Houston Appliance Disposal: Heavy Trash on Junk Waste Months

Item: Large household appliances — stoves, ovens and ranges, washers, dryers, water heaters, dishwashers — plus refrigerators and freezers, which carry an extra rule.

Jurisdiction: City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department curbside service area only. Suburbs that run their own collection are not covered.

Official sources used: City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department (heavy trash, Residential Drop-Off Centers, recycling centers, Environmental Service Centers, Household Hazardous Waste, Reuse Warehouse), Houston 3-1-1, City of Houston BFA Committee collections update (February 3, 2026), Houston Public Media and ABC13 reporting on the on-demand pickup delay, U.S. EPA (Clean Air Act Section 608 and appliance disposal guidance), TCEQ, Harris County Office of the County Engineer, Best Buy recycling terms.

Last verified: September 2026 · Next review: December 2026

A dead refrigerator or a rusted-out washer is not a hard problem in Houston — but it is a problem with three separate gates, and the city's rules only open when you clear all three. Is your address on City curbside service, and is your building eight units or fewer? Is the current month a Junk Waste month? If the unit is a refrigerator or freezer, does it carry a certified technician's tag showing the refrigerant has been removed?

Get any one of those wrong and the appliance sits at the curb untouched, or gets turned away at a facility gate. This guide walks through each gate in order, then covers the free drop-off route for people who cannot wait for the collection calendar, the federal law behind the refrigerant tag, and the routes that look obvious but are not available to Houston residents at all.

Quick Answer

Inside Houston's City service area, most large appliances — stoves, washers, dryers, and water heaters — go out with curbside heavy trash on a Junk Waste month. It costs nothing, but it is limited to occupied residential units that receive City curbside service, and buildings with more than eight units are not served.

Refrigerators and freezers are different: they need a certified technician's tag showing the refrigerant has been removed before they can go to the curb or to a drop-off center. The City does not provide that tag, and official pages do not say who performs the removal, where, or at what cost.

If you cannot wait for a Junk Waste month, use a free Residential Drop-Off Center — six locations, Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., up to four visits per month, with proof of a Houston address.

Two things to confirm before you act: whether Houston is running the legacy every-other-month schedule or the announced on-demand 311 system (placed on hold in March 2026), and whether the current month is Tree Waste or Junk Waste. Call 311 or check houstontx.gov/solidwaste.

Quick Facts

• Official hub: houstontx.gov/solidwaste/treewaste.html
• Curbside appliances: stoves, washers, dryers, water heaters (Junk Waste months)
• Refrigerators and freezers: only with a certified technician's refrigerant-removal tag
• Set-out window (legacy schedule): 6:00 p.m. the Friday before through 7:00 a.m. on the collection day
• Volume limit: 8 cubic yards — about a minivan load
• Drop-off centers: six free locations, Tuesday–Saturday 9 a.m.–6 p.m., up to four visits per month
• Not eligible: buildings over eight units; contractor-generated debris
• 311: call 311 or 713.837.0311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Annual pickup count: no figure is reliable right now — official sources disagree

Which Route Fits Your Appliance?

Settle the route before you move anything. The table below is the short version of the whole article.

The two blank spots in that table are deliberate: no official Houston page states a fee for heavy trash, drop-off center use, or the refrigerant tag, and none states who performs the recovery. Any guide quoting a dollar figure for those is quoting something the City has not said.

Are You Actually in the City of Houston Service Area?

These rules cover the City of Houston curbside service area only. Suburbs that run their own collection — Bellaire, Katy, Pasadena, Spring, Humble, and Fort Bend County cities such as Sugar Land — follow their own rules, not Houston's. Kingwood is a Houston annex area and follows Houston's program.

Service is limited to occupied residential units receiving City of Houston services, and buildings with more than eight units are not served by curbside heavy trash. A building of eight units or fewer on City service can be eligible.

If you are unsure whether your address is on City service, call 311 before hauling anything to the curb. One phone call prevents the most common wasted effort in this whole process: a pile that sits for two weeks because the address was never on the City's route.

Which Appliances Houston Takes at the Curb

The junk-waste list covers the standard white goods: stoves and ranges, washers, dryers, and water heaters. The same collection also takes furniture, carpet (secured and bundled), mattresses and box springs, toilets, bicycles, and toys.

Refrigerators and freezers are accepted only with a certified technician's tag showing the refrigerant has been removed. Appliances containing gas, chemicals, or coolant are otherwise not accepted.

Two categories are never heavy trash: household hazardous waste (chemicals, fuels, wet paint) and electronic scrap (computers, monitors, TVs). Both go to an Environmental Service Center instead.

Dishwashers are an edge case. They are large, but they are not listed on the junk-waste page the way stoves and washers are — so call 311 with the specific item rather than assuming, and have the drop-off center as your fallback.

Tree Waste vs Junk Waste: Why the Month Decides

Houston's legacy heavy trash calendar alternates Tree Waste and Junk Waste by month. Appliances are junk waste, so they are collected only on a Junk Waste month.

That distinction matters more than it sounds. Set a washer out during a Tree Waste month and it can sit at the curb untouched while crews collect brush and branches around it. Confirm the current month on the official schedule or by calling 311 before you set anything out.

If the on-demand system ever goes live in place of the fixed calendar, month types become irrelevant — which is why the next section matters.

Set-Out Window, Placement, and the 8-Cubic-Yard Limit

Under the legacy fixed schedule:

• Set out between 6:00 p.m. the Friday before and 7:00 a.m. on the collection day.
• Place items just behind the curb line in front of the home — never in the street or on the sidewalk, and clear of wires, signs, mailboxes, meters, hydrants, and traffic paths.
• Maximum 8 cubic yards per set-out. Up to 4 cubic yards of that may be resident-generated building material, excluding shingles, brick, plaster, and concrete.
• Contractor-generated material is never collected. Roofing, remodeling, and construction debris must be removed by the contractor. A pile mixing authorized and unauthorized items can be refused entirely.
• Up to four passenger tires may go out at the curb, separated from the rest; retrieval can take up to a week after the main collection.

Keep the pile pure. One unauthorized item — a paint can, a bag of shingles, a TV — risks the entire pickup, and the appliance stays where it is.

Is Heavy Trash Still on the Fixed Schedule, or Do I Call 311?

This part is genuinely unsettled, and it is the single most important thing to verify before you act.

The City announced a shift to on-demand, 311-scheduled heavy trash: submit a request, it is reviewed and scheduled, the resident is notified, and collection happens within five working days — up to four collections per calendar year. That system was slated to launch March 2, 2026, then was placed "on hold until further notice" on or about March 5, 2026, with regular heavy trash pickup continuing.

The official heavy trash page still describes the legacy every-other-month schedule and does not mention 311 scheduling. Official sources also disagree on the annual count: the February 2026 council presentation describes up to four per year under the new model, while the heavy trash page states six. No firm annual count is reliable for planning right now.

• Do not assume you must call 311 to schedule a pickup. That is not confirmed as the live rule.
• Do not assume the fixed calendar is frozen either.
• Call 311 and ask which model is running at your address, and whether this is a Tree Waste or Junk Waste month.

311 remains the City's official service-request channel, and it is the right place to report a missed pickup or a damaged cart. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, by phone at 311 or 713.837.0311, with an online service request, case tracking, and a 311 app. The Solid Waste Management Department's 311 service-request status line is 832-394-1453, staffed Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Free Residential Drop-Off Centers: The Option That Does Not Wait

Six centers take appliances Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., up to four visits per month:

Accepted: appliances (stoves, washers, dryers), refrigerators with a tag indicating Freon removal, mattresses, furniture (limit two large items), tree waste, and junk waste (loose material such as shingles must be bagged).

Proof of address: a current Texas-issued ID (driver's license, DPS ID, LTC, or consulate ID) plus a current City of Houston utility bill or lease agreement with a matching address. Out-of-state residents whose primary home is elsewhere use a current property tax bill with a matching name; recycling-only visits need just a Texas ID.

Vehicles: pickup trucks and small trailers up to 10 ft with sideboards up to 4 ft. U-Hauls, box trucks, and sprinter vans are not allowed. If your plan was to rent a truck to move a refrigerator, that plan fails at the gate — build the trip around a pickup or a small trailer instead.

On site: arrive at least 30 minutes before closing, stay with your vehicle until staff direct unloading, keep children under 16 in the vehicle, one vehicle per household at a time, and no salvaging.

Refrigerators and Freezers: The Certified Technician Tag Rule

Federal law — Clean Air Act Section 608 — requires that refrigerant in small appliances such as household refrigerators and freezers be recovered before final disposal. The final person in the disposal chain must hold a signed statement from whoever recovered it, and knowingly venting refrigerant is prohibited. EPA's performance standard is recovery of at least 90% of the refrigerant when the compressor operates, at least 80% otherwise, or evacuation to 4 inches of mercury vacuum (40 CFR 82.156).

Houston's local version of that rule: a certified technician's tag showing the refrigerant has been removed is required before the unit goes to the curb or to a drop-off center. What the City's pages do not say is who removes it, where to have it done, or what it costs.

• Contact a licensed HVAC or appliance technician to recover the refrigerant and tag the unit. Ask for pricing before booking the job.
• Do not attempt refrigerant removal yourself. Venting is prohibited under federal law, and the equipment is not a homeowner job.
• Do not assume the City removes it for free. No official page states that, and none states a tag or removal fee either.

Older units may also contain mercury switches, PCB capacitors, and used oil — these should not go into regular trash. Secure or remove refrigerator and freezer doors before set-out or storage; a discarded fridge or freezer with the door still attached is an entrapment hazard for children and animals.

Small Appliances and E-Waste: Environmental Service Centers

The Environmental Service Centers (ESCs) handle hazardous waste and electronic scrap — and they are not the route for large appliances. Accepted items include small electrical appliances, microwaves, monitors, TVs, fluorescent bulbs, paint (25-gallon maximum), propane tanks (5-gallon maximum), batteries, used motor oil, and tires (five per residence per month).

• ESC South: 11500 S. Post Oak Rd., Houston, TX 77035 — Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
• ESC North: 5614 Neches St., Houston, TX 77026 — second Thursday of each month, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

These hours differ from the Residential Drop-Off Centers (Tuesday–Saturday 9 a.m.–6 p.m.). Do not mix them up.

Large appliances — refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, stoves — are not listed among accepted ESC materials. Send those to heavy trash or a Residential Drop-Off Center. TVs and monitors are accepted as-is under weight limits; do not strip or break them down.

For batteries, oil, latex paint, and antifreeze (known as BOPA), a special collection runs at the Westpark Consumer Recycling Center or an ESC, limited to two 5-gallon and ten 1-gallon paint cans, 5 gallons of used oil, and 5 gallons of antifreeze. Business-generated waste is not accepted at these facilities. The City's Household Hazardous Waste Information Line is 713.551.7355.

Donation, Retailer Haul-Away, and Private Removal

Donation first. The Reuse Warehouse at 9003 N. Main St., Houston, TX 77022 accepts donated reusable building materials, including energy-efficient appliances, Tuesday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; call 281-814-3324. Donations are subject to inspection, so call ahead with the item details. A working appliance is better donated than scrapped.

Retailer haul-away. Best Buy hauls away and recycles one major appliance when a replacement is delivered. The fee is conflicted on Best Buy's own pages ($49.99 on the haul-away page, $59.99 in the recycling FAQ), so treat any figure you see as unverified until you confirm it at purchase. The service generally requires buying a replacement with delivery. Large appliances are not accepted inside stores, and the old unit must be disconnected and free of personal belongings, hazardous materials, and infestations. Home Depot's terms could not be confirmed — check them directly if that is your plan.

Private junk removal and scrap buyers are legitimate options, and they are often the fastest path for a move-out deadline or a large apartment building. No pricing was confirmed here, so none is published: get quotes in writing, and ask explicitly who recovers the refrigerant on a fridge or freezer.

Harris County's HHW facility is not an option for Houston residents. It serves only residents outside the incorporated City of Houston, requires an appointment (Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9 a.m.–3 p.m.; second and fourth Saturdays 9 a.m.–2 p.m.), and does not accept Freon-containing items.

What It Costs: Documented and Not Documented

This is a short section because the official record is short.

No fee is stated anywhere for curbside heavy trash collection, Residential Drop-Off Center use, or ESC use by eligible Houston residents. All three are presented as city services that require eligibility and proof of address, not as paid services. That is not the same as a guarantee of free service forever — it means no charge is published today.

Also not published: any fee for the certified technician's refrigerant tag or for the recovery itself. Ask the technician for pricing before booking.

Conflicted: retailer haul-away fees, where the retailer's own pages disagree with each other. Confirm at the time of purchase.

Not verified here at all: scrap-metal rates, landfill tipping fees, and private hauling prices. No dollar figure is published in this guide for those, because none could be confirmed. Get quotes directly and in writing.

Apartments, Renters, and Buildings Over Eight Units

More than eight units: curbside heavy trash does not serve your building, so the curb is not an option regardless of what your neighbors say. Ask your property manager who arranges appliance disposal, whether the building uses private hauling, and whether residents may use a City drop-off center personally.

Eight units or fewer on City service: your address can be eligible. Confirm with the landlord or property manager that the building is on City service, then verify the month type with 311.

Landlord holds the utility account: you likely have no utility bill in your name. Your lease agreement with a matching address is the practical proof document at a drop-off center, alongside a Texas-issued ID.

Moving a refrigerator yourself: no U-Hauls, box trucks, or sprinter vans at the drop-off centers — a pickup or small trailer up to 10 ft works. And the refrigerant tag rule applies to renters exactly as it does to owners.

A dead built-in appliance in a large complex: the City's pages do not describe a resident path to schedule heavy trash for a building over eight units. Ask the property manager first. The City's multifamily work with apartment associations has centered on recycling, which is a different program from heavy trash.

Before You Act: Verification Checklist

Call 311 with this list in front of you. It is the fastest way to get a straight answer on a program that is genuinely in flux.

1. Is my address on City of Houston curbside service, and how many units does my building have?
2. Which model is running today — the fixed every-other-month calendar, or on-demand 311 scheduling?
3. Is the current month a Tree Waste or a Junk Waste month?
4. What is my set-out window and collection day under the model that is running?
5. Does my refrigerator or freezer need anything beyond the certified technician's tag?
6. If I use a drop-off center, what proof of address do I need to bring for my situation?
7. If I am in a building over eight units, what is the property's arrangement?
8. Re-check the current rules at houstontx.gov/solidwaste before you rely on anything in this guide.

Preparing an Appliance for Set-Out or Drop-Off

1. Verify the month type — appliances are Junk Waste, collected on a Junk Waste month.
2. Verify the current program model with 311 before relying on any set-out timing.
3. Empty the unit of food, water lines, hoses, and personal belongings.
4. Secure or remove doors, and get the refrigerant tag for any refrigerator or freezer.
5. Disconnect water and gas connections per the manufacturer's instructions; hire a professional for gas lines.
6. Get help lifting. Place the unit just behind the curb line and keep the pile within the 8-cubic-yard limit.
7. At a drop-off center: bring a Texas ID plus a utility bill or lease with matching addresses, arrive at least 30 minutes before closing, and stay with your vehicle until staff direct you.

Safety Warnings

• Never vent refrigerant. It is prohibited under federal law, and recovery requires certified equipment.
• Never put a refrigerant-containing appliance into a roll-off mixed with trash heading for landfill.
• Doors are an entrapment hazard — secure or remove them before storage or set-out.
• Large appliances are heavy. Use a two-person lift, keep the load close to your body, and avoid twisting.
• Do not strip TVs and monitors at the ESC; they are accepted as-is under weight limits.
• Never mix hazardous household waste into a curbside pile — one can of paint or fuel can get the whole pickup refused.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Setting an appliance out on a Tree Waste month.
• Putting a refrigerator at the curb without the refrigerant tag.
• Assuming the City removes the Freon for free.
• Calling 311 to schedule a pickup without first confirming which model is running.
• Mixing contractor debris into the pile and losing the pickup.
• Driving a U-Haul, box truck, or sprinter van to a drop-off center.
• Taking a washer or stove to an ESC, or using the Harris County HHW facility while living inside Houston.
• Quoting a retailer haul-away fee as settled when the retailer's own pages disagree.

FAQ

Can Houston pick up my old refrigerator at the curb?

Yes, on a Junk Waste month, for an eligible occupied residential unit on City curbside service — but only with a certified technician's tag showing the refrigerant has been removed. Without the tag, the unit is not accepted.

Can I put out a stove, washer, dryer, or water heater?

Yes. Those are on the accepted junk-waste list and go out curbside on a Junk Waste month, within the 8-cubic-yard limit and the set-out window.

Do I need to call 311 to schedule heavy trash?

Not settled. On-demand 311 scheduling was announced for March 2, 2026, then placed on hold until further notice on or about March 5, 2026, and the official heavy trash page still describes the fixed schedule. Call 311 to learn which model is running at your address.

Which month can my appliance go out?

Only a Junk Waste month. Houston's legacy calendar alternates Tree Waste and Junk Waste by month, and appliances are junk waste. Confirm the current month with 311 or the official schedule before setting anything out.

How many heavy trash collections do I get per year?

No reliable number is published right now. The City's February 2026 council presentation describes up to four per year under the proposed on-demand model, while the heavy trash page states six. Ask 311 for your address rather than planning around either figure.

Who removes the Freon, and what does it cost?

A licensed HVAC or appliance technician. No official City page states who performs the removal, where to have it done, or any fee for the tag or the recovery — so ask the technician for pricing before booking. Do not vent the refrigerant yourself; it is prohibited under federal law.

Can I take a refrigerator or freezer to an Environmental Service Center?

No. The ESC accepted-materials list covers small electrical appliances, microwaves, and e-waste. Large appliances — refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, stoves — are not listed there. Use heavy trash or a Residential Drop-Off Center instead.

I live in a building with more than eight units. What are my options?

Curbside heavy trash does not serve your building. Ask your property manager who arranges disposal, and consider using a free Residential Drop-Off Center yourself with your Texas ID and a lease or utility bill that matches the address.

Can I rent a U-Haul to take my refrigerator to a drop-off center?

No. U-Hauls, box trucks, and sprinter vans are not allowed at the drop-off centers. Pickup trucks and small trailers up to 10 ft with sideboards up to 4 ft are permitted.

My heavy trash pickup was missed. What do I do?

Report it through 311, which is the City's official channel for missed collections. Call 311 or 713.837.0311, or submit a service request online. The Solid Waste Management Department's status line for 311 service requests is 832-394-1453, staffed weekdays.

Can I donate a working appliance instead?

Possibly. The Reuse Warehouse at 9003 N. Main St. accepts donated reusable building materials including energy-efficient appliances, Tuesday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., at 281-814-3324. Donations are subject to inspection, so call ahead with the model and condition.

What about a dishwasher?

Dishwashers are large but are not listed on the junk-waste page the way stoves and washers are. Call 311 with the specific item before setting it out, and treat a Residential Drop-Off Center as the fallback.

Can I use the Harris County household hazardous waste facility?

No, if you live inside the incorporated City of Houston. The county facility serves only residents outside the city, requires an appointment, and does not accept Freon-containing items.

Official Sources

• Houston heavy trash collection: https://houstontx.gov/solidwaste/treewaste.html
• Houston Residential Drop-Off Centers: https://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/depository.html
• Houston Residential Recycling Centers: https://houstontx.gov/solidwaste/recycling_centers.html
• Houston Environmental Service Centers: https://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/esc.html
• Houston Household Hazardous Waste: https://houstontx.gov/solidwaste/hhw.html
• Houston Reuse Warehouse: https://houstontx.gov/solidwaste/reuse.html
• Houston Solid Waste Management Department: https://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/
• Houston 3-1-1: https://311.houstontx.gov
• Solid Waste Collections Update, BFA Committee, February 3, 2026: https://houstontx.gov/council/committees/bfacommittee/20260203-joint-govtops/swd-collections-updates.pdf
• On-demand heavy trash service on hold, Houston Public Media, 2026-03-05: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/city-of-houston/2026/03/05/545286/houston-heavy-trash-pickup-on-demand-service-delay/
• City delays launch of new heavy trash pickup system, ABC13, 2026-03-06: https://abc13.com/post/city-houston-delays-launch-new-heavy-trash-pickup-system/18681983/
• EPA Section 608 safe disposal requirements: https://www.epa.gov/section608/stationary-refrigeration-safe-disposal-requirements
• EPA Appliances Quick Start Guide (2025): https://epa.gov/system/files/documents/2025-06/appliances_v4_508.pdf
• EPA Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) guidance: https://epa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-08/documents/rad-guidance-document.pdf
• TCEQ Household Hazardous Waste guide: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/p2/hhw
• Harris County Household Hazardous Waste: https://oce.harriscountytx.gov/Services/Household-Hazardous-Waste
• Harris County HHW FAQ: https://oce.harriscountytx.gov/Services/Household-Hazardous-Waste/FAQ
• Best Buy TV and appliance haul-away: https://bestbuy.com/site/recycling/tv-appliances-haul-away/pcmcat174900050009.c
• Best Buy electronics and appliances recycling FAQ: https://bestbuy.com/site/recycling/recycle-faqs/pcmcat174700050009.c?id=pcmcat174700050009

Jurisdiction and eligibility warning: this guide covers the City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department curbside service area only. Suburbs and independent cities in the metro that run their own collection — including Bellaire, Katy, Pasadena, Spring, Humble, and Fort Bend County cities such as Sugar Land — are not covered, and Harris County's household hazardous waste facility does not serve residents inside the incorporated City of Houston. Curbside heavy trash is limited to occupied residential units receiving City services; buildings with more than eight units are not served. Contractors must remove their own debris. Refrigerators and freezers require a certified technician's tag showing the refrigerant has been removed before set-out or drop-off. Program rules, collection models, hours, and eligibility can change — confirm the current heavy trash model, the month type, and drop-off requirements with Houston 311 at 311 or 713.837.0311, or at houstontx.gov/solidwaste, before you move an appliance.