifamily Recycling (PDF)
Atlanta Code § 1-8 – General Penalty
City of Atlanta Recycling Audit (June 2025, PDF)
Atlanta Code of Ordinances (Municode)
Fulton County & North Fulton Cities
- Cities Covered Here: Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Johns Creek plus unincorporated Fulton County.
- Mandate Type:
- No single countywide apartment recycling mandate identified for all multifamily properties in Fulton County.
- Milton: City code requires that “all companies providing residential service or service to residential multi-family units must provide a recycling program to all customers”. This effectively guarantees that multifamily communities can obtain recycling service through their haulers.
- Sandy Springs: Solid waste ordinance amendments require waste haulers to offer recycling programs to residential and non-residential customers (curbside for residential, on-site for others) as part of Green Communities criteria, though customers are not required to subscribe.
- Roswell: State-level multifamily recycling guidance cites a City of Roswell Utilities & Services ordinance that requires “multi-family complexes” to institute a recycling program collecting at least basic recyclables (newspaper, glass, metals, select plastics).
- Alpharetta, Johns Creek & Unincorporated Fulton: Focused on contracted hauler service, convenience centers and local plans; no standalone multifamily recycling mandate surfaced, but recycling is strongly encouraged for apartments through hauler contracts and regional best practices.
- Program Duties (Practical Expectations):
- In Milton and Sandy Springs: Ensure your trash hauler’s contract includes recycling service for residents (on-site in multifamily settings), and that residents have clear access to labeled recycling containers.
- In Roswell: Multi-family complexes are expected to provide on-site recycling collection for core materials (paper, cardboard, glass, metals, certain plastics), establish convenient collection points, and maintain ongoing service.
- Across North Fulton & Unincorporated Fulton: Property owners should provide adequate recycling capacity, keep areas clean and signed, and coordinate with their haulers to align with the Georgia Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act and local solid waste plans.
- Enforcement: Non-compliance with local solid waste and hauler requirements is typically enforced through:
- Code enforcement actions under each city’s general penalty provisions (often allowing per-day fines for continuing violations).
- Hauler licensing and franchise terms (Milton, Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Alpharetta) — haulers that fail to offer required recycling services or create nuisance conditions can face warnings, fines or license impacts.
- Key County & City Links:
Fulton County – Solid Waste & Recycling
City of Milton – Recycling (Code summary for residential & multifamily)
City of Alpharetta – Trash & Recycling
City of Sandy Springs – Garbage & Recycling
City of Johns Creek – Garbage & Recycling
Johns Creek – Recycling & Bulky Item Events
Georgia Recycling Coalition – Multifamily Recycling Toolkit (Roswell & Atlanta examples)
Fines & Penalties Snapshot
-
City of Atlanta – Multifamily Recycling Non-Compliance:
For qualifying multifamily properties (6+ living units), failure to furnish required recycling containers or provide service under Code § 130-38 may be cited as a city code violation. Penalties follow the general penalty in Code § 1-8, which allows:
• Up to a $1,000 fine per offense, and/or
• Up to six (6) months imprisonment,
with each day of violation treated as a separate offense if conditions are not corrected. In practice, owners usually first receive education and notices, followed by potential municipal court citations if non-compliance continues. -
Milton, Sandy Springs & Roswell – Recycling & Hauler Requirements:
Milton: The City’s waste-management code provides that “all companies providing residential service or service to residential multi-family units must provide a recycling program to all customers.” If a hauler or property repeatedly fails to provide required recycling service, the City can use code enforcement, hauler-licensing tools and its general penalty provisions (typically fines per violation and, for haulers, potential license impacts).
Sandy Springs: The City’s solid waste ordinance amendments require licensed haulers to offer recycling programs to both residential and non-residential customers, with curbside service for residential and on-site service for other customer types. Customers are not forced to subscribe, but haulers must make recycling available. Persistent violations can result in fines and action against a hauler’s ability to operate in the City.
Roswell: Multifamily recycling obligations live in the Utilities & Services portion of the City Code and are referenced by the Georgia Recycling Coalition as requiring multi-family complexes to institute a recycling program for core materials. While specific fine tables vary over time, enforcement normally occurs through municipal code enforcement (warnings, citations and per-day fines, plus potential liens for unpaid assessments). -
Alpharetta, Johns Creek & Unincorporated Fulton – Solid Waste & Recycling Oversight:
These jurisdictions do not currently publish a standalone multifamily recycling mandate comparable to Atlanta’s Code § 130-38. Instead, they regulate:
• Hauler registration and service standards (e.g., requiring licensed haulers to provide recycling offerings and meet service quality rules).
• Convenience centers, transfer stations and drop-off programs (Fulton County).
• General property-maintenance and nuisance codes that can be applied if waste or recycling areas become unsanitary or create public-health issues.
Code violations can still result in escalating fines, fees and, in serious cases, liens on the property, even if the specific issue is poor waste/recycling management rather than failure to follow a named “multifamily recycling ordinance.”Authoritative Links:
Alpharetta – Trash & Recycling · Johns Creek – Garbage & Recycling · Fulton County – Solid Waste & Recycling - Tip: Maintaining service contracts, recycling container maps, resident education records and dated photos of clean, well-signed recycling areas gives inspectors and code officers a clear story of good-faith compliance — which is the best way to avoid per-day penalties across Atlanta and North Fulton.
Property Manager Compliance Checklist (Atlanta & Fulton County Multifamily)
| Task | Action / Requirement | Authoritative Links |
|---|---|---|
| ☑ Confirm Jurisdiction & Ordinances |
Determine which jurisdiction governs your community:
• Inside City of Atlanta: Multifamily properties with 6+ living units are subject to Code § 130-38 and must provide recycling containers sized at ≥ 3 gallons × number of units. • In Milton or Sandy Springs: Haulers must offer recycling to residential and multifamily customers. Build your program around those offerings so residents have convenient access. • In Roswell: Multifamily complexes are referenced as being required to operate a recycling program under the City’s Utilities & Services code. • In Alpharetta, Johns Creek, or Unincorporated Fulton: No specific apartment recycling mandate surfaced, but local solid waste plans, convenience facilities and hauler rules establish expectations for providing recycling access. |
Atlanta – Multi-Family Recycling Overview Atlanta Ord. 07-O-1335 – Multifamily Recycling (PDF) Milton – Recycling Code Summary GA Recycling Coalition Multifamily Toolkit |
| ☑ Subscribe to Required / Available Recycling Service |
Ensure your property has documented service for both trash and recycling:
• Atlanta (6+ units): Contract with a hauler to provide commercial recycling containers that meet the minimum volume requirement (≥ 3 gallons × units per week) and collect at least the City’s core curbside materials. • Milton & Sandy Springs: Verify that your hauler’s contract includes recycling service for residents and that service frequency and container volume match your resident count and waste stream. • Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek & Unincorporated Fulton: Choose haulers that provide robust recycling service and negotiate terms that make it easy for residents to participate. |
ATL311 – Multifamily Recycling Requirements Sandy Springs – Garbage & Recycling Johns Creek – Garbage & Recycling |
| ☑ Containers, Corral Layout & Signage |
Provide clearly labeled recycling containers in convenient, safe locations for residents:
• Size containers and pickup frequency to prevent overflow and windblown litter; in Atlanta, confirm that weekly capacity meets or exceeds 3 gallons × units. • Co-locate recycling with trash to make participation easy, but clearly label containers to reduce contamination. • Post permanent signage at enclosures and cart rooms that shows which materials go in recycling versus trash. • Maintain clear truck access (gate codes, turning radius, service hours) and adequate lighting for resident safety. |
Atlanta Multifamily Volume Estimation Guide (PDF) Keep North Fulton Beautiful – Material Guidance Alpharetta – Trash & Recycling |
| ☑ Resident Education & Communication |
Build a simple, repeatable resident communication plan:
• Provide written recycling instructions to residents at move-in and refresh them at least once or twice per year and after any hauler or program changes. • Use door hangers, email blasts, portal messages and lobby signage to show residents how and where to recycle. • Feature recycling information in renewal packets, on community social media and in onsite events (Earth Day, community cleanups, bulky item days). • Keep copies (PDFs, screenshots, printouts) of all resident-facing communications as part of your compliance file. |
GA Recycling Coalition – Multifamily Messaging Tools Johns Creek – Recycling Events |
| ☑ Documentation & Avoiding Daily Fines |
Create an “inspection-ready” digital folder for your community:
• Current trash and recycling service agreements, invoices, route maps and container inventory. • Screenshots or exports from Atlanta’s multifamily recycling reporting tools (if applicable) and any tonnage reports from your hauler. • Photos of container areas showing signage, cleanliness and correct labels. • Logs of resident education campaigns (dates, channels, content). • Notes from internal walk-throughs and corrective actions taken to reduce contamination or overflow. Well-organized documentation can help resolve issues quickly if a City or County inspector, code officer or HOA board member raises concerns — often before violations escalate into daily fines or liens. |
Atlanta Recycling Reporting Portal Atlanta Recycling Audit (PDF) Fulton County – Solid Waste & Recycling |
| ☑ Leverage Local Green Programs & Recognition |
Turn compliance into a marketing asset:
• Align your property with Atlanta’s sustainability goals and regional “Green Communities” criteria where feasible. • Partner with Keep North Fulton Beautiful and similar organizations for special recycling days, electronics events or hard-to-recycle collections. • Highlight your recycling program and any awards or partnerships in leasing tours, marketing materials and online listings to attract sustainability-minded residents. |
Keep North Fulton Beautiful Atlanta Regional Commission – Green Communities |
Need a fast compliance check in Atlanta or Fulton County? Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Atlanta, Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, or unincorporated Fulton property — we’ll right-size your containers, draft resident education, and prepare inspection-ready documentation so you can avoid fines and keep residents happy.
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