Trash and Recycling

Trash pickup for Kempwood subdivision is handled by the City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department. Fees for this service are built into the city water bill; there is no separate bill for trash.

All trash services are for use by the homeowner and occupants.

Contractors performing maintenance on your property must remove the waste they generate, and not leave it for the city to collect.

• Regular trash pickup: Every week on Friday.

• Recycling pickup: Friday Schedule A (every other Friday).

Keep trash bins 3 feet away from each other and other objects, and don't park near the bins.

• Yard waste: Must place a pickup order with 311. Pickup is normally on Fridays.

See new rules below for containers.

• Heavy trash: 4th Friday of the month, alternating.

Do not put Junk or Tree Waste under power lines, or near anything that might damaged by the collection claw, such as your mailbox or water meter.

Bag household garbage and put it in the 90-gallon black bin provided by the city. Place the bin at the curb before 7am on Fridays (or Saturday, if Friday is a holiday). Instructions for proper placement are on the lid. Hide the bin from view again before 10pm after collection.

Yard trimmings must not be placed within this container.

As a courtesy, you may hear the trash collectors honk the truck horn if they can't reach your trash. Check for cars and other obstructions if this happens.

If your trash sometimes does not fit in the city-supplied bin, additional bags require a Tags for Bags sticker which you can get from the grocery stores or from the city. To receive more trash bins, the "Add-a-Can" service is available for an additional fee.

For more information, visit this page.

Trash can repair at your home is included in your fee. Call 311 for City Services or visit the Houston 311 web site. You can also travel to a trash can service location to swap your container, but you still need to have completed the 311 service request.

Kempwood has been a pioneer neighborhood in the City of Houston's Automated Recycling program since 2010. Put your mixed recyclable items in the green bin provided, and place the bin at the curb on recycling days (every other week).

Acceptable items for recycling include:

• Plastics - #1-5, and #7 plastics (but not toys, packing materials, flower pots, plastic bags, or plastic furniture)

• Aluminum and tin cans and empty aerosol cans

• Cardboard (flattened)

• Cartons (milk, soup, drink, crackers), including coated and foil-lined

• Newspapers, magazines, catalogs

• Telephone books

• Envelopes, home and office paper, mail (no dark colors or foil)

• Clear, green, and brown glass

Remember to empty, rinse and drain all containers.

If you can, compost in your own back yard and feed your trees and plants with rich soil with little effort. But if not, the City of Houston recycles natural waste through these programs:

Yard trimmings (grass clippings, leaves and twigs) are collected weekly on regular trash days. You must now call 311 to request a pickup for yard waste.

You may now use your own cans for yard waste, weighing no more than 50 pounds. Do not use City-provided bins.

Or use 100% biodegradable or compostable bags meeting ASTM D6400 or EN 13432 standards may be used.

Tree branches may be put in bundles up to 4 feet long and 18" in diameter, but no more than 50 pounds. If possible, set out on Tree Waste days.

Heavier yard waste (known as Tree Waste) is handled alongside Junk Waste now (see next section).

May be placed on the curb no earlier than the evening of the previous Friday (one week in advance of scheduled pickup).

Tree Waste is natural wood such as tree limbs, branches, and stumps.

Junk Waste includes furniture, appliances, and other bulky material. May include:

• Up to 8 cubic yards of material

• Up to 4 cubic yards of homeowner-generated building materials (but no shingles, plaster, brick, or concrete)

• Up to 4 tires (handled separately)

May NOT include:

• Appliances containing coolant, chemicals or refrigerants (have a certified tech remove and recover all chemicals and tag the item)

• Hazardous waste

• Electronics

• Motor oil is no longer recycled curbside. Take it to a repair shop, auto parts store, or other recycling retailers.

• Household Hazardous Waste such as paint, gasoline, pool chemicals and many more can go to the Harris County facility at 6900 Hahl Rd. Check their web site for collection schedule.

• Car batteries may be recycled for free at many auto parts suppliers such as AutoZone.

• Rechargeable batteries can be taken to Home Depot, Lowe's, Batteries Plus, and other locations.

• Thin plastic shopping bags may be recycled at H-E-B stores, Lowe's, or other places.

• Compact fluorescent bulbs may be brought to many stores such as Ikea, Home Depot or Lowe's for recycling.

• The city offers Christmas tree recycling at several locations seasonally.

• Remodeling? The city now accepts reusable building materials which are then offered to non-profit organizations.

• Art Supplies can be donated for reuse at the Texas Art Asylum. Check their list or call them -- they'll take all kinds of things.

• If you're buying a new appliance, most stores will pick up and recycle the old one. You can also check this list which has several places to take old appliances.

• Most electronic devices can be dropped off at CompuCycle (limited hours) or at Best Buy. Many places accept mobile phones to be traded in for cash or discounts.