New residents will automatically receive the city’s sanitation services. To find out the scheduled pickup day in your area, call 931-520-5249 or click here to find pickup days by address.
Residential garbage is collected using a technologically advanced system of refuse collection. The system uses a special truck, equipped with a mechanical/robotic Arm, automatically lifts and empties special trash containers without the driver ever leaving the cab of the truck. This is a system designed to improve efficiency, make the task of putting out garbage easier and cleaner for the residents, improve the appearance of the Town and greatly reduce the injury potential for town employees. The automated system is safer, more efficient and requires less labor to collect solid waste. In addition, because the mechanical arm performs all the lifting, there is no risk of injury to the operator. This system reduces labor and will allow us to keep up with growing demand without adding routes.
Collection Schedule
The cart is to be placed near street edge by 7 a.m. on the morning of collection and must be removed from the street before 7 p.m. on collection day. Carts are not to be left at the street all week. View the Current Garbage Route
One 96-gallon cart is provided free to each resident This cart should hold all your weekly household garbage. If needed, additional carts may be obtained for a fee from the Public Works Department by calling 931-520-5249. The Sanitation Department will only pick up the 96-gallon roll-out cart that is assigned to your particular residence by the Public Works Department. All other bags, cans, containers or carts will not be picked up.
Guidelines
Please place the cart at least 4 feet from any tree, pole, mailbox, fire hydrant, etc., and at least 10 feet away from any cars parked in the street.
If you lean anything against the container, it can not be lifted for dumping.
Remember to place the arrows on the lid of the container toward the street and the handle toward the house.
Do not drag the cart when moving it. Tilt and roll it with the lid closed.
Keep lid closed at all times.
Store the cart in the backyard, garage, or other convenient location.
Do not store it near a fireplace, furnace, grill or other heat source. Clean the cart periodically with water.
Do not place hot ashes, solvents, paints, or other flammable liquids in the cart.
Do not use the cart to hold hazardous materials such as: dead animals, chemicals, oils, liquids and medical waste, exposed needles, used bandages, etc.
Do not place dirt, rocks, limbs, or building materials in the cart.
Do not overfill the cart to the extent the lid will not fully close. If the lid is not closed, garbage will spill to road so the container will not be emptied.
Do not allow children to play in or on the cart.
The most important feature of the automated system is that it allows one operator to collect 30% more garbage than a three-person manually operated vehicle.
Automated Collection eliminates the need to manually handle the garbage cans, thereby reducing the opportunity for job related injuries.
The curbside, 96-gallon cart is maneuverable and easy to roll. Each one is extremely durable, features a close-fitting lid, will hold as much household garbage as three regular garbage cans and one cart is supplied to each house, free of charge, by the City of Cookeville Public Works Department.
The carts are the property of the City of Cookeville and each one is assigned an address and serial number. All reports of damage or theft will be investigated by calling the Public Works Dept Office at 520-5249. Repairs or replacements will be made as needed.
No, the automated truck can only pick up the city’s 96-gallon containers.
All household refuse/garbage items may be placed in the cart. It is also recommended that garbage items be bagged and tied, then deposited in the cart. This practice will keep your cart cleaner. It is recommended that cardboard boxes be broken down so they take less room in the cart. Yard waste may be placed in the carts but we recommend that they be bagged and tied. If you have several bags of yard waste and cannot get them into the cart, you will need to call 520-5201 or 520-5249 for a special pick up.
Yes, when residents provide us with a doctor’s statement informing us that a resident is unable to take their garbage to the street. Once we have received that statement, we will begin your assisted service.
Additional carts may be purchased for a fee. This is a one-time user fee and the cart remains the property of the City. If a resident moves to another location within the city, the extra purchased cart may be taken, otherwise, the cart stays at the current address and the city will pick up.
If you set out more than one cart for pick up, the carts must be placed at least 3 feet apart.
Special Pick Ups
Household material that is too bulky for your 96 gallon cart such as appliances or furniture will not be collected with the regular garbage. These bulk items are collected separately the first and third Tuesdays of each month by calling 931-520-5201 and leaving the address.