Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Friendswood
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.
Resident-provided (No official color) Bin (Trash)
Residents must use their own cans (32 gallons or less) or bags. No single bag or can may weigh more than 50 pounds. Place curbside by 7:00 a.m.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Standard refuse
- ✓Food waste
Blue bin or optional 96-gallon cart Bin (Recycling)
Set out by 7:00 a.m. on your designated recycling day. Items should be loose in the bin. A 96-gallon cart upgrade is available for a small monthly fee.
Accepted Items
- ✓Newspapers, magazines, and catalogs
- ✓Flattened cardboard and cereal boxes
- ✓Plastics #1 through #7
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum, steel, and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Mirrors, windows, and ceramics
Yard Waste Bin
Collected on your first trash day of the week. Small debris must be in clear/translucent bags under 35 lbs. Branches must be tied/bundled (under 5 ft long, max 18 inches diameter, under 50 lbs).
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Tree trimmings and branches
- ✓Flowers and stalks
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Collected on your regular garbage days.
Placement
Place heavy items at the curb by 7:00 a.m. alongside your regular trash. Ensure they do not block sidewalks or storm drains.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and furniture
- ✓ Appliances (refrigerants properly removed)
- ✓ Water heaters (drained)
- ✓ Standard-sized televisions and computers
- ✓ Fiberglass bathtubs (cut in half)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Projection televisions
- ✕ Construction materials (boards, sheetrock, cabinets)
- ✕ Tires and car parts
- ✕ Hazardous chemicals and liquid paint
- ✕ Fencing and railroad ties
Bulk pickup for accepted household items is included in your standard utility rate.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Because Friendswood has twice-weekly garbage service, if your collection day falls on an observed holiday, service is skipped for that day. Your garbage will simply be picked up on your next regularly scheduled service day.
Yard Waste Exception
Recycling and green waste also skip the holiday and resume on the next standard collection cycle.
Always check the official City of Friendswood Facebook page during holiday weeks for any sudden scheduling announcements or route updates.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Use Clear Bags for the Lawn
Friendswood crews will not collect yard waste hidden inside black garbage bags. You must use clear, translucent bags (weighing 35 pounds or less) so the green waste truck can easily identify the contents.
Solidify Your Leftover Paint
Liquid paint is completely banned from regular collection. If you have old latex paint, you must treat it with a commercial paint hardener, sand, or kitty litter until it is completely solid before tossing it in the trash.
Keep Construction Scraps Off the Curb
Do not put leftover remodeling materials at the curb. Sheetrock, wood planks, dirt, and fencing materials are strictly prohibited and will result in a rejected pickup.
Seasonal Information
Spring
March to MaySpring landscaping generates heavy brush. Remember that bundles of tree limbs cannot exceed 50 pounds. If they are heavier, the manual collection crews are not permitted to lift them.
Summer
June to AugustDuring hurricane and severe storm season, extremely high winds can blow lightweight recycling bins down the street. If heavy weather is forecasted, wait until morning to set your bins out, rather than the night before.
Winter
December to FebruaryOn Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, Waste Connections trucks run their normal routes but may finish earlier than usual. Always ensure your bags and bins are at the curb precisely by 7:00 a.m. to avoid missed service.
About Friendswood Waste Management
Manual Collection and Strict Weight Limits
Unlike many modern municipalities, the City of Friendswood does not utilize automated trucks with lifters for standard household garbage. Because sanitation crews from Waste Connections physically handle the waste, residents are not issued standardized rolling trash carts. Instead, you must provide your own trash cans—which cannot exceed 32 gallons in capacity—or use heavy-duty disposable bags. Crucially, every single bag or can placed at the curb is strictly limited to 50 pounds to protect the workers.
Twice-Weekly Garbage and Translucent Yard Bags
Friendswood residents benefit from a high-frequency collection schedule, with household garbage picked up two days a week. Green waste is collected on the first of your two scheduled garbage days. The city enforces a unique rule for lawn clippings, leaves, and small trimmings: they must be placed in clear or translucent plastic bags weighing no more than 35 pounds. Standard opaque black trash bags are not permitted for green waste and will be left on the curb.
Heavy Pick-Up Nuances and Banned Items
Bulky items like furniture, mattresses, and appliances are collected alongside your regular garbage, provided they adhere to the city's specific guidelines. For instance, if you are disposing of a standard fiberglass bathtub, it must be cut entirely in half. Carpet is accepted only if cut to 5-foot lengths, rolled, and kept dry. Notably, projection-style televisions, fencing, and all forms of construction debris (such as sheetrock and 2x4s) are banned from curbside pickup.
Recycling Cart Upgrades and Single-Stream Sorting
Waste Connections provides each household with one standard recycling bin, which remains the property of the hauler and must stay with the home if you move. However, families generating substantial recyclable materials can contact the City Utility Billing Office to request a massive 96-gallon rolling recycling cart for a nominal monthly fee. Collections occur once a week, accepting everything from flattened cardboard to #1 through #7 plastics.
Regional Partnership for Hazardous Waste Disposal
Friendswood does not operate its own local chemical drop-off site. Instead, the city maintains an active partnership with the neighboring City of Pearland. Friendswood residents are authorized to utilize the Stella Roberts Recycling Facility on Magnolia Street to safely dispose of household hazardous waste, motor oil, and complex electronics. Keep in mind that a small per-pound fee applies to chemicals, batteries, and e-waste dropped off at this facility.
Drop-off Facilities
Stella Roberts Recycling Center
5800 Magnolia St, Pearland, TX 77584
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to buy my own garbage can in Friendswood?
Yes. Neither the City of Friendswood nor Waste Connections provides standardized trash carts. You must supply your own trash cans, which cannot exceed 32 gallons in size, or you may simply place heavy-duty garbage bags at the curb.
How strict is the weight limit for trash in Friendswood?
Very strict. Because Waste Connections uses manual labor instead of automated lifting arms in Friendswood, every single trash can, garbage bag, and yard waste bundle must weigh 50 pounds or less.
Can I throw away carpet on my normal trash day?
Yes, but it must be properly prepared. Carpet is accepted if it is cut into strips 5 feet or shorter, rolled up, and weighs no more than 50 pounds per roll. If it rains, you must ensure the carpet dries out before placing it on the curb, as wet carpet quickly exceeds the weight limit.
How do I get a larger recycling cart?
The city issues one standard recycling bin per household. If you produce a lot of recyclables, you can contact the Utility Billing Office at 281-996-3232 to request a massive 96-gallon rolling recycling cart for a small additional monthly fee of around $1.32.