Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Waco
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 Cart Bin (Trash)
Trash must be bagged and tied. Carts must be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. with the lid completely closed. Trash placed outside the gray cart will not be collected and may incur a $20 penalty.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Collected bi-weekly. Do not bag recyclables; place them loose, clean, empty, and dry in the cart. Lid must be closed completely.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard
- ✓Magazines and mail
- ✓Aluminum and steel/tin cans
- ✓Plastics #1 (drink bottles) and #2 (hard plastic containers)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass of any kind
- ✕Milk or juice coated paper cartons
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Textiles
Yard Waste Bin
Collected bi-weekly in the Green Cart. You may place up to 20 paper lawn bags next to the cart. Do not use plastic bags. Loose brush piles are limited to 4'x4'x4' with limbs no thicker than 3 inches.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small sticks
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
One free pickup per month (By Request Only)
Placement
Place items at the curb at least 5 feet away from trees, mailboxes, and water meters. Do not place items under low-hanging branches or on top of sprinkler heads.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Large household junk that won't fit in the gray cart
Not Accepted
- ✕ Appliances containing Freon (unless Freon is professionally removed)
- ✕ Construction and demolition materials
- ✕ Hot ashes
- ✕ Tires (must go to Cobbs Center or Landfill)
The first 6'x6'x6' pile per month is free. There is an extra charge for piles that exceed this dimensional limit.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
During holiday weeks, trash and recycling pickup days slide to one day later if your normal day falls on or after the holiday. Carts are never serviced earlier than scheduled.
Yard Waste Exception
Bi-weekly yard waste and scheduled bulk pickups will also adhere to the one-day slide schedule during holiday weeks.
The City of Waco regularly mails updated pickup calendars with October utility bills so residents can track exact dates.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Exclude Glass from Curbside Recycling
Waco strictly prohibits glass in the blue recycling carts. Glass shatters during collection, contaminating paper and cardboard bales. Take all glass bottles and jars directly to the Cobbs Recycling Center.
Keep Cart Lids Flat and Closed
Overfilled carts are subject to a $20 penalty per event. Ensure that your gray, blue, and green carts have their lids completely closed. If you regularly have excess trash, you can request an additional gray cart for $10.97 per month.
No Milk or Juice Cartons
While they look like paper, milk and juice cartons are coated in wax and plastic layers that the local recycling facility cannot separate. Throw these items in the gray trash cart.
Seasonal Information
Autumn
October - DecemberDuring peak fall foliage, utilize the city's paper bag allowance. You can set out up to 20 paper bags of leaves alongside your green yard waste cart. Never rake leaves directly into the street.
Spring
March - MaySpring storms frequently knock down branches. Remember that loose brush piles placed at the curb must not exceed 4'x4'x4', must not be tied, and cannot contain limbs larger than 3 inches in diameter.
All Seasons (Moving)
Year-RoundIf you are moving into a new home in Waco, the city offers a one-time courtesy pickup of empty, flattened cardboard boxes within the first two months of establishing your new water utility account.
About Waco Waste Management
Glass-Free Blue Carts and Local Drop-Offs
In Waco, recycling relies heavily on minimizing cross-contamination, which is why glass is strictly prohibited in the municipal blue recycling carts. Placing glass bottles in your curbside bin can lead to the rejection of entire recycling loads. Instead, environmentally conscious residents must utilize designated glass recycling drop-off spots, such as the comprehensive Cobbs Recycling Center on Trice Avenue, ensuring materials are processed safely.
Bi-Weekly Green Cart and Paper Bag Allowance
Managing yard waste is highly structured in Waco through the use of dedicated green yard waste carts, serviced every other week. In addition to the material placed inside the green cart, the city offers a generous allowance by permitting residents to set out up to 20 paper lawn bags filled with leaves and small sticks per collection cycle. Plastic bags filled with yard debris will be rejected at the curb.
Free Monthly Bulky Item Collections On Demand
Rather than designating a single city-wide heavy trash week, the City of Waco empowers its residents with one free bulky waste pickup per month. This service is available strictly by request and allows for a massive 6'x6'x6' pile of items like furniture or mattresses. The pile must be placed at least five feet away from water meters, mailboxes, and overhanging trees to ensure the mechanical claw trucks can safely collect the debris without damaging property.
Cobbs Recycling Center & Free Resident Drops
The Cobbs Recycling Center serves as Waco's premier self-service waste hub. Beyond standard recyclables like cardboard, plastics, and electronics, the facility allows Waco residents up to four free trips of bulky waste and brush drop-offs per month. Keep in mind that state law requires all loose loads to be properly tarped during transport, and residents must present a valid ID and utility bill to utilize the free drops.
The Sliding Holiday Schedule Protocol
To improve predictability for residents, Waco implemented a clear sliding schedule policy for major holidays. During a holiday week, if your scheduled service day falls on or after the holiday, your pickup will simply slide to the following day (e.g., Tuesday moves to Wednesday). The city guarantees that your carts will never be serviced earlier than your normal scheduled day during these periods.
Drop-off Facilities
Cobbs Recycling Center
4201 Trice Ave, Waco, TX 76710
Materials Accepted
City of Waco Landfill
4730 TK Parkway, Axtell, TX 76624
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I throw glass in my blue recycling cart in Waco?
No. Glass is strictly prohibited in Waco's blue curbside recycling carts. To recycle glass, you must drop it off at the Cobbs Recycling Center on Trice Avenue or use other local community glass drop-off bins.
What happens if my trash doesn't fit in the gray cart?
All trash must fit inside the gray cart with the lid completely closed. Trash bags placed on the ground next to the cart will not be picked up and can result in a $20 penalty per event. If you consistently have too much trash, you can request an additional gray cart for $10.97 per month.
How do I get rid of an old refrigerator in Waco?
The city will not collect appliances containing Freon through the standard bulky waste pickup unless the refrigerant has been removed and tagged by a certified technician. Alternatively, residents can take the appliance to the Cobbs Recycling Center, where the city can remove the Freon for a $15 fee.
Does the city collect leaves in plastic bags?
No. The City of Waco will not collect yard waste placed in plastic bags. Leaves and grass must be placed either directly into your green yard waste cart or packed into biodegradable paper lawn bags (up to 20 paper bags are allowed per pickup).