Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Houston
Trash Day
Mondays through Thursdays
Recycling
Every other week on trash day
Yard Waste
Same day as garbage
Set Out Time
7:00 AM
Black Cart Bin (Trash)
All household garbage must be bagged and fit inside the black cart with the lid completely closed. Place at the curb by 6:00 a.m. with the handle facing your home. Keep 3 feet of clearance on all sides.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics and films
- ✓Small household items
- ✓Bagged pet waste
Green Cart Bin (Recycling)
Collected every other week. Items must be empty, clean, loose, and dry. Do NOT bag your recyclables. Remove caps from bottles and flatten all cardboard.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paperboard (flattened)
- ✓Paper, mail, and magazines
- ✓Cartons (milk, juice, broth)
- ✓Plastics #1-5 and #7 (bottles, jugs, and tubs)
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam (Plastic #6)
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Food waste or greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, cords, wires)
- ✕Textiles and clothing
Yard Waste Bin
Use 100% compostable bags (ASTM D6400) or personal reusable containers (max 50 lbs). Never use the City-issued 96-gallon carts for yard waste. Place 3 feet away from the black garbage cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small branches
- ✓Tied and bundled logs (max 4 feet long)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Every other month (Alternating Schedule)
Placement
Set items near the front curb between 6:00 p.m. the Friday before and 7:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Do not stack under wires, trees, or near water meters.
Accepted
- ✓ Tree limbs and stumps (Odd months)
- ✓ Furniture and large appliances (Even months)
- ✓ Up to 4 cubic yards of resident-generated construction debris (Even months)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Contractor-generated debris
- ✕ Household Hazardous Waste (paint, chemicals)
- ✕ Electronics
- ✕ Roofing shingles, brick, plaster, and concrete
Placing debris out on the wrong month or exceeding the 8-cubic-yard limit can result in heavy fines ranging from $50 to $2,000 per violation.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When an observed holiday falls on a weekday, curbside collection is typically suspended and pushes service days back by one day for the remainder of the week (e.g., Friday routes move to Saturday).
Yard Waste Exception
Curbside yard waste collection follows the exact same holiday delay schedule as standard garbage collection.
Administrative offices and Neighborhood Depositories are also closed on major holidays. Always verify specific schedule shifts using the HTX App or the SWMD website.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Never Bag Your Recyclables
The SWMD routinely issues 'Oops' tags for carts containing bagged recyclables. Plastic trash bags and grocery bags wrap around the gears at Houston's recycling facilities and cause machinery breakdowns. Always toss your recyclables loosely into the green cart.
Keep the 'Tanglers' Out
Never place extension cords, garden hoses, Christmas lights, or clothing in your green recycling bin. These items are severe safety hazards for sanitation workers and will jam the mechanical sorting lines.
Styrofoam Stays Out of the Green Bin
Although Styrofoam (plastic #6) sometimes features a recycling triangle, it is not accepted in Houston's curbside green bins. You must place Styrofoam in your black trash cart, or drive it to the Westpark Consumer Recycling Center for specialized processing.
Seasonal Information
Hurricane Season
June - NovemberDuring tropical storms and hurricanes, high winds can turn roll carts into dangerous projectiles. Store your bins securely in a garage or shed until the storm passes. The SWMD will issue specific debris separation guidelines following a severe weather event.
Spring/Autumn
March - May, October - NovemberDuring peak yard cleanup seasons, remember the alternating bulk schedule. If you have large tree limbs or stumps, wait for an odd-numbered 'Tree Waste' month to set out up to 8 cubic yards of clean wood debris at the curb.
Summer
July - SeptemberIntense Houston heat accelerates odors and bacterial growth in garbage bins. To deter pests and flies, tightly bag all food waste, freeze meat scraps until collection day, and periodically wash out your black cart with a mild bleach solution.
About Houston Waste Management
Houston's Core Curbside Services
The City of Houston's Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) provides robust curbside collection for over 390,000 households using automated trucks. Residents utilize a 96-gallon black cart for weekly garbage and a 96-gallon green cart for biweekly recycling. To ensure successful automated pickup, carts must be placed at the curb between 6:00 p.m. the evening prior and 6:00 a.m. on collection day. Carts require a minimum of three feet of clearance from obstacles like parked cars, mailboxes, and low-hanging tree branches.
Alternating Tree and Junk Waste Months
Houston employs a unique alternating bi-monthly schedule for heavy trash to maximize recycling efficiency and create City mulch. Odd-numbered months (January, March, May, July, September, November) are exclusively reserved for 'Tree Waste' like clean wood branches and stumps. Even-numbered months (February, April, June, August, October, December) are designated for 'Junk Waste' such as old furniture and appliances. Residents must adhere to a strict 8-cubic-yard volume limit per household during these bulk collections.
Compostable Bag Requirements for Yard Trimmings
Under updated City ordinances, Houstonians no longer have to purchase proprietary City-sealed bags for their yard waste. You may now use any 100% biodegradable or compostable bag that meets ASTM D6400 or EN 13432 standards. Alternatively, residents can use personal reusable refuse containers, as long as they weigh under 50 pounds when full. All yard waste must be placed at least three feet away from your black trash cart on your scheduled garbage day.
Environmental Service Centers and Neighborhood Depositories
For materials that are strictly banned from your curbside carts—such as Household Hazardous Waste (HHW), electronics, and scrap tires—the City operates several drop-off facilities. The Westpark Consumer Recycling Center and the Environmental Service Center (ESC) South are premium locations for safely disposing of chemicals, paints, and large block Styrofoam. Houston residents must provide a valid ID and a recent utility bill to prove residency upon entry.
The Return of Curbside Glass Recycling
Thanks to investments in modern municipal recycling infrastructure, the City of Houston fully supports glass recycling directly in the green curbside bins. Residents can confidently place their empty and rinsed clear, green, and brown glass bottles and jars into the recycling cart. This integration eliminates the need for residents to make special trips to drop-off glass bins for everyday household beverage containers.
Drop-off Facilities
Westpark Consumer Recycling Center
5900 Westpark Drive, Houston, TX 77057
Materials Accepted
Environmental Service Center (ESC) South
11500 S. Post Oak Boulevard, Houston, TX 77045
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to use the City of Houston logo bags for yard waste?
No. Under the updated SWMD guidelines, you can use any 100% biodegradable or compostable bag that meets ASTM D6400 or EN 13432 standards. You can also use personal reusable refuse containers, provided the container and its contents weigh under 50 pounds.
What happens if I put my heavy trash out on the wrong month in Houston?
Houston strictly enforces its alternating bulk schedule (Tree Waste in odd months, Junk Waste in even months). Setting out junk waste during a tree waste month, placing it out too early, or exceeding the 8-cubic-yard limit can trigger code compliance citations with fines up to $2,000.
Does Houston recycle glass in the green curbside bin?
Yes! Thanks to modernized sorting facilities, you can place empty, rinsed clear, green, and brown glass bottles and jars directly into your green curbside recycling cart.
Why did my recycling bin get an 'Oops' tag?
The SWMD uses an 'Oops' cart-tagging program to educate residents. If an inspector spots banned items like plastic grocery bags, cords, food waste, or styrofoam in your green bin, they will attach an 'Oops' tag. If contamination persists, your cart will not be serviced until the items are removed.