Curbside Recycling
The City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) provides curbside recycling collection using city-issued green recycling containers. This program helps reduce landfill waste and supports a cleaner, more sustainable community.
General Guidelines
- Place your city-issued recycling container at the curb between 6:00 p.m. the day before and 7:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day.
- Position the container facing the street with the handle toward the house.
- Keep containers accessible and free from obstructions such as parked vehicles, trees, mailboxes, or fences. Blocked containers will not be serviced.
- Leave at least three (3) feet of space between your recycling container and garbage container to allow safe collection.
- Remove containers from the curb by 10:00 p.m. on your collection day and store them in a secure location.
Accepted Materials (YES! Recycle)
- Paper: Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, office paper
- Plastic: Containers #1–5 and #7 (rinsed and drained)
- Aluminum Cans (rinsed and drained)
- Bimetal Cans (soup, vegetable, fruit, and coffee cans)
- Glass (Bottles, jugs, and jars)
- Cardboard (flattened)
- Cartons: Gable-top and shelf-stable cartons (milk, juice, soup, and plant-based beverage cartons)
Non-Accepted Materials (NO!)
- Film or flexible plastics Examples: plastic bags, shrink wrap, plastic wrap from water or soda cases, cereal bags, cracker bags
- Greasy or soiled paper Examples: food-contaminated paper, napkins, paper towels, tissue, wrapping paper
- Yard waste Leaves, grass, branches, twigs
- Textiles Clothing, shoes, towels, sheets, pillows
- Large plastic items Toys, garden hoses, coolers, furniture, buckets
Find Your Schedule
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Contact SWMD
611 Walker Street, 12th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Houston, TX 77002
