Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Victoria
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.
Gray Bin (Trash)
Set the gray cart at the curb by 7:00 a.m. Lid must be completely closed. Maintain a 5-foot clearance from obstacles. Only city-issued carts will be serviced.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Bagged trash
Green Bin (Recycling)
Collected every other week. All items must be completely loose in the cart (do not use plastic bags to hold recyclables). Jars and cans must be emptied and rinsed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics #1 and #2
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Cardboard (flattened, clean, dry)
- ✓Newspaper and clean paper
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass of any kind
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Clothing and linens
- ✕Garbage and food residue
Yard Waste Bin
Collected weekly. Do not use plastic bags. Use paper/biodegradable bags, cardboard boxes, or standard 33-gallon personal cans. Limit 50 lbs per container. Branches may be tied in 3 small bundles (max 4ft x 2ft). Maintain 5-foot clearance.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves and grass clippings
- ✓Hedge and tree trimmings
- ✓Small branches
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By appointment only (two free collections per year).
Placement
Place items curbside (not in the street) less than 48 hours before collection. Ensure items are clear of low-hanging wires, mailboxes, and water meters.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Appliances
- ✓ Tires (max 4, separated from rims)
- ✓ Glass items (must be taped down or broken into smaller pieces inside a box)
- ✓ Tree limbs and trunks (meeting size limits)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paint, oil, chemicals)
- ✕ Dirt, concrete, or roofing materials
- ✕ Items placed at the curb more than 48 hours early
- ✕ Oversized tree trunks (exceeding 2ft diameter)
Up to 6 cubic yards is free twice a year. Overage is charged at $1.50 per minute of collection time. A third pickup incurs a $20 service fee plus the $1.50 per-minute rate.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Major holidays may affect collection routes. Typically, if your pickup day falls on an observed holiday, services are pushed back by one day for the remainder of the week.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and scheduled bulk pickups are subject to the same holiday delay schedule as standard household trash.
Always check the Victoria Schedule Search tool or the Environmental Services Facebook page for exact holiday routing alterations.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Glass Out of the Green Cart
The City of Victoria strictly prohibits glass in the curbside recycling program. If you need to dispose of glass mirrors, windows, or bottles, either throw them in your gray trash cart or properly tape/box them for bulk collection.
Never Bag Your Recyclables
Placing perfectly good recyclables into standard plastic garbage bags ruins the load. Plastic bags wrap around the sorting gears at the recycling facility, causing dangerous equipment malfunctions. Always throw items loosely into your green cart.
Ditch the Plastic Yard Bags
If you bag your leaves or lawn clippings in plastic, the yard waste truck will tag it and leave it behind. You must use brown biodegradable lawn bags, cardboard boxes, or empty personal 33-gallon trash cans for all vegetative waste.
Seasonal Information
Spring
March - MaySpring cleaning is a great time to utilize your two free annual 6-cubic-yard bulk collections. If you have extra tires to dispose of, ensure they are completely removed from the metal rim, and remember there is a strict limit of 4 tires per bulk collection.
Summer / Fall
June - NovemberDuring Gulf Coast hurricane season, heavy winds can bring down large limbs. Tree limb collections require specific preparation: out-of-cycle limbs must face the same direction, be no longer than 8 feet, and trunks cannot exceed 2 feet in diameter.
Winter
December - JanuaryExpect standard delays during major winter holidays. When dropping off post-holiday excess at the Waste Management Recycle Center, ensure you bring your Victoria water bill and ID to prove residency on the first Saturday of the month.
About Victoria Waste Management
Navigating Victoria's Automated Collection Rules
The City of Victoria’s Solid Waste Division utilizes automated trucks for its weekly garbage and bi-weekly recycling routes. To ensure your gray and green carts are successfully serviced, residents must adhere to strict placement rules. Carts must be set at the curb before 7:00 a.m. with the wheels secured against the curb, facing the street. Crucially, a mandatory 5-foot clearance must be maintained on all sides of the cart to allow the mechanical arms to operate without damaging nearby mailboxes or vehicles.
Strict Curbside Recycling Guidelines
Victoria's bi-weekly recycling program requires a high degree of resident participation to keep contamination rates low. The city specifically prohibits glass, Styrofoam, and any plastic grocery bags in the green recycling carts. Items like plastics #1 and #2, paper, and aluminum must be placed completely loose inside the bin. Bagged recyclables will contaminate the entire truckload and may result in the material being redirected to the local landfill.
Eco-Friendly Yard Waste Disposal
Keeping yard waste out of standard plastic garbage bags is heavily enforced in Victoria. If you place leaves or grass clippings in plastic bags, barrels, or drums, they will be left at the curb. Instead, residents can use an unlimited number of biodegradable paper yard bags, cardboard boxes, or standard 33-gallon personal trash cans for yard waste, provided no individual container exceeds 50 pounds.
Two Free Annual Bulky Pickups
Instead of waiting for a designated neighborhood bulk day, Victoria residents must actively schedule their large item collections. The city generously provides two free bulky item collections per year, covering up to 6 cubic yards each. Items cannot be placed at the curb more than 48 hours before the scheduled appointment. If you exceed the 6-cubic-yard limit or the two-free-pickup quota, additional service and per-minute collection fees apply.
The 'At Your Door' Special Hazardous Waste Program
Disposing of hazardous household chemicals like paint and pesticides can be incredibly inconvenient in most cities, but Victoria offers an exceptional solution. The city partners with Waste Management to provide an 'At Your Door Special Waste Collection' service. By calling the 1-800-449-7587 hotline, residents will receive a specialized kit in the mail to safely pack their materials, which are then picked up directly from the front porch on a scheduled date.
Drop-off Facilities
Waste Management Recycle Center
10205 US HWY 59N, Victoria, TX 77905
Materials Accepted
Republic Services Landfill
18141 FM 1686, Bloomington, TX 77901
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put glass bottles in my Victoria recycling cart?
No. The City of Victoria explicitly bans all glass from the curbside recycling program. Placing glass in your green cart can contaminate the entire truckload. Glass items should be placed in your gray garbage cart or taken to a specialized drop-off location.
How do I schedule a heavy trash pickup in Victoria?
You can schedule a bulky item pickup by calling the Solid Waste office at 361-485-3220 or by booking online through the city's website. You receive two free pickups (up to 6 cubic yards each) per year. Remember not to place your items at the curb more than 48 hours before your appointment.
How should I dispose of my yard clippings and leaves?
Yard waste is collected weekly, but it cannot be placed in plastic bags. You must use paper/biodegradable yard bags, standard 33-gallon personal trash cans, or cardboard boxes. Each container must weigh under 50 pounds, and you must maintain a 5-foot clearance around them.
What is the 'At Your Door' service for hazardous waste?
Instead of hosting sporadic drop-off events, Victoria contracts with Waste Management to pick up hazardous materials like paint, batteries, and pesticides right from your home. You can call 1-800-449-7587 to request a kit and schedule a doorstep collection date at no extra charge.