Solid Waste transition to refuse roll carts

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All refuse to be collected must be placed in a City-provided roll cart. All refuse must fit inside the cart with the lid closed. The cart will not be emptied if the cart is overflowing or has trash placed on top of the lid. Bags left on the curb will not be picked up.

Only regular household trash and yard waste can be put into the carts. Although it is not required, the City recommends that customers place their trash in a bag or container to prevent litter from blowing around.

Need to request a different size?

Click image for information


The Utility’s goal is to provide the best possible service to our customers. A proven method of solid waste collection, automated collection allows the City of Columbia Solid Waste Utility to increase the efficiency of collection while improving safety for our workers.

Also, the use of refuse carts encourages waste reduction through recycling and backyard composting.

For more information, please visit our FAQ page on the City's website or linked on this page .

Between collection days, customers must store their roll carts inside or adjacent to the residential structure or an accessory structure (i.e., detached garage or storage shed).

Carts shall be placed at the curb no earlier than 4 p.m. the day before the customer’s scheduled collection day and no later than 6:30 a.m. on the collection day. Carts must be removed from the curb no later than 10 p.m. on the customer’s collection day.

For more information, please visit our FAQ page on the City's website or linked on this page .

There is no charge for the cart itself. However, customers’ monthly rates are determined based on the size of the cart. For example, a customer who uses a 65-gallon cart will be charged $17.37, meaning there will be no change to the bill. Charges for smaller or larger carts are proportionate to the size of the cart.

  • 35 gallon - $12.87 per month
  • 65 gallon - $17.37 per month (the current fee)
  • 95 gallon - $22.50 per month

Customers may request to exchange their refuse cart one time at no charge within the first 120 days of initially receiving the cart. After the initial 120-day period, customers will be charged a $25 exchange fee per cart.

Need to request a different size?

Additional carts and one-time extra collections will be available for additional fees.

For more information, please visit our FAQ page on the City's website or linked on this page.

Please note

City of Columbia Utilities is getting many requests from the public through City Council members regarding the transition to automated collections. Particularly as it relates to refuse collections staff performing manual collection at the curb. Unfortunately, things do not always go as planned. When it was decided to begin the transition to automated collection, it was with the knowledge that the three smaller automated collection trucks would not be delivered. The 10 large automated collection trucks would be sufficient to begin the transition. 

There are a total of nine large truck collection routes and two small truck collection routes each day. Without the small trucks available, it was realized that rear-loading trucks that are equipped with cart tipping mechanisms would have to be used for these routes. While the rear-loading trucks are equipped with cart tipping mechanisms that are capable of tipping the carts, many of the collection staff choose to pull the bags out of the roll cart and manually place the bags in the truck. Some of the collection staff choose the manual collection method because that is more familiar to them.

The residential curbside refuse collection operation requires the use of two rear-loading trucks that are equipped with cart tipping mechanisms. These two trucks are utilized to collect the large bulky items that cannot be collected with the automated side-load trucks. These two rear-loading trucks are also being used with the initial implementation to augment the automated collection operation by collecting refuse carts that were not properly placed the day prior. Many customers are placing bags next to the carts, and many requests for skipped collection service are being received. These staff are also addressing these requests for skipped collection. 

Additionally, there have been multiple occasions when some of the automated trucks have had mechanical issues and were not available. When this happens, it requires the use of additional rear-loading trucks. Again, these trucks have the ability to mechanically tip the carts. Some collection staff choose to pull the bags out of the roll cart and manually place the bags in the truck. 

Solid Waste has also received more than 1,400 customer requests to switch to a larger size roll cart. It will take some time to switch out these carts, and there will continue to be issues until the changes are complete.

It should also be noted that the automated residential curbside refuse collection operation is brand new. It will take several weeks for both the collection staff and customers to become familiar with this new operation. We ask for customer’s patience and understanding and we work through the challenges for both staff and customers.

The Solid Waste Utility received its first side-loader truck for automated residential collection on Wednesday, Nov. 15.


All refuse to be collected must be placed in a City-provided roll cart. All refuse must fit inside the cart with the lid closed. The cart will not be emptied if the cart is overflowing or has trash placed on top of the lid. Bags left on the curb will not be picked up.

Only regular household trash and yard waste can be put into the carts. Although it is not required, the City recommends that customers place their trash in a bag or container to prevent litter from blowing around.

Need to request a different size?

Click image for information


The Utility’s goal is to provide the best possible service to our customers. A proven method of solid waste collection, automated collection allows the City of Columbia Solid Waste Utility to increase the efficiency of collection while improving safety for our workers.

Also, the use of refuse carts encourages waste reduction through recycling and backyard composting.

For more information, please visit our FAQ page on the City's website or linked on this page .

Between collection days, customers must store their roll carts inside or adjacent to the residential structure or an accessory structure (i.e., detached garage or storage shed).

Carts shall be placed at the curb no earlier than 4 p.m. the day before the customer’s scheduled collection day and no later than 6:30 a.m. on the collection day. Carts must be removed from the curb no later than 10 p.m. on the customer’s collection day.

For more information, please visit our FAQ page on the City's website or linked on this page .

There is no charge for the cart itself. However, customers’ monthly rates are determined based on the size of the cart. For example, a customer who uses a 65-gallon cart will be charged $17.37, meaning there will be no change to the bill. Charges for smaller or larger carts are proportionate to the size of the cart.

  • 35 gallon - $12.87 per month
  • 65 gallon - $17.37 per month (the current fee)
  • 95 gallon - $22.50 per month

Customers may request to exchange their refuse cart one time at no charge within the first 120 days of initially receiving the cart. After the initial 120-day period, customers will be charged a $25 exchange fee per cart.

Need to request a different size?

Additional carts and one-time extra collections will be available for additional fees.

For more information, please visit our FAQ page on the City's website or linked on this page.

Please note

City of Columbia Utilities is getting many requests from the public through City Council members regarding the transition to automated collections. Particularly as it relates to refuse collections staff performing manual collection at the curb. Unfortunately, things do not always go as planned. When it was decided to begin the transition to automated collection, it was with the knowledge that the three smaller automated collection trucks would not be delivered. The 10 large automated collection trucks would be sufficient to begin the transition. 

There are a total of nine large truck collection routes and two small truck collection routes each day. Without the small trucks available, it was realized that rear-loading trucks that are equipped with cart tipping mechanisms would have to be used for these routes. While the rear-loading trucks are equipped with cart tipping mechanisms that are capable of tipping the carts, many of the collection staff choose to pull the bags out of the roll cart and manually place the bags in the truck. Some of the collection staff choose the manual collection method because that is more familiar to them.

The residential curbside refuse collection operation requires the use of two rear-loading trucks that are equipped with cart tipping mechanisms. These two trucks are utilized to collect the large bulky items that cannot be collected with the automated side-load trucks. These two rear-loading trucks are also being used with the initial implementation to augment the automated collection operation by collecting refuse carts that were not properly placed the day prior. Many customers are placing bags next to the carts, and many requests for skipped collection service are being received. These staff are also addressing these requests for skipped collection. 

Additionally, there have been multiple occasions when some of the automated trucks have had mechanical issues and were not available. When this happens, it requires the use of additional rear-loading trucks. Again, these trucks have the ability to mechanically tip the carts. Some collection staff choose to pull the bags out of the roll cart and manually place the bags in the truck. 

Solid Waste has also received more than 1,400 customer requests to switch to a larger size roll cart. It will take some time to switch out these carts, and there will continue to be issues until the changes are complete.

It should also be noted that the automated residential curbside refuse collection operation is brand new. It will take several weeks for both the collection staff and customers to become familiar with this new operation. We ask for customer’s patience and understanding and we work through the challenges for both staff and customers.

The Solid Waste Utility received its first side-loader truck for automated residential collection on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

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    Residential curbside collection

    Please answer a few questions to help us evaluate Solid Waste residential curbside collections in Columbia.

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