Houston, Texas resident guide
Houston trash, recycling, heavy trash & yard waste schedule
Find Houston's weekly garbage service, address based recycling, alternating tree and junk waste months, pile limits, yard waste rules, and official drop off options.
Official source links checked on August 31, 2026.
Regular household service
Trash and recycling service
Start here for the recurring household collections residents use most often.
Houston collects household garbage weekly from eligible City serviced homes. Use the address tool for the weekday, keep waste inside the City cart, place carts three feet from obstacles, and remove them by 10 p.m. after collection.
Houston provides single stream curbside recycling in the City cart. The collection map and HTX Collects app show the address date and service alerts. Recyclables should be empty and loose rather than bagged.
Need it gone before the city service?
Get a LoadUp quote when the local date is too far away or an item is excluded.
Start here
How Houston service works
Enter the full service address in the Houston collection map or HTX Collects app. The result shows the assigned heavy trash day and whether the month is for tree waste or junk waste.
Houston 2026 resident collection guide
Houston alternates tree waste and junk waste collection months
Eligible City serviced homes receive six heavy trash collections each year. The address result identifies the assigned day, and the month determines whether the curbside pile can contain only tree waste or the broader junk waste list.
Use the Houston map or HTX Collects app before preparing the pile.
Eligible homes receive up to six curbside collections per calendar year.
Check the current month because the accepted item list changes.
The City compares the allowance to about the size of a minivan.
Start after 6 p.m. Friday before the assigned collection day.
Fall leaf and yard waste pickupHouston separates yard trimmings from heavy tree wasteCurrent preparation rules confirmed
Leaves and grass belong in approved compostable bags or a reusable resident container. Small logs may be bundled, while larger clean limbs and stumps follow the assigned heavy tree waste collection.
Current guidance accepts bags meeting ASTM D6400 or EN 13432 standards.
Personal containers and small log bundles must stay under the weight limit.
Tie and bundle small logs before placing them at the curb.
What residents should do
- Check the Houston address schedule before preparing yard material.
- Use a qualifying compostable bag or a personal reusable container for leaves and grass.
- Tie small logs into bundles no longer than four feet and under 50 pounds.
- Keep yard waste three feet from carts and obstacles, and require a paid landscaper to remove material created by that contractor.
City rules at a glance
Local limits before placement
Eligible homes receive heavy trash every other month, up to six collections per calendar year. Each setout is limited to eight cubic yards. Resident generated building material is limited to four cubic yards and excludes shingles, brick, plaster, and concrete.
Place approved material just behind the curb between 6 p.m. Friday before collection and 7 a.m. on the assigned day. Keep the pile off sidewalks and streets and clear of meters, hydrants, mailboxes, signs, wires, and parked vehicles.
Local detail that matters
What makes Houston service different
The month matters in Houston. A tree waste month is not a general junk collection. During junk waste months, residents may use the broader bulky item list. Yard debris made by a paid contractor must be removed by that contractor.
Item guidance
What may go in the bulk item pile
Accepted examples
Tree waste months accept clean branches, limbs, and stumps. Junk waste months accept furniture, secured carpet, mattresses, toilets, bicycles, toys, stoves, washers, dryers, and water heaters. Refrigerators and freezers need a certified refrigerant removal tag.
Not accepted
Electronics, household chemicals, paint, fuel, dirt, soil, sod, roofing material, concrete, contractor debris, ordinary bagged garbage, and untagged cooling appliances do not belong in heavy trash.
Holiday collectionHouston published its 2026 Solid Waste holiday calendarPublished 2026 dates confirmed
These are Houston Solid Waste holidays. Route specific operating instructions can differ by holiday; the city posts those instructions as each date approaches.
Published 2026 department holidays
Houston announces route effects separately for each holiday; the annual calendar does not publish one universal delay rule for every route.
- New Year’s Day, Thursday, January 1
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 19
- Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 16
- Spring Holiday, Friday, April 3
- Memorial Day, Monday, May 25
- Juneteenth, Friday, June 19
- Independence Day observed, Friday, July 3
- Labor Day, Monday, September 7
- Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11
- Thanksgiving, Thursday and Friday, November 26 to 27
- Christmas, Thursday and Friday, December 24 to 25
Confirmed summer service effects
Juneteenth had no Friday curbside collection; Friday routes moved to Saturday. July 3 curbside collection ran normally, while facilities closed July 4.
- Juneteenth, June 19 to 20
- Independence Day period, July 3 to 4
Common questions
Houston collection FAQ
How often does Houston collect heavy trash?
Eligible City serviced homes receive heavy trash every other month, for up to six curbside collections per calendar year. Use the address map to find the assigned day.
What is the difference between Houston tree waste and junk waste months?
Tree waste months accept clean woody material such as limbs, branches, and stumps. Junk waste months accept approved furniture, mattresses, appliances, and other large household items in addition to eligible tree waste.
How large can a Houston heavy trash pile be?
The maximum is eight cubic yards, about the size of a minivan. A mixed pile containing prohibited material may be refused.
When can Houston residents place heavy trash at the curb?
Setout begins at 6 p.m. Friday before the assigned collection day and closes at 7 a.m. on collection day. Keep the pile accessible to the collection truck.
Will Houston collect a refrigerator with junk waste?
Only when a certified technician has removed the refrigerant and attached a tag showing that work. Untagged cooling appliances are not accepted.
Where can Houston residents take extra bulk material?
Eligible residents may use a City residential drop off center with proof of address. The centers accept several bulk, tree waste, recycling, and special material categories under separate limits.
Sources used for this guide
Official supporting information
TrashDayFinder used these public sources to prepare the resident guidance above. They were checked on August 31, 2026 and are provided here as evidence.
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