Houston trash & bulky-item rules

If your address receives City of Houston curbside solid-waste service, the current heavy-trash program runs every other month. Eligible residences may receive up to six heavy-trash curbside collections per calendar year, and the normal set-out limit is 8 cubic yards—roughly the volume of a minivan.

Do not assume a Houston mailing address automatically qualifies. The program is limited to occupied residences receiving City service, and structures with more than eight residential units are not eligible for this curbside program.

Houston's current accepted list includes common oversized household items such as couches and other furniture, mattresses and box springs, carpet, toilets, bicycles, toys, stoves, washers, dryers and water heaters.

Refrigerators and freezers are accepted only after a certified technician removes the refrigerant and attaches a tag showing that the work was completed. Appliances containing gas, chemicals or coolant are otherwise excluded.

Place the pile just behind the curb line between 6 p.m. the Friday before and 7 a.m. on the scheduled collection day. Keep it away from sidewalks, hydrants, meters, signs, mailboxes, overhead wires and other obstructions.

Houston currently allows residents to set out up to four passenger tires at the curb. Tire crews may collect them separately from the main heavy-trash pile, so the tires can remain after the rest of the pile is removed.

Electronics and household hazardous waste do not belong in the heavy-trash pile. The city's Environmental Service Centers accept electronics such as TVs, computers, monitors and printers as well as paints, automotive fluids, pesticides, household chemicals and other listed hazardous materials. Quantity limits apply by material.

Houston also operates recycling centers and six Residential Drop-Off Centers. The drop-off centers handle bulky items such as mattresses, furniture and household appliances between curbside collections.

Resident-generated building material is limited to 4 cubic yards within the overall 8-cubic-yard set-out. Roofing shingles, brick, plaster and concrete are excluded. Material generated by a contractor—construction, roofing, remodeling, professional tree work and similar jobs—must be removed by the contractor.

Tree limbs and shrubbery are accepted under the city's heavy-trash/tree-waste rules when they meet the published preparation limits. Bagged grass clippings and leaves use the yard-waste program rather than being mixed into the heavy-trash pile.

Houston lists six Residential Drop-Off Centers: North, Northwest, Northeast, Southeast, South and Southwest. For bulk or tree-waste drop-off, residents must show a current Texas-issued ID plus a current City of Houston utility bill or lease agreement, with matching addresses.

Current drop-off rules accept mattresses, furniture, qualifying appliances and tree waste. Refrigerators still need the certified refrigerant-removal tag. Passenger tires are accepted under separate facility limits. Facility rules are not identical to curbside rules, so check the current city page before loading unusual materials.

For Houston, start with the local authority links below. Recheck them before a special trip or unusual set-out because programs, prices and facility hours can change.

• Heavy trash collectionFrequency, eligibility, 8 yd³ limit, 4 yd³ building-material limit, curbside tires and accepted/prohibited items.
• Residential Drop-Off CentersSix locations, proof-of-address rules and accepted drop-off materials.
• Environmental Service CentersHHW and electronics locations, accepted materials and quantity limits.
• Recycling CentersElectronics, tires and BOPA recycling routes.