Knox County Tennessee

Greenwaste

Convenience Centers do not accept greenwaste. Greenwaste consists of tree limbs, tree trimmings, brush, logs, stumps, leaves, and yard clippings. Homeowners may manage their greenwaste by burning it after obtaining a permit, by paying landscaping companies to manage it, or by paying to dispose of it at privately owned and operated greenwaste facilities. See information on those options below. Individuals with incidental amounts of potted houseplants, home decorations, or flower bouquets may dispose of those items in either the bulky or regular trash. Center attendants will redirect anyone with more than incidental amounts of household plant or flower waste.


Greenwaste Disposal Facilities (privately owned/operated, high minimum fees)

There are three privately run facilities that accept greenwaste. They all charge a fee. Greenwaste facilities are not owned by the County, and they do not receive government subsidies. Residents are urged to call ahead for pricing because the facilities charge very high minimum fees. Other drop-off options and locations will be listed here if they become available.

Location Phone Address
Living Earth West 865- 927-7647 8707 Joe Daniels Rd
Living Earth East 865-546-0584 6323 Rutledge Pike
Living Earth Downtown 865-281-3388 2601 Middlebrook Pike

Landscaping Companies (privately owned/operated, charges fees)

Individuals interested in having greenwaste picked up from their property should contact local landscapers or property maintenance companies. It may also be possible to hire persons willing to do odd jobs to transport material to a greenwaste facility. When hiring someone that doesn’t normally haul greenwaste they should be informed greenwaste facilities charge high minimum fees.


Burn Permits

Residents may be able to burn brush piles. Knox County Air Quality Management issues the required permit. See their website for details.


Backyard Composting and On-site Brush Management

Residents are encouraged to keep brush on site to support natural decomposition. Wooded lots are good places to scatter or pile greenwaste to decompose naturally. Wood chips, leaves, and food waste can be composted to create beneficial soil amendments. Wood chippers may be needed to reduce large pieces of wood into smaller pieces. Larger limbs and logs may be used as firewood. Below is a link to the EPA website for composting.


Christmas Tree Recycling (only Christmas trees during January)

The is a limited collection of live Christmas trees in January after Christmas for Christmas tree recycling. Details about the Christmas tree recycling program are communicated to the media annually after Christmas. See the Christmas Tree Recycling Page for more details.