Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Cleburne
Texas residential services run Monday through Friday. Please refer to your neighborhood's specific zoning map for your exact day.
State Mandate
Bag all trash to prevent pests.
City-approved cart (Green/Blue) Bin (Trash)
Place cart at the curb with the handle facing your residence by 7 a.m. Must have a 3-foot clearance from obstacles. Lids must be fully closed and all trash must be bagged.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Standard non-hazardous waste
- ✓Food scraps
No Municipal Bin Provided Bin (Recycling)
The city does not offer free curbside recycling. Residents must haul clean, sorted recyclables to the Transfer Station drop-off bins or purchase a private subscription via Recyclops.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard
- ✓Glass jars and bottles
- ✓Plastics #1 and #2
- ✓Metal and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Paper
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Trash
- ✕Unapproved plastics
Yard Waste Bin
Do not put yard trimmings in your standard trash cart due to fire risks. Drop them off for free at the Transfer Station, or place bagged leaves out only during your scheduled monthly brush week.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Small branches
- ✓Bagged leaves (only during brush week)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Once a month, during a designated week corresponding to your normal trash pickup day.
Placement
Place within 3 feet of the street and 6 feet away from obstacles like mailboxes, cars, or low-hanging trees to allow unrestricted crane access.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas and mattresses
- ✓ Stoves and hot water heaters
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Large brush and limbs (under 10 feet)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Concrete and construction debris
- ✕ Hazardous liquids
- ✕ Items small enough to fit in the trash cart
Included for free once a month. Setting out bulk or brush outside of your designated week results in an automatic $30 out-of-cycle fee applied to your utility bill.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Most holidays like Labor Day or Memorial Day do not interrupt curbside garbage service. However, significant holidays like Christmas Day or New Year's Day may cause a one-day delay where routes are pushed back (e.g., Thursday routes run on Friday).
Yard Waste Exception
Brush and bulk weeks run continuously based on the calendar; however, severe weather or major holiday delays may push crane collection back within your designated week.
The Cleburne Transfer Station closes for a wider range of holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, even if curbside trucks are running.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Leaves out of the Garbage
Cleburne prohibits dumping lawn clippings or yard waste in your residential trash cart. Decomposing grass creates immense heat that can spark dangerous, deep-seated fires at the landfill.
Dry Out Your Paint
Liquid paints and solvents are completely banned from curbside collection. You must either completely dry out latex paint before throwing it away or obtain a city voucher for HHW drop-off in Fort Worth.
Paper Belongs in the Trash
Unlike many local programs, the Cleburne Transfer Station's recycling containers do not accept paper of any kind. You must either throw it away with your regular garbage or find an alternative third-party paper drop-off.
Seasonal Information
Spring
March to MayWhen trimming back overgrown trees in the spring, ensure no single limb is longer than 10 feet. Only resident-cut brush is accepted; if you hire a professional landscaping company, they are legally required to haul away the debris themselves.
Autumn
September to NovemberAs leaves fall, bag them securely. While regular yard trimmings aren't collected at the curb daily, you can place securely bagged leaves out during your specific monthly brush week for crane pickup.
Winter
December to FebruaryWinter ice storms occasionally halt sanitation fleets. In the event of suspended service, leave your carts at the curb; trucks will operate as road conditions allow, and bulk collection will be paused until standard residential routes are caught up.
About Cleburne Waste Management
Comprehensive Municipal Sanitation in Cleburne
Cleburne's Solid Waste Service manages residential garbage exclusively using automated trucks, meaning every home must use official city-approved carts. Collections happen weekly, and residents are required to bag all household trash before placing it inside the container. To guarantee pickup, ensure the cart's lid is fully closed and the handle faces your residence. Keep the cart at least three feet away from mailboxes, fences, and parked vehicles so the automated arms can safely grab it without causing property damage.
Navigating Monthly Bulk and Brush Collection
Instead of calling to schedule bulk pickups, Cleburne residents automatically receive this service once a month based on their standard trash day. For example, if your trash is collected on Tuesdays, your bulk week begins the second Monday of the month. You are allowed up to 10 cubic yards per pickup. Critically, you must separate man-made bulk waste (like furniture) from natural brush (like tree limbs). The city uses a crane for collection and mulches the brush, so mixing piles will result in your items being left behind.
Drop-Off Recycling and Third-Party Curbside Options
The City of Cleburne does not operate a traditional free curbside recycling program. Instead, ecologically minded residents must transport their recyclables to the Cleburne Transfer Station on Pipeline Road. The facility accepts cardboard, glass, #1 and #2 plastics, and metals free of charge, but notably does not accept paper. For those who prefer the convenience of home collection, the city maintains a franchise agreement with Recyclops, a private vendor that offers curbside recycling on a subscription basis.
Strict Prohibitions on Yard Trimmings
One unique regulation in Cleburne is the strict ban on placing yard trimmings, grass clippings, or small cuttings inside your standard trash cart. The city enforces this because decomposing grass generates severe heat, which significantly increases the risk of underground landfill fires. To dispose of these organics safely, residents can utilize the free yard trimming drop-off at the transfer station, or bag their leaves specifically for collection during their designated monthly brush week.
Exclusive Transfer Station Benefits for Residents
Cleburne residents who occasionally generate excess waste that doesn't align with their bulk week schedule have a valuable fallback. By presenting a recent city water or sewer bill as proof of residency, you are permitted one free dumping trip to the Transfer Station every 30 days. This allowance covers up to 800 pounds of standard residential refuse, offering a cost-effective way to handle major household cleanouts or unexpected debris without incurring out-of-cycle fees.
Drop-off Facilities
Cleburne Transfer Station and Recycling Center
2625 Pipeline Rd, Cleburne, TX 76033
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I set out bulk trash outside of my designated week in Cleburne?
If you place brush or bulk items at the curb outside of your assigned week (which corresponds to your regular trash day), the city will automatically collect it to keep streets clean, but you will be charged an out-of-cycle fee. A $30 charge per pickup will appear on your next utility bill.
Can I put yard clippings in my regular garbage cart?
No. Cleburne strictly prohibits placing grass clippings and yard trimmings in your standard trash cart because their natural decomposition poses a major fire hazard at the landfill. You must drop them off at the Transfer Station or compost them.
Why didn't the city pick up my mixed pile of limbs and old furniture?
Cleburne requires a strict separation between brush (tree limbs, wood) and bulk trash (furniture, mattresses). Because brush is diverted for mulching and bulk trash goes to the landfill, mixed piles cannot be processed. You must separate them by a few feet so the crane can easily grab each pile independently.
How do I recycle in Cleburne if there is no curbside bin?
While the city does not provide free curbside bins, you can take sorted #1 and #2 plastics, glass, metal, and cardboard to the Transfer Station for free. Alternatively, you can pay for a private curbside subscription through Recyclops.