Solid Waste & Recycling
Let’s step back to the year 1990. The Town purchased a rear-loader garbage truck that made more than 200 stops per day, requiring two workers to operate it. Fast forward to today, the Town makes more than 600 stops per day with a more effective and efficient automated side-loader garbage truck, and only one employee is needed to operate the machinery. This new automated system of trash removal keeps Jonesborough’s waste management employees safe and healthy.
Contact
| Chris Craig | Director | 423.753.1006 |
| General Contact | Town Hall | 423.753.1031 |
Chris Craig
Mission Statement
To be recognized throughout our community for providing excellent solid waste & recycle collection services, which provides a sustainable quality of life.
Jonesborough’s Department of Solid Waste operates out of the Pliny Fisk Composting and Recycling Center which is located off W. Main Street near the railroad tracks at 101 Britt Drive.
The Pliny Fisk Composting and Recycling Center provides solid waste services and mulch sales Monday through Friday, from 7 am – 3:30 pm. No loading will take place during the lunch hour, noon – 1 pm, or after 3:30 pm.
Residents are encouraged to call the Jonesborough Solid Waste Department at 423.753.1006 to make arrangements for loading or delivery of wood or leaf mulch.
The Solid Waste Department is responsible for providing garbage, waste, trash and brush collection as well as a comprehensive recycling program and compost and mulch sales.
Jonesborough also provides leaf collection services during leaf season, however, that service is provided through Jonesborough’s Street Department and they can be reached at 423.753.1004.
Residential Recycling Collection
What Materials Can Be Recycled
- Paper: newspapers, office papers, letters, envelopes, paper bags, advertising mail, magazines, phone books and other books without hard covers.
- Cardboard: corrugated boxes, cereal boxes, cardboard beverage containers, milk cartons, any food boxes that have no food remaining. Break down all boxes.
- Metal cans: all aluminum, metal and tin cans regardless of size. Rinse clean and crush if possible.
- Most plastic recyclables have a triangular designation with a number. Jonesborough only picks up No. 1 and No. 2 plastics. Other types of plastics must be land-filled. Rinse clean, remove lids and crush if possible.
- Jonesborough will pick-up used passenger car tires inside Town limits ONLY. However, the State requires a $1.00 fee to dispose of each used tire. This $1.00 per tire disposal fee must be paid at the Recorder’s Office at Town Hall prior to the Town picking up the tire(s). There is a maximum of 4 passenger car tires per household. NO truck tires will be picked up.
- Note: Plastic bags are not recyclable and should not be placed in bins or used to bundle recyclables. They can usually be returned to larger grocery stores or big box retailers.
Container Placement for Collection
Recyclables are collected by a two-man crew with a Recycling Truck. Taking the bin to the truck and separating the materials into different boxes is the labor-intensive part of the process. The homeowner can use the above categories and separate the material by using paper bags or by bundling and using twine. Please place recycling bins at the street curb after 5 pm on the evening before collection or before 7 am on the day of collection. Recyclables are collected the same day as regular garbage collection. Recycling bins should be at least five (5) feet from the garbage tote.
Commercial Garbage Collection
Dumpsters vs. Garbage Totes
The Town of Jonesborough provides commercial garbage collection to all businesses, offices and industries within Jonesborough’s city limits. Businesses may use 95-gallon totes, or four (4) or six (6) cubic yard dumpsters. One 95-gallon tote is provided to any business, residence or multi-family unit. Additional totes, up to four (4), can be purchased at the Town’s current cost. $52. + tax. Jonesborough picks up dumpsters with a front-loading garbage truck. The Town’s Director of Solid Waste must approve the location of all dumpsters. The Town of Jonesborough must collect the commercial garbage and refuse, with the exception of refuse collection using roll-off containers.
Commercial enterprises, apartments, condos, etc. may use up to five (5) 95-gallon garbage totes for weekly service. If up to five (5) totes are used at one location, the totes placement must be approved by the Director of Solid Waste. The totes must be placed far enough apart so that they can be easily handled by the automatic side-loading collection truck. All refuse must be inside a tote unless prior arrangements have been made with the Director of Solid Waste. Otherwise, the material outside the tote will not be picked up. If more than five (5) totes are needed, a dumpster must be used. Dumpsters must be purchased through the Town or approved by the Director of Solid Waste.
Dumpster Location for Pick-Up
The placement of and access to a dumpster must be approved in advance by the Director of Solid Waste. Dumpster must be placed on a solid pad, preferably concrete, and the pad location and angle of dumpster placement must allow the Town’s collection vehicle to safely travel through the site during collection. The dumpster location must be away from all power or utility lines, as well as overhanging tree branches or building roofs. All curves in the access route must have a large enough radius for the Town’s vehicle to safely maneuver without having to back up.
Dumpster Screening
All dumpsters must be screened. Enclosures must be high enough for the top to be above the dumpster, and may be wood (with planks close together to block sight), brick or chain link if fencing screening strips are used through the chain link so you cannot see through the fence. Metal bollards should be placed behind the dumpster and in front of the fence to prevent the dumpster from sliding and damaging the enclosure. The screening enclosure must have a gate, and the gate latch must be easy to open and close by the Town’s operator. Gates may be locked, but a key must be provided to the Director of Solid Waste. Screening within the Historic District must be approved in advance by the Historic Zoning Commission.
Rental of Totes or Dumpsters
Dumpsters are available for rental through the Town. The current cost of a six (6) cubic yard dumpster is $670. You can order a dumpster or tote by contacting the Director of Solid Waste at 423.753.1006. Payment for a dumpster or additional tote must be made in advance at the Town Recorder’s office at Town Hall in Jonesborough.
Collection Schedule
- Multiple totes used for business, multi-family residential units, office complexes, etc. are scheduled on the residential collection routes.
- Dumpster pick-up may be scheduled more than one day per week depending on the volume of refuse being generated at a business.
Dumpster and Multiple Tote Collection Fees
Refuse collection rates are normally set annually by the Jonesborough Board of Mayor and Aldermen during the budget process in June.
Brush Collection
Residential Tree Trimming/Removal
Tree brush and other green waste generated directly by the work of residents can be placed properly along the right-of-way for Town pick-up. The Town’s brush truck travels on a set schedule of streets throughout the town weekly, but the actual day of pick-up may vary depending on the work schedule and the weather. Residents with a large amount of brush must contact the Director of Solid Waste at 423.753.1006 to notify him of the amount of brush and the location.
Contract Tree Trimming/Removal
Tree material, trimmings and brush generated as a result of work undertaken by a contractor must be collected, conveyed or transported, and disposed of by the contractor. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to ensure that the tree brush and trimmings generated through contracted work is transported by the contractor. Tree material, brush and clippings within the Jonesborough city limits may be transported to the Pliny Fisk Composting and Recycling Center by the contractor without charge.
Policies Governing Tree and Green Waste Collection
Jonesborough grinds tree trunks and limbs in a ten (10’) foot tub grinder. Limbs that are too long can get caught in the chain drive and tear up the machine. Therefore, when cutting up trees and brush for transport to the Pliny Fisk Composting and Recycling Center, the following guidelines must be followed:
- Brush and limbs with a diameter of three (3”) inches or less must not exceed six (6’) feet in length.
- Brush and limbs with a diameter of more than three (3”) inches must not exceed four (4’) feet in length.
- Brush shall be placed parallel to the street with the larger ends placed in the same direction.
- Brush or debris may not be placed in or hanging over the street.
- Brush must be placed clear of power lines or overhanging trees in order to protect the safety of Town workers.
- The brush must be placed close enough to the street to be reached by the collection truck and there must be enough room to allow the knuckle-boom brush truck to operate.
- All fence materials or metal of any kind must be removed from the brush pile. If metal or other such material that can damage the tub grinder equipment is seen, the green waste will not be picked up.
- Processed lumber and other such construction material will not be picked up with tree trimmings, brush or green waste.
- The Town will not pick up tree stumps and roots with normal brush collection. Residents may contact the Director of Solid Waste to request tree stump collection. The Town may pick up a tree stump if it is not large or heavy, and it is clean of dirt, wire and stone. The tree stump must also be located where it can be accessed by the Town’s collection vehicle.
Residential Garbage Collection
Placement for Collection
Jonesborough picks up residential garbage on a weekly schedule. Every household is provided one 95-gallon collection tote at no charge. Totes can be placed at the street curb after 5 pm for collection the next day. The resident must bring the garbage tote to the street and place the tote with the lid hinge away from the street along the curb where it can be reached by the automated collection arm. The “side loader” automated collection allows the Town to pick up residential refuse with one person. Because the truck operator picks up and empties the totes without getting out of the vehicle, all refuse must be inside the tote and not placed separately along the curb for collection. If more than one tote is set out, they must be at least five (5′) feet apart. Totes must be far enough away from power or utility lines and overhanging branches. Residents can assist in protecting Town staff and keeping costs low by placing totes in the proper position along the street.
Storage of Garbage Totes
After the tote has been emptied, residents must move the tote from the street to the rear of the premise by 7 pm the day of collection. Containers may remain along the curb line if they are properly screened in an enclosure approved by the Director of Solid Waste. If the screen is located within the historic district, the Historic Zoning Commission must approve the enclosure. Screened containers must be removed from the approved enclosure and properly placed for collection by at least 7 am on the collection day.
Collection Schedule
Residential collection for areas in Jonesborough is normally scheduled on the same day each week. Normal collection schedules may vary for holidays. Notification of holiday changes are most often advertised in the daily newspaper and online on the website calendar. Residents may also call Town Hall at 423.753.1031 to inquire about any possible change in refuse collection schedule.
Additional Garbage Totes
Residents may buy an additional residential garbage tote as per Title 17 Refuse and Trash Disposal Chapter 3 Section 17-303. The cost of the additional tote may vary periodically depending on the Town’s purchase cost. The current charge for an additional tote is a one-time fee of $56. Residents or businesses that operate with two or more garbage totes will be charged an additional $12.00 per month for the pick-up of each additional weekly refuse tote. Any tote that is lost, stolen or damaged by the user shall be replaced by the user at their own expense as per Title 17 Refuse and Trash Disposal Chapter 3 Section 17-303.
Residential Garbage Fees
The Jonesborough Board of Mayor and Aldermen set garbage collection fees annually during the Town’s budget process each June. Current residential collection fees are $17.50 per month.
Special Assistance Programs
Jonesborough can provide special assistance for elderly and physically disabled residents. For more information on these programs call the Director of Solid Waste at 423.753.1006.
Junk Collection
The Town normally picks up junk, old furniture, mattresses, box springs, and large appliances like refrigerators, stoves, and washing machines once a week on Fridays. These bulky items are picked up in the Town’s brush truck using the grapple arm so only one employee is needed. Because this material is often more time consuming to collect, there is not a regular route throughout town. Residents must call Town Hall at 423.753.1030 before 3 pm on Wednesday to notify the Town of the need for a pick up. Residents must place the items along the street before 7 am on Friday.
Commercial Recycling – Cardboard, Paper and Can Containers
The Town normally picks up junk, old furniture, mattresses, box springs, and large appliances like refrigerators, stoves, and washing machines once a week on Fridays. These bulky items are picked up in the Town’s brush truck using the grapple arm so only one employee is needed. Because this material is often more time consuming to collect, there is not a regular route throughout town. Residents must call the Solid Waste Department at 423.753.1006 or Town Hall at 423.753.1031 before 3 pm on Wednesday to notify the Town of the need for a pick up. Residents must place the items along the street before 7 am on Friday.
Downtown Sidewalk Recycling Collection
Jonesborough places portable recycling containers for bottles during special events and activities. The Town is currently working on permanent decorative recycling receptacles that are complimentary to the trash receptacles to be placed in pedestrian areas downtown.
Recycling Sales
All recyclables collected are taken to the Pliny Fisk Composting and Recycling Center on Britt Drive off W. Main Street in Jonesborough. At this Center there are can and plastic bottle compactors, paper bundling machines, and other equipment designed to make it easier to handle and transport recyclables for sale. Glass bottles are separated by color and then crushed to reduce space and for easier transport. Companies handling recycled material will pay higher prices when material is shipped in a manner that reduces their time of processing and handling. The Town receives the most compensation for cardboard and the least for plastics. Jonesborough stores recyclables in trailers until there is a load large enough for transport. The Town works closely with the Washington County Solid Waste Director and the East Tennessee Recycling Cooperative in order to maximize the financial return from the sale of recyclables.
E-Waste Collection
Electronic devices are considered hazardous waste and these items may not be placed in regular collection containers. Jonesborough picks up e-waste on Fridays. The Town does not run an e-waste route throughout the Town, so residents must call the Solid Waste Department at 423.753.1006 or Town Hall at 423.753.1031 to notify the Town of what items are being set out for pick-up and their location. The Town must be notified of the items by 3 pm the Thursday before pick-up. There is no charge for e-waste collection. Jonesborough residents may take electronic items directly to the Pliny Fisk Composting and Recycling Center at 123 Britt Drive.
The following items are examples of e-waste materials collected by Jonesborough:
- printers, monitors, copiers, key boards, and scanners
- stereo equipment and speakers
- cell phones. telephones, VCR’s, and DVD players
- microwave ovens and small kitchen appliances
- cameras
- computers (lap tops & desk models), and computer mouse
- fax machines, and GPS units
- video’s games, and PDA’s
- electronic circuit boards
Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste items are collected under the direction of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, usually two times a year, at a location that is considered a central disposal site in Johnson City. Hazardous waste may not be placed in garbage totes or recycling bins. Homeowners must store them until a hazardous waste pick-up is scheduled. Jonesborough is not authorized to collect or transport hazardous waste except e-waste that is collected and then recycled. The following items are considered hazardous: used motor oil, anti-freeze, pesticides, aerosols, batteries, items with mercury, electronics (unless recycled), radioactive waste, paints and solvents. There are a number of collection sites and dates in our area.
Compost and Mulch Sales
The Town uses a tub grinder to grind up tree branches and trimmings. The grinder uses a screen that creates a ½ inch – 1 inch wood mulch that is excellent for flower bedding and weed protection. The Town also processes leaves for use as mulch and a soil amendment. Wood and leaf mulch can be purchased by bringing a truck to the Pliny Fisk Composting and Recycling Center. Sales are Monday through Friday, from 7 am – 3:30 pm. No loading will take place during the lunch hour, noon – 1 pm, or after 3:30 pm.
The current mulch fees are as follows:
- A bucketful of wood mulch – $10.00 plus tax.
- Leaf mulch (finely ground/rotted leaves) – $16.00 a bucketful plus tax.
Construction Materials
Construction materials may be placed in an overnight collection bag provided the material does not weigh more than 3300 pounds.
Roll-Off Containers
Large amounts of construction materials must be placed in a large roll-off metal dumpster that is brought to the site by a tractor truck. Once filled, the tractor truck takes the container directly to the landfill. Jonesborough does not provide roll-off container service. This service is provided by Johnson City or by other service contractors in the area.
KEEP JONESBOROUGH BEAUTIFUL
Mission Statement
To engage and educate our community in celebrating and protecting our Earth
The Keep Jonesborough Beautiful Advisory Council is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Tennessee Beautiful. The goal and objective of these organizations are to educate and engage the public about the importance of community revitalization, conservation and economic development, which are solutions to improving the quality of life.
Keep Jonesborough Beautiful is committed to serving the community and providing the community with the necessary “choices and actions that preserve natural beauty, protect the environment, prevent blight, improve public lands, and make our communities better, safer places to live”.
The Advisory Council is an independent non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization with a partnership agreement with the Town of Jonesborough. There are nine (9) members on the KJB Advisory Council, four (4) are appointed by the Jonesborough BMA and five (5) are appointed by the Advisory Council. The terms of members shall be for three (3) years.
The Advisory Council meets in session every third Wednesday of each month @ 5 pm in the Jonesborough Town Hall. There are no meetings in November or December.
If you are interested in volunteering with Keep Jonesborough Beautiful or have a comment, question or concern please reach out to Lauren Little.
Keep Jonesborough Beautiful Advisory Council
| Ashley Cavender | Chairman |
| Kay Grogg | Vice Chair |
| Mark Merriman | Secretary |
| Terry Countermine | Alderman |
| Jessica Hartley | Treasurer |
| Sandy Countermine | |
| Chris Craig | Solid Waste & Recycling Director |
| Lauren Little | Staff |
