Frequently Asked Questions

It is a city-wide policy to have your polykart out on the curb by 12:00 A.M. on your designated collection day. A map of the collection days is available for viewing here.

Only normal-household refuse in the polykart or trash bags will be collected by the Solid Waste Department. Please bag your garbage and trash in any size bags and tie them before placing in the polykart. If loose trash falls out while being emptied, the Crew cannot slow up their route to pick up all the loose trash that should have been bagged. If you have more refuse than your polykart will easily hold, put it in trash bags, tie, and set them on top of or beside your kart. Do NOT warp the lid by over cramming too many bags inside, causing the lid to not close. This will cause damage to the lid of the polykart. You are allowed up to eight (8) bags or limb bundles around your kart. You can fill the bags with leaves, grass clippings, household trash, old clothes, papers, etc., to be removed on collection day. Do NOT fill your kart with loose debris, such as sawdust or kitty litter, as they will cause harm to an employee. Do NOT fill your kart or bags with rocks, dirt, bricks, sand, concrete or other heavy materials because it cannot be hydraulically lifted by the truck without causing it to break apart. Private trash cans are not allowed and will not be emptied – only extra bags or items are allowed around your kart. If you have a private trash can that needs to be thrown away, put a sign on it that tells the Solid Waste Crew that the container itself and what’s inside is trash to be thrown away.

Brush and limbs must be tied in bundles not to exceed 35 pounds, and up to eight (8) bundles around your kart. They should be no more than four (4) inches in diameter and cut in lengths of less than four (4) feet. The bundles must be placed on the ground beside the polykart or on top of the kart. If you have a few short limbs that will fit comfortably in the polykart, you can place some in the kart. If any loose limbs or brush fall out while being emptied, the Crew will not slow up their route to pick them up. NOTE: The City of Sand Springs offers a free service once a month (usually the first Saturday of each month) called Chipper Days. If you reside inside the city limits, you may take your limbs and brush along with your water/refuse bill to the Street Department. Visit our website here for more details about Chipper Days or call 918-246-2588.

Place the polykart no less than four (4) feet from the curb or street, with the handle facing the street. After the karts are emptied, the Crew will turn the polykart sideways. This way, you can easily see if your kart, or your neighbor’s, was emptied. Do NOT leave your kart at the curb or street all week long. This is against City Ordinance 1129 and you are subject to a fine if the city ordinance is not adhered to. Taking your polykart back to your house helps avoid theft, vandalism, pranks, and keeps it from blowing into the street and causing accidents, and also keeps Sand Springs looking clean and neat.

If you failed to place your trash at the curb on your designated collection day by 12:00 a.m. and your trash did not get emptied, the Crew, per customer request, will return to empty the polykart within two business days for a fee of $31.67 which will be added to your water/refuse bill. If you have extra trash that needs to be removed on your collection day, or if you have something large and bulky that is not common household trash that needs to be removed (i.e., couch), the Crew can come and remove it for a fee starting at $31.67, and the charge will be added to your water/refuse bill. Please call 918-246-2588 one to two business days before your scheduled collection day so we can notify the Crew about the extra or bulky items for pick-up. NOTE: If the items are too numerous to be considered a general “extra pick-up” or “bulky pick-up”, then we also have roll-off dumpsters available to rent. (Call 918-246-2588 for details)

Physically disabled persons may contact Public Works at 918-246-2588, if they are physically unable to take the polykart to the curb or street for collection. The customer will be asked to provide a doctor’s statement verifying the fact that they are disabled. 

The 90-gallon, 1 cubic foot polykart is owned by the City of Sand Springs and provided for your use. The rate you pay is for refuse service once a week. You are responsible for the care and cleanliness of your polykart. It can be easily cleaned with a water hose, detergent and brush. 

Do NOT use gasoline or cleaning solutions on it. 
Do NOT put charcoal or fireworks in it, even if you believe they are put out, because they often smolder and burn up the kart. If that happens, the city can charge you $100.00 to replace it. That charge would be added to your water/refuse bill. 
Do NOT fill your kart with loose debris, such as sawdust and kitty litter, as they will cause harm to an employee, as previously explained. 
Do NOT fill your kart or bags with rocks, dirt or other heavy material because it cannot be hydraulically lifted without causing it to break apart, as previously explained. 
Do NOT paint on it. You are responsible for the safekeeping of the kart. Keep it in your garage, if possible, or beside your home until collection day, and then bring it back to your home after collection, as previously explained. 

If your kart needs repaired or replaced, please call 918-246-2588.

The Sand Springs Recycling Center on E. Morrow Road is open to the public seven (7) days a week. Hours of operation are Monday – Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The center accepts plastic bottles, glass bottles, newspaper, office paper, magazines, aluminum cans, motor oil (5-gallon limit), batteries (household & auto), cooking oil, eyeglasses, steel cans, corrugated cardboard (no paperboard), phone books, and electronic waste. For more information, or to ask a specific question, call the Tulsa Metropolitan Environmental Trust (MET) at 918-584-0584.

Every year the Holiday Refuse Schedule is put in the Sand Springs Leader, as well as sent in the water/refuse bill. Also, before every Holiday there will be a statement on the face of the water bill telling about the Holiday Schedule. If a City Holiday falls on a Friday, and the Sanitation Crew is not working that day, then those Friday customers will be collected the Wednesday before. If a City Holiday falls on a Monday, and the Sanitation Crew is not working that day, then those Monday customers will be collected the Wednesday after. This is general information regarding the Schedule and is subject to change. For further questions regarding the Holiday Schedule please view our schedule here or you may call the Public Works Dept. at 918-246-2588.

If you move, do NOT take the polykart with you. If it is empty when you move, leave it at the home where it can be found by the next customer. If it has garbage in it, place it on the curb for collection. If your new address is in Sand Springs, that address should already have a kart there. If it is missing, call 918-246-2588. 

If you move into a home that has multiple polykarts, you will be charged monthly for each polykart. If you do not wish to keep the extra polykart, please call 918-246-2588 to have the polykart picked up and billing changed.