Choose the Right Chattanooga Drop-Off Center Before You Load the Car
Chattanooga operates five City recycling centers for Hamilton County residents. They accept common recyclable materials such as cardboard, paper, cans, glass, #1 and #2 plastics, computer electronics and cooking oil at qualifying locations.
The centers are different from Chattanooga’s refuse centers, Household Hazardous Waste Facility and Wood Recycling Center. Matching your material to the correct facility is the easiest way to avoid a rejected load.
Five official City locations
Brainerd Road · East 3rd Street · Cummings Highway · Batters Place Road · North Access Road
Fast answer: Chattanooga’s City recycling centers are open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Saturday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Sunday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. They are closed Mondays and on listed City holidays.
Important distinction: the City’s recycling-center page says Hamilton County residents may use the five recycling centers. Other Chattanooga waste facilities, especially refuse centers and free wood-disposal services, can have stricter City-of-Chattanooga residency rules.
On this page
City of Chattanooga Recycling Center Hours
The City currently publishes the same regular schedule for all five recycling centers. Holiday closures apply, so a normal Tuesday through Sunday schedule should not be treated as a guarantee on a City holiday.
Holiday closures
The City lists recycling-center closures for New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Easter, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Before a holiday trip: check Chattanooga’s official recycling-center page or call 311. Weather, operational notices or temporary service updates can affect access independently of the regular schedule.
Five City of Chattanooga Recycling Center Locations
These are the five addresses currently listed by Chattanooga Public Works. For normal accepted recycling, choose the location that is most convenient to you.
| Location | Address | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| Brainerd Road | 5955 Brainerd Road | General City recycling drop-off for accepted materials. |
| East 3rd Street | 1250 E. 3rd Street | Central Chattanooga recycling access. |
| Cummings Highway | 3189 Cummings Hwy | Useful for west and southwest Chattanooga-area trips. |
| Batters Place Road | 8004 Batters Place Road | Normal recycling accepted, but the City specifically excludes cooking oil at this location. |
| North Access Road | 4504 N. Access Road | Do not confuse this recycling address with the refuse center at 4500 North Access Road. |
North Access Road has two nearby City facilities. The recycling center is at 4504 N. Access Road. The bulky-trash refuse center is at 4500 North Access Road. They have different material rules even though the addresses are close.
What Chattanooga Recycling Centers Accept
The City’s current drop-off list includes the following materials. Keep containers reasonably clean and separate materials according to the bins and instructions at the site.
Paper & cardboard
Cardboard Mixed paper Newspaper
Flatten cardboard before leaving home when practical.
Metal containers
Aluminum cans Steel cans
Food containers should be emptied and rinsed.
Plastic #1 and #2
#1 containers #2 containers
Chattanooga’s normal recycling stream does not accept plastics #3 through #7.
Glass
Brown glass Green glass Clear glass
Glass belongs at the City’s drop-off centers, not in the standard curbside recycling cart.
Computer electronics
The City lists computer electronics as acceptable at normal recycling centers.
Non-computer electronics and televisions are treated differently.
Cooking oil
Cooking oil is accepted at City recycling centers except Batters Place Road.
Transport it in a secure, sealed container to reduce spill risk.
Items Not Accepted at the Five Normal Recycling Centers
The City specifically lists several items that should not be left in ordinary recycling-center containers.
Household items
Clothes Large toys Food Styrofoam
Plastic & packaging
Plastic bags Plastics #3–#7
Do not use a plastic bag to hold otherwise recyclable materials.
Electronics
Televisions DVD players VCRs Non-computer electronics
Lighting
Fluorescent bulbs
Fluorescent lighting belongs with the City’s hazardous-material guidance rather than normal recycling.
Yard material
Yard waste Brush Leaves
Use the Wood Recycling Center for qualifying natural wood and yard debris.
Bulky waste
Furniture, mattresses, appliances and similar bulky household items should be evaluated through Chattanooga’s refuse-center or bulk-collection rules instead.
Glass Recycling: Drop-Off and the 2026 Curbside Pilot Are Different
Glass is accepted at Chattanooga’s five recycling centers. Brown, green and clear glass should not be placed inside the regular curbside recycling cart.
Separately, Chattanooga renewed its curbside glass recycling pilot for an additional year beginning July 1, 2026. That program operates through Overlooked Materials and is available only in selected participating neighborhoods.
Normal glass drop-off
Use one of the City’s five recycling centers for eligible brown, green or clear glass.
Curbside glass pilot
The renewed pilot serves selected zones including Belvoir, Brainerd, Brainerd Hills, Missionary Ridge, Ridgedale and Highland Park. Enrollment and service instructions are handled separately from the normal blue-cart recycling program.
Do not put glass in the standard curbside recycling cart. The special curbside glass pilot does not change the rules for Chattanooga’s ordinary recycling container.
Food-Scrap Compost Kiosks at All Five Recycling Centers
Chattanooga’s compost program changed substantially in 2026. Following the earlier pilot, the City announced in August 2026 that free NewTerra compost kiosk access is available to Chattanooga residents, with kiosks located at all five City recycling centers.
Who can participate: Chattanooga residents.
Registration: enrollment is required through NewTerra.
Businesses: the City says business participation is not allowed.
Important: food scraps go into the dedicated compost kiosk system, not the City’s ordinary recycling bins.
The earlier curbside food-scrap pilot ended June 30, 2026. The continuing option is the registered drop-off kiosk system available through participating NewTerra locations, including the five City recycling centers.
Chattanooga Curbside Recycling Uses Different Rules
Chattanooga provides biweekly curbside recycling to eligible households and businesses. Recycle containers are currently listed as free of charge, and residents can order service through 311 or the City’s recycling program.
Before collection
- Place the cart curbside by 7:00 AM.
- Keep the lid fully closed.
- Do not overfill the container.
- Do not place recyclables on the ground or on top of the cart.
- Do not bag recyclables.
- Break down cardboard.
- Keep recyclable containers free of food debris.
Curbside accepts
Clean paper and cardboard, qualifying paper containers, #1 and #2 plastic bottles/cups/containers, and clean steel or aluminum bottles and cans.
Curbside does not accept
Glass, wood debris, clothes, food, large toys, plastic bags, yard waste and aerosol cans.
Use Refuse Collection Centers for Qualifying Bulky Household Trash
Chattanooga’s three refuse collection centers are separate from the five recycling centers. They are intended for qualifying bulky residential material generated at the City residence where the customer lives.
| Refuse center | Address |
|---|---|
| Airport Road | 4276 Airport Road |
| North Access Road | 4500 North Access Road |
| West 57th Street | 1400 West 57th Street |
Important refuse-center limits
- City of Chattanooga residents only.
- Up to 12 disposal visits per calendar year.
- Valid driver’s license showing City residency is required; new residents may need a utility bill.
- A valid Hamilton County vehicle tag is required.
- Commercial tags are not accepted.
- No contractors, businesses or landlords.
- No tandem-axle trailers, dump bodies or trucks larger than a standard pickup.
- Loads should not exceed one standard pickup-truck bed.
- Residents are limited to eight bags per visit.
Accepted items include appliances, mattresses, furniture, metal, microwaves, BBQ grills, limited drywall, auto tires subject to the City’s stated limits, toys, vinyl, lumber and landscape timbers.
Household Hazardous Waste Goes to a Separate Facility
The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility accepts qualifying hazardous materials generated by Tennessee households. It is not the same service as normal City recycling.
Examples accepted
- Oil-based paint
- Gasoline
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Paint remover and thinner
- Wet- and dry-cell batteries
- Compact fluorescent tubes
- Propane cylinders up to the City’s listed limit
- Motor oil and vehicle fluids
- Computer-related electronics
Examples not accepted
- Latex paint
- Commercial hazardous waste
- Ammunition
- Explosives
- Medical waste
- Biological waste
- Unidentifiable waste
- Non-computer electronics
The current posted HHW schedule is Tuesday through Saturday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. A Tennessee driver’s license showing residency is required at drop-off.
Transport hazardous material carefully. Chattanooga advises keeping products sealed and upright, securing containers from movement and using secondary containment with absorbent material for leaking containers.
Wood Recycling Center for Brush, Leaves and Natural Wood
Qualifying wood waste should go to the Wood Recycling Center at 4063 North Hawthorne Street, Chattanooga, TN 37406.
Accepted
- Raw natural wood
- Brush
- Leaves
Not accepted
- Treated lumber
- Pallets
- Glued wood
- Wood with nails
- Paneling and plywood
- Painted wood
- Railroad ties
- Root balls and stumps
- Dirt, rocks and trash
City residents may also receive mulch at no charge with a valid driver’s license, subject to the City’s load-size and daily-limit rules. Loads must be covered before leaving the facility.
Before You Visit a Chattanooga Recycling Center
- Identify the material first. Normal recyclables, bulky trash, hazardous waste, wood waste and food scraps use different Chattanooga programs.
- Choose one of the five correct recycling addresses. Avoid confusing 4504 N. Access Road recycling with 4500 North Access Road refuse disposal.
- Check the day. Normal City recycling centers are closed every Monday.
- Check for a holiday closure. Multiple City holidays override the normal weekly schedule.
- Prepare cardboard. Flatten boxes and keep them clean enough for recycling.
- Rinse food containers. Clean #1/#2 plastic containers and metal cans before drop-off.
- Keep plastic bags out. They are not accepted in the normal City recycling-center stream.
- Separate glass from curbside recycling. Use a drop-off center or an eligible special glass-pilot service.
- Check cooking oil location. Do not take cooking oil to the Batters Place Road recycling center.
- Call when uncertain. Use 311 or 423-643-6311 before transporting an unusual or questionable load.
Map of Chattanooga City Recycling Centers
The map below uses a broad City of Chattanooga recycling-center search because there are five official drop-off locations. Choose the closest City address and then confirm that your material belongs in the recycling stream.
Five City recycling addresses
- 5955 Brainerd Road
- 1250 E. 3rd Street
- 3189 Cummings Hwy
- 8004 Batters Place Road
- 4504 N. Access Road
City recycling help
Call 311 within Chattanooga or 423-643-6311 for Solid Waste and Recycling questions.
Official Chattanooga Recycling Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How many City of Chattanooga recycling centers are there?
The City currently lists five recycling drop-off centers: 5955 Brainerd Road, 1250 E. 3rd Street, 3189 Cummings Hwy, 8004 Batters Place Road and 4504 N. Access Road.
What are Chattanooga recycling center hours?
Regular hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Saturday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Sunday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The centers are closed Mondays and listed City holidays.
Who can use the City recycling centers?
Chattanooga’s current recycling-center page says Hamilton County residents are allowed to use the five City recycling centers.
Does Chattanooga accept glass at recycling centers?
Yes. Glass is accepted at the City’s drop-off recycling centers. Brown, green and clear glass should not be placed inside the ordinary curbside recycling cart.
Does Chattanooga accept cardboard?
Yes. Cardboard is accepted at City recycling centers and qualifying clean flattened cardboard is also accepted in the standard curbside recycling program.
Are plastic bags accepted?
No. Plastic bags are listed as non-acceptable at Chattanooga’s normal recycling centers. Recyclables should not be delivered inside plastic bags.
Are plastics #3 through #7 accepted?
No. Chattanooga’s current normal recycling guidance lists #1 and #2 plastic containers and states that plastics #3 through #7 are not accepted in curbside bins or recycling centers.
Can I recycle a television at a normal Chattanooga recycling center?
No. Televisions are listed as non-acceptable at the City’s normal recycling centers. Check the appropriate refuse, electronics or special-disposal route before transporting a TV.
Where do I take household hazardous waste?
Use Chattanooga’s separate Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility. Its published schedule is Tuesday through Saturday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and Tennessee residency documentation is required.
Where do I take brush and leaves?
Use the Wood Recycling Center at 4063 North Hawthorne Street for qualifying raw natural wood, brush and leaves. The normal City recycling centers do not accept yard waste.
Are there compost bins at Chattanooga recycling centers?
Yes. Chattanooga now provides registered NewTerra food-scrap compost kiosks at all five City recycling centers for Chattanooga residents. Registration is required, and the program is not available to businesses.
Is curbside glass recycling available in Chattanooga?
A separate curbside glass pilot was renewed for an additional year beginning July 1, 2026 in selected neighborhoods. That program is separate from ordinary curbside recycling, where glass remains excluded from the standard recycle cart.
Source Verification
This page was refreshed using current City of Chattanooga Public Works information for the five recycling centers, curbside recycling, refuse centers, household hazardous waste, the Wood Recycling Center, composting and the renewed curbside glass program.
Operating hours, holidays, facility rules and special programs can change. For an unusual material, a holiday visit or any uncertain load, check the current City page or call 311 / 423-643-6311 before driving.