Copyright 2025 by Forsyth County, Georgia

Recycling & Recycling Centers

Forsyth County Recycling and Solid Waste Department operates three public convenience centers for recycling and disposal of bagged household trash. Center Hours are Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Sundays and county holidays.

*The Forsyth County Recycling Convenience Centers are for Forsyth County residents only.

Most recycling is free. *There are fees for Electronics, Paint, and Tires. (see below) 

Residential household trash disposal fee: $0.50 per bag if you also bring recycling, $1.00 per bag for non-recycling customers. 5 bag limit per day. Maximum size of bag: 32 gallon. The Centers accept cash only.

Residential trash and recycling only (no commercial or business waste accepted).

The next Household Hazardous Waste Recycling & Disposal Event will be held this Spring, Saturday, March 22, 2025. Pre-registration is required. For details, click here.

2025 HOLIDAYS

  • Wednesday, January 1
  • Monday, January 20
  • Monday, May 26
  • Friday, July 4
  • Monday, September 1
  • Tuesday, November 11
  • Thursday, November 27 & Friday, November 28
  • Wednesday, December 24 & Thursday, December 25

Locations

Tolbert Street

 

Address
351 Tolbert Street
Cumming, GA 30040
 


Phone
770-781-2176 


Hours
Mon - Sat
7:30AM - 5PM

Old Atlanta

 

Address
3678 Old Atlanta Road
Suwanee, GA 30024
 


Phone
770-205-3010 


Hours
Mon - Sat
7:30AM - 5PM

Coal Mountain

 

Address
3560 Settingdown Road
Cumming, GA 30028
 


Phone
770-781-2071 


Hours
Mon - Sat
7:30AM - 5PM

ITEMS THAT CAN BE RECYCLED AT THE CENTERS: 

Boxes: Paperboard and corrugated cardboard (Please flatten all boxes and cut down large boxes to maximum 30 inches in length.)

Paper: Newspapers, office paper, envelopes, shredded paper (keep in bag), magazines, junk mail, phone books, and catalogs

Unacceptable Paper: paper towels, tissue, wax coated, food stained paper

Glass: Clear, brown, green, blue (food and beverage containers ONLY)

Unacceptable Glass: light bulbs, window glass, drinking glasses, mirrors, crystal, chinaware

Aluminum Cans: All types of aluminum beverage cans, clean foil and foil pans

Food Cans: Steel or tin, and food cans

Scrap Metal: All oil, gas liquids must be removed from metal items before recycling. Metal car parts, washers, dryers, dishwashers, microwaves, sinks, tools, shelving, open drums, water heaters, lawn mowers, grills, pipes, wire, fencing, tire rims, etc. are accepted.

Unacceptable Scrap Metal: propane tanks, aerosol cans, flammable items, pressurized tanks, paint cans, items containing freon.  

Plastics Bin: Only plastic bottles, jugs, and food containers with a #1 or #2 imprinted in the chasing arrows symbol on the bottom, or bottles with this how2recycle label accepted. Nothing larger than 1 gallon in size. 

Hefty ReNew Program Plastics BinPlastic packaging, plastic bags and wraps, styrofoam products, plastic dinnerware. Click here for details and full list. 

*PLEASE NOTE: You must purchase orange Hefty ReNew bags in order to use the Hefty Bin. Loose Styrofoam, loose plastic items, or Styrofoam or plastic in any other type of bag are not permitted.

*Unacceptable Plastics (for Plastics or Hefty Bin) include: plastic storage tubs or lids, plastic tubing, large plastic items such as buckets, chairs, barrels, kiddie pools, toys, etc. regardless of the number on them, plastics with no numbers (other than those with how2recycle label- see above)

Paint: Liquid or dried latex-based and oil based paints and stains in original containers. We do not accept leaking cans.

  • Latex

1 quart can or smaller- $1 

1 gallon can- $3                             

2 gallon bucket- $5

5 gallon bucket- $10 

  • Oil

1 pint can- $1

1 quart can- $2

1 gallon bucket- $4

5 gallon bucket- $15

Books: All types, hardback and paperback accepted in any condition

Clothing and Shoes: All sizes in any condition

Eyeglasses and Sunglasses: Any condition

Ink Cartridges: Ink jet, laser toner

Cooking Oil: Peanut, vegetable, olive, canola (NO synthetic oils)

Propane Canisters: Small empty non-refillable cylinders only

Motor Oil: Used motor oil free of gas, water, and other chemicals

Oil filters: Used oil filters of all types

Antifreeze: All types

U.S. Flags: Cloth only, any condition.

Batteries: Rechargeable batteries, Alkaline batteries, and Lead Acid batteries

*Learn how to safely prepare your batteries for drop off here.

Tires: Coal Mountain Location Only- Tires: $3 each, $15 on the rim. No solid tires.

Limit 6 tires per week. For larger quantities, please call our office.

Electronics: Tolbert Street Location Only- Televisions: $12 each

(No wood console or rear projection TVs)

All Other Electronics: $2 per item or $5 unlimited 

PLEASE NOTE: We are a Convenience Center and not a landfill. We take BAGGED household trash and recyclables only as specified.

ITEMS THAT WE DO NOT ACCEPT:

NO yard waste

NO hazardous materials

NO liquid cleaners, liquid pesticides or liquid fertilizers - as a general rule these types of liquid should be absorbed into some type of material like kitty litter or rags and dried completely. The dried material can then be bagged and disposed of as regular household trash. (Trash disposal fee applies. Or you may bring them to our bi-annual Household Hazardous Waste Event.

NO mattresses, furniture, large item of any type that will not fit into a trash bag (32 gallon size or less). Large metal items, electronics, and tires are the only exception and can be recycled according to the center guidelines. *For electronics and tires, disposal fee applies.

NO Styrofoam in the recycling - styrofoam must be bagged and disposed of in trash. (Trash disposal fee applies.)

For disposal options for items we do not accept, please see Frequently Asked Questions.