Chattanooga Recycling Drop-Off 2026: Hours, Locations & Items

Official Screenshot Guide: Chattanooga Recycle Centers Hours & Locations

This screenshot belongs near the first action section because users need to recognize the official Chattanooga.gov page where the city lists hours, five addresses, holiday closures, accepted items and non-accepted items.

Image description: this visual reference helps readers find the official section for Chattanooga’s five recycle-center locations, weekday/weekend hours, Monday closure, holiday closure list, accepted materials and non-accepted materials.

Chattanooga Recycling Drop-Off Overview

A Chattanooga recycling search can mean recycle drop-off centers, curbside recycling, refuse collection centers, household hazardous waste, brush and bulk collection, wood recycling, landfill disposal or a compost/glass pilot. This page focuses first on the five official recycle centers, then explains when another City service is the safer route.

The most important difference is glass. Chattanooga’s curbside guidance says glass is not accepted inside the curbside recycle container, but brown, green and clear glass can be taken to recycle centers. So for glass bottles and jars, drop-off is usually the correct route.

Chattanooga Recycle Center Hours, Open Today and Sunday Help

The posted recycle-center schedule is Tuesday through Friday 10:00 AM–6:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM–6:00 PM, and Sunday 1:00 PM–5:00 PM. Centers are closed on Mondays and listed City holidays.

Chattanooga Recycling Drop-Off Locations and Map Links

The City lists five official recycle center locations. Pick the closest location, but check item notes first because cooking oil is not accepted at Batters Place Road and some items need HHW, Wood Recycling or Refuse Collection Centers instead.

Accepted Items at Chattanooga Recycle Centers

The official recycle-center page lists aluminum cans, newspaper, cardboard, #1 and #2 plastic containers, computer electronics, steel cans, glass, cooking oil except at Batters Place Road, and mixed paper. Rinse food containers before drop-off.

Items Not Accepted at Chattanooga Recycle Centers — and What to Do Instead

Do not bring clothes, plastic bags, DVD players, Styrofoam, non-computer electronics, televisions, fluorescent bulbs, VCRs, food, yard waste or large toys to the regular recycle centers. These materials can contaminate loads, damage sorting systems or require a different official route.

Glass Recycling in Chattanooga: Use Drop-Off, Not the Curbside Cart

Glass is one of the most common Chattanooga recycling mistakes. The City’s curbside recycling guidance says glass is not accepted inside the curbside recycle container, while brown, green and clear glass can be taken to one of the recycle centers throughout the city.

Empty bottles and jars first. Keep glass separate when possible, and do not mix food waste, plastic bags, bulbs, window glass, mirrors, ceramics or dishes with glass containers unless an official page clearly says they are accepted.

Computer Electronics vs TVs and Non-Computer Electronics

Computer electronics are listed as acceptable materials at Chattanooga recycle centers. The same official page lists televisions, DVD players, VCRs and non-computer electronics as non-accepted materials. This matters because “electronics recycling” does not mean every electronic device belongs at a recycle center.

Before taking a computer, remove personal data where possible. Back up files, sign out of accounts, remove memory cards and wipe drives. A drop-off center handles the material stream; it is not automatically a data-destruction service.

Curbside Recycling vs Drop-Off Recycling

Chattanooga’s curbside recycling is separate from drop-off recycling. The City provides biweekly curbside recycling collections to households and businesses, and the curbside page says recycle containers are free of charge. Curbside material must be clean, food-free, not bagged and inside a cart with the lid closed.

Where Chattanooga Recyclables Go After Drop-Off

The City says recyclables are delivered to a Materials Recovery Facility for processing, with WestRock identified as the MRF. After sorting and baling, material can move to processors for steel, aluminum, fibers, glass and #1/#2 plastics.

Hard-to-Recycle Plastics and Hefty ReNew Orange Bags

For plastics outside normal #1 and #2 container recycling, Chattanooga’s official recycle-center page points to the Hefty ReNew program. The partner page says Hamilton County / City of Chattanooga participants can bring full orange bags to the five recycling convenience centers. Use this only for the program’s accepted items, not as a replacement for regular recycling rules.

Household Hazardous Waste: Paint, Chemicals, Bulbs and Batteries

Do not treat household hazardous waste like normal drop-off recycling. Chattanooga’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility is listed Tuesday through Saturday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The official page says a state-issued driver’s license showing Tennessee residency must be present during drop-off.

The HHW page says the facility accepts only residential hazardous materials, not commercial waste, and lists a maximum of 15 gallons or 150 pounds per household. Latex/acrylic paint is not accepted because the City says it is not toxic.

How to transport hazardous waste safely

Keep products sealed and in original containers when possible. Store upright, keep away from children, pets, food and heat, place leaking containers inside a sturdy sealed container with absorbent material, and transport materials in the trunk so spills are away from passengers.

Wood Recycling Center: Brush, Leaves, Natural Wood and Mulch

Yard waste and wood debris do not belong at regular recycle centers. Chattanooga’s Wood Recycling Center is at 4063 North Hawthorne Street and is listed Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 3:50 PM, with holiday closures.

City residents may dispose of acceptable wood waste in a standard-size pickup truck or single-axle trailer at no charge. Non-city residents, businesses and contractors are listed with a standard disposal fee. Payment types listed are checks, credit card and money order; no cash or coin.

Refuse Collection Centers Are Not the Same as Recycle Centers

Chattanooga also has Refuse Collection Centers for bulky trash items generated by City households. These are not the same as recycle centers. They have their own locations, residency proof rules, visit limits, load limits and accepted/non-accepted materials.

If your item is a mattress, appliance, furniture, drywall, tire, metal, microwave, toy or bulky trash item, check the refuse page instead of treating it like recycling. Refuse centers are closed Mondays and list a 12-visits-per-calendar-year limit for residents, plus driver’s license / City residency and Hamilton County tag rules.

Fees and Cost: What Is Free and What May Cost Money

The regular recycle-center page does not present a per-load fee for Hamilton County residents using the five recycle centers. But not every City waste route is free or open to everyone. Wood Recycling Center fees apply to non-city residents, businesses and contractors, while HHW is residential-only and commercial hazardous waste must use a commercial hauler.

Composting and Glass Pilot: When It Helps

The City also describes voluntary composting and glass recycling pilot programs. Compost drop-off kiosks are described as being installed at each of Chattanooga’s five recycling centers and available to City residents. Pilot participation may require sign-up through partner websites, so do not confuse a pilot sign-up with normal drop-off recycling.

This section is useful if your real goal is food scraps or a pilot-program glass route. If you only have regular glass bottles and jars, the official recycle centers remain the basic drop-off route.

Common Chattanooga Recycling Drop-Off Mistakes

Most wasted trips happen because a visitor has the right City service but the wrong material stream. Sort first, choose the correct route, and do not mix trash, food, plastic bags, hazardous materials, TVs or yard waste with recyclables.

Before-You-Go Checklist

1. Confirm you mean Chattanooga, Tennessee. This page is for the City of Chattanooga recycle-center system serving Hamilton County residents.
2. Check the day and holiday status. Recycle centers are closed Mondays and listed holidays. Sunday hours are shorter than weekday and Saturday hours.
3. Pick the right location. Use one of the five official drop-off centers and open the map before loading.
4. Sort at home. Separate glass, cardboard, mixed paper, cans, #1/#2 plastic containers and computer electronics.
5. Rinse food containers. The City notes rinsing food containers for #1/#2 plastics and steel cans.
6. Keep bags out. Do not bag recyclables and do not include plastic bags.
7. Use HHW for hazardous materials. Paint thinner, oil-based paint, batteries, bulbs, chemicals and motor oil should follow HHW guidance.
8. Use the Wood Recycling Center for yard waste. Brush, leaves and natural wood are not regular recycle-center items.
9. Use Refuse Collection Centers for bulky trash. Appliances, furniture, mattresses, drywall, tires and similar bulky items may belong there instead.

Chattanooga Recycling Drop-Off Map

The map below uses a broad Chattanooga recycle-center search because the City lists five official drop-off locations, not one single recycling center. Use the official City page to confirm the exact address, hours and material rules before you drive.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chattanooga Recycling Drop-Off