Beginning in November 2023, the City of Gatlinburg is beginning an animal-resistant dumpster program, which will allow for distribution of these containers over the course of beginning in January 2024, running through the entire calendar year.

The Gatlinburg City Commission approved the adoption of the mandatory program for all customers who receive dumpster services from the Gatlinburg Sanitation Department in September 2023.

The goal of this program is to be a part of the solution to help limit human-bear interactions. These animal resistant dumpsters and this program are an effort to better secure trash, which lures bears into highly populated areas seeking sources of food.

As part of the Dumpster Program, customers receiving dumpster collection services will be provided a City-owned Bearicuda, Inc. animal resistant dumpster. The City will own and maintain the dumpsters for its customers.

Customers currently using privately owned dumpsters can elect to allow the City to replace their containers with the City-owned receptacles at no cost to the customer.

The distribution of dumpsters will be prioritized based on customers located in areas prone to bear activity and food-waste producing businesses, in addition to the order of forms received from customers.

 The Gatlinburg Sanitation Department will cease collection of trash from the current privately owned dumpsters on December 31, 2024.

As part of Ordinance 2602, customers who receive commercial dumpster service will be assessed a monthly rate of $75 per dumpster. Customers who participated in the curbside pickup service will be assessed a $15 per month fee. These fees will go into effect on January 1, 2024.

Agreement forms have been sent via mail to customers who receive dumpster services from the City of Gatlinburg.

These forms can also be found below. These forms will need to be completed and returned in order to receive a dumpster.

Signed agreement forms can be sent to the Gatlinburg Public Works Department at P.O. Box 5, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 or via email to dumpsters@gatlinburgtn.gov.