Marietta and Cobb County property owners and community managers: simplify recycling compliance while boosting resident satisfaction. National Doorstep’s valet trash & recycling service is built to align with the City of Marietta solid waste and recycling requirements and the Cobb County Solid Waste Ordinance (including its mandatory-offer recycling provisions and multi-family enforcement tools) to reduce contamination and enhance NOI — all with a turnkey, inspector-friendly program.
In unincorporated Cobb County, permitted residential solid waste haulers are required to offer recycling service to their residential customers, which includes multifamily properties. At the same time, the City of Marietta controls solid waste and recycling through its own Chapter 5-8 – Solid Waste Collection and Disposal, which requires city sanitation service and regulates how waste and recyclable material are stored, set out, and collected for residents in apartments, condos, and other housing types.
- NOI & Property Value Lift: Cleaner, code-aligned waste and recycling areas improve curb appeal, reduce overflow, and support higher resident retention.
- Resident Convenience & Cleanliness: Doorstep collection reduces cart room crowding, dumpster overflow, litter, and contamination — especially at peak move-in/move-out periods.
- Compliance Simplified: Program design that matches Cobb County’s Chapter 102 – Solid Waste and the City of Marietta Chapter 5-8 framework for proper storage, container usage, and nuisance control.
- Code-Backed Design: Inspector-friendly container layouts, signage, resident education, and documentation to help you avoid ongoing code-enforcement actions, fines, and penalties.
At a Glance: City of Marietta vs Unincorporated Cobb County
City of Marietta
- Mandate Type: City-Provided Solid Waste & Recycling Program with nuisance and container standards under Chapter 5-8 – Solid Waste Collection and Disposal.
- Applicability Threshold: Applies to all residential accounts served by the City of Marietta, including apartments and other multifamily communities using city sanitation service. The code does not create a separate “6+ units must recycle” rule, but all properties must comply with storage, container, and nuisance provisions.
- Duties: Properties must:
- Use authorized city sanitation service.
- Store solid waste and recyclable material in approved containers and locations.
- Prevent overflowing dumpsters, scattered trash, and other nuisance conditions.
- Provide safe, accessible collection points for city crews and residents.
- Enforcement: Violations of Chapter 5-8 are prosecuted as misdemeanors under the city’s general penalties. Each day and each location can count as a separate offense, and chronic violations can also impact a business license.
- Key City Links:
City of Marietta Code of Ordinances (Municode)
Marietta – Chapter 5-8: Solid Waste Collection & Disposal
City of Marietta Sanitation & Recycling Info
Unincorporated Cobb County
- Mandate Type: Mandatory Offer to Recycle for residential customers (including multifamily accounts) under Chapter 102 – Solid Waste, Article II.
- Applicability Threshold (Multifamily): Applies broadly to all residential properties served by county-permitted haulers in unincorporated Cobb County. There is no explicit minimum unit count; if your apartment or condo community is a residential customer, the hauler must offer recycling service.
- Program Duties (Practically): Under the mandatory-offer framework, owners and managers of multifamily communities are expected to:
- Contract with a county-permitted solid waste hauler.
- Ensure the hauler offers recycling service to the property and add recycling service as part of the waste contract where feasible.
- Provide appropriately sized containers and collection frequency to minimize overflow and litter.
- Educate residents on what can and cannot be placed in recycling containers to reduce contamination.
- Enforcement: Violations of Chapter 102 can be prosecuted as misdemeanors, with fines and potential jail time. Cobb County also uses permitting and inspection tools to enforce compliance on haulers and, where applicable, on property owners.
- Key County Links:
Cobb County Code of Ordinances (Municode)
Cobb County – Chapter 102: Solid Waste
Cobb County & Keep Cobb Beautiful – Recycling Info
Cobb County Solid Waste & Hauler Resources
Fines & Penalties Snapshot
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City of Marietta – Solid Waste & Recycling Non-Compliance:
Violations of Chapter 5-8 – Solid Waste Collection and Disposal are treated as misdemeanors under the City’s general penalty provisions. In practice, this can include:
• Fines up to $1,000 per offense, and/or
• Confinement of up to six months,
with each day and each location of violation potentially treated as a separate offense. For ongoing nuisance conditions at a multifamily community, enforcement can escalate and may lead to additional actions affecting the property’s business license or operating approvals. -
Cobb County – Solid Waste & Mandatory-Offer Non-Compliance:
Under Chapter 102 – Solid Waste, violations (including failure by a hauler to comply with permit conditions or mandatory-offer requirements) can result in:
• A misdemeanor charge with fines up to $1,000 per violation and/or up to 60 days in jail;
• Escalating fines for repeat offenses within a 12-month period; and
• Administrative actions against hauler permits (suspension or revocation) for repeated non-compliance.
For multifamily communities, the biggest risk is being tied to a pattern of non-compliance that leads to inspections, corrective orders, and potential daily fines if underlying issues (overflowing containers, chronic litter, improper handling) are not resolved. -
Multi-Family Inspections & Nuisance Enforcement:
Both Marietta and Cobb County have broader property maintenance and public nuisance tools that can be used alongside solid waste rules. For apartment communities, repeated problems such as overflowing dumpsters, scattered trash, and blocked collection areas can trigger:
• Additional inspections and re-inspection fees;
• Per-day fines until conditions are corrected; and
• Potential liens or business-license impacts for unresolved violations. - Tip: By maintaining hauler contracts, service logs, photos of clean corral areas, and copies of resident recycling education, you present inspectors with a clear record of good-faith compliance — which is the best way to avoid daily penalties and escalated enforcement.
Property Manager Compliance Checklist (Marietta & Cobb County Multifamily)
| Task | Action / Requirement | Authoritative Links |
|---|---|---|
| ☑ Confirm Jurisdiction & Ordinances |
Determine whether your community is located:
• Inside the City of Marietta: Solid waste and recycling are governed by Chapter 5-8 – Solid Waste Collection and Disposal. City sanitation service is required; private haulers are generally not allowed for residential accounts. • In unincorporated Cobb County: Your property is covered by Chapter 102 – Solid Waste, including the mandatory-offer recycling requirement for county-permitted haulers. • In another Cobb city (e.g., Smyrna, Kennesaw, etc.): Check that city’s ordinance; many have their own sanitation rules separate from Cobb County Chapter 102. |
Marietta Code of Ordinances Cobb County Code of Ordinances Marietta Sanitation |
| ☑ Subscribe to Required Trash & Recycling Service |
Ensure your property has active, documented service for both trash and recycling:
• In Marietta, confirm your account is correctly set up with city sanitation service for your building type and volume. • In unincorporated Cobb County, use a county-permitted hauler and confirm that your contract includes a recycling service option, in line with the mandatory-offer requirement. • Right-size container counts and pickup frequency for your resident population and seasonality to avoid overflow. |
Cobb County Solid Waste – Hauler List Marietta Sanitation Service Info Cobb County Chapter 102 – Solid Waste |
| ☑ Containers, Corral Layout & Signage |
Provide clearly labeled trash and recycling containers in convenient, safe locations for residents:
• Size containers and pickup frequency so that dumpsters and carts are not overflowing. • Keep container lids closed and areas free from loose bags, bulky items, and windblown litter. • Post permanent signage at enclosures and collection rooms showing what residents can and cannot place in recycling, using simple language and icons. • Ensure hauler or city truck access (gate codes, adequate turning radius, and clear service hours) to avoid missed pickups. |
Marietta – Solid Waste Standards Cobb County Recycling Resources |
| ☑ Resident Education & Communication |
Build a simple resident communication plan that proves you’re doing your part:
• Provide written recycling instructions to residents at move-in and at regular intervals (for example, twice per year or when there are service changes). • Use door hangers, email blasts, resident-portal messages, and signage in mailrooms or common areas to show residents how to use the recycling areas correctly. • Emphasize contamination hot spots (bagged recyclables, plastic bags, bulky items, and food waste) and how residents should prepare items. • Keep PDFs, screenshots, or printouts of all resident-facing recycling communications as part of your compliance file. |
Keep Cobb Beautiful – Education Materials Marietta Sanitation FAQs |
| ☑ Documentation & Avoiding Daily Fines |
Create an “inspection-ready” binder (digital or physical) for your community:
• Current trash and recycling service agreements, invoices, and route information. • Photos of container areas showing signage, cleanliness, and labels. • A log of contamination issues and corrective actions (e.g., additional pickups, resident notices). • Records of interactions with city or county inspectors, including any correction deadlines and how you resolved them. With this documentation, you are prepared if a Marietta or Cobb County inspector visits and can often resolve issues before they escalate into daily fines, liens, or enforcement hearings. |
Marietta Code Enforcement Cobb County Code Enforcement |
| ☑ Turn Compliance into a Resident Amenity |
Use your recycling program as a leasing and retention advantage:
• Highlight a valet recycling option that saves residents trips to the dumpster. • Emphasize cleaner, safer waste areas with less overflow, fewer pests, and better lighting. • Promote your community’s sustainability efforts in marketing materials and resident events. • Collect feedback from residents on how to make recycling even easier and use that feedback to refine your program design. |
National Doorstep – Valet Trash & Recycling |
Need a fast compliance check in Marietta or Cobb County? Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Marietta or unincorporated Cobb County multifamily property — we’ll right-size your containers, draft resident education, and prepare inspection-ready documentation so you can avoid fines and turn recycling into a resident-focused amenity.
Interested in talking about how we can work together? Here's our contact info.
