Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Fort Hood
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.
Brown Cart Bin (Trash)
Place your brown refuse cart out on your designated weekly collection day. Bins must be thoroughly rinsed and emptied prior to your final move-out inspection.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Dried-out latex paint
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
Blue 95-Gallon Cart Bin (Recycling)
Participation requires enrolling in the R3P initiative via the community office. Recyclables are collected bi-weekly on your scheduled day and must not be bagged.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard (clean, flat, and dry)
- ✓Plastics #1 and #2 (e.g., milk jugs, soap bottles)
- ✓Aluminum, tin, and steel cans
- ✓Office paper, newspaper, and magazines
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass of any kind
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Plastic shopping bags or film
- ✕Ammunition or hazardous materials
- ✕Food or liquid waste
Yard Waste Bin
Yard waste is typically collected alongside regular household trash. Check with your specific neighborhood community manager for limits on bags or bundling requirements.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Small tree branches
- ✓Leaves and yard trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Collected with weekly household trash
Placement
Place items curbside on your standard collection day. Bulk items absolutely cannot be left outside on the day of a resident's final move-out inspection.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Large gently used household items (donation recommended instead)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Propane tanks
- ✕ Automobile tires
- ✕ Motor oil and antifreeze
- ✕ Hazardous materials or wet paint
Bulk trash collection is an included service for all on-post Cavalry Family Housing residents with no additional fees.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Standard collection schedules may shift by one day following major federal holidays. Always refer to community announcements via the Centinel Communities App for specific holiday adjustments.
Yard Waste Exception
Any changes to the regular refuse schedule apply simultaneously to yard waste and bulk pickup.
Because Fort Hood is a federal installation, access and staffing can vary around long 4-day pass weekends. Stay tuned to Cavalry Family Housing alerts.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Summer PCS Season
May to AugustDuring peak moving season, plan your bulk waste disposal carefully. Do not wait until your final inspection day to drag furniture to the curb; all large items must be collected on your regular weekly trash day prior to your departure.
Post-Storm Recovery
Year-RoundTexas weather can be unpredictable. Following high winds or intense storms, bundle fallen yard debris and secure your trash carts to prevent wind-blown litter from contaminating training areas on the installation.
Winter Holidays
December to JanuaryWhile broken holiday string lights cannot go into your blue curbside recycling cart (they are considered 'tanglers'), you can drop them off directly at the Fort Cavazos Recycle Center on Railhead Drive for safe processing.
Local Tips & Community Info
Turning Your Tossed Treasures into Texas Cash
Even though Fort Hood is a military installation, folks living off-base in the surrounding Killeen area can look for ways to get a little something back for their recycling. While specific local buyback centers aren't readily advertised right at Fort Hood, keep an eye out for general scrap metal yards in Killeen or Copperas Cove. These places often pay for aluminum cans, copper, and other metals. Also, Texas has a bottle bill program for certain beverage containers, so if you've got a stash of those, check the Texas Comptroller's website for redemption centers that might be accessible from the Fort Hood area. It’s a nice way to make a few bucks while keeping good stuff out of the landfill!
Giving Your Goods a Second Life Near the Hood
Got items in good shape that you no longer need? Instead of tossing them, consider giving them a new home! In the Killeen area, look for the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. They happily accept furniture, home décor, appliances, and building materials, and the money goes towards building homes for families. You might also find local thrift stores run by churches or community groups in Killeen that would love to take clothing, books, and housewares. A quick call to a few local organizations can point you in the right direction for donations, keeping usable items out of the trash and helping neighbors.
Keeping Our Texas Community Clean: What to Know
Nobody likes seeing trash dumped where it shouldn't be! While Fort Hood likely has its own rules for base residents, if you're living off-post in the surrounding areas and notice illegal dumping, it's good to know who to tell. Generally, local city or county solid waste departments handle these issues. For Bell County, which surrounds Fort Hood, you can usually report illegal dumping to the Sheriff's office or the county's environmental services. Sometimes, communities will organize clean-up days, especially around Earth Day or other local events. Keep an ear out for announcements from Killeen or Harker Heights for volunteer opportunities to pitch in and keep our Texas neighborhoods looking their best.
Drop-off Facilities
Fort Cavazos Recycle Center
Bldg. 4626, 72nd Street & Railhead Drive, Fort Cavazos, TX 76544
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I sign up for recycling at Fort Cavazos?
Curbside recycling is not automatic. You must actively opt into the Residents Recycle Responsibly Program (R3P) through your Cavalry Family Housing community office. Once you pledge to recycle properly, you will receive a 95-gallon blue bin for bi-weekly collection.
Can I leave a couch on the curb when I move out?
Yes, but you must time it correctly. Bulk items are collected on your regularly scheduled trash day. However, you are strictly prohibited from leaving bulk trash on the curb on the actual day of your final move-out inspection.
Where can I dispose of old motor oil or car tires?
Motor oil, automotive batteries, and tires are not accepted in standard curbside pickup or bulk collection. Residents are responsible for properly disposing of these automotive and hazardous materials at specialized off-post facilities prior to clearing housing.
Does the blue recycling bin take glass?
No. Glass is completely excluded from the single-stream recycling program at Fort Cavazos. Placing glass in your blue bin can shatter and contaminate the entire load, diverting it to the landfill instead of generating funds for Soldier morale programs.