Chapter 12-3 Solid Waste Guidelines

6.0 PROCEDURES AND MATERIALS COLLECTED

6.1 Garbage Collection
6.2 Recycling Collection
6.3 Yard Trimmings Collection
6.4 Bulky Item Collection
6.5 Brush Collection
6.6 Household Hazardous Waste Disposal
6.7 Improper Set-Outs

These guidelines apply to City of Austin Solid Waste Services Pay-As-You-Throw residential customers and commercial customers subscribing to City of Austin services. This information does not apply to households who are not City of Austin Solid Waste customers.

6.1.1.

Garbage is collected once each week for residential customers and as subscribed for commercial customers.

6.1.2.

Days of collection are normally Mondays though Fridays, except during holiday “slide” weeks observed by the department.

6.1.3.

The Director designates which day customers’ collection services, i.e. garbage, recycling, and yard-trimmings falls on and any special collections due to holidays or weather. The Director may change the service days for any of the services with proper notice at any time to allow for the efficient collection of materials (route balancing).

6.1.4.

The lid(s) to the garbage cart(s) must close completely by its own weight.

6.1.5.

If the lid does not close, extra garbage must be bagged and tagged with an extra garbage sticker.

6.1.6.

See Section 5.1 for set-out guidelines.

6.1.7.

The Director may impose additional restrictions on items, or quantities of items to be collected to protect workers or based on equipment limitations.

6.1.8. Items collected:

• Regular household garbage
• Bagged and tagged extra garbage bags

6.1.9. Items collected that require special handling:

• Kitty litter, animal waste, Styrofoam peanuts, sawdust, vacuum cleaner dust, kitchen and food scraps must be bagged in plastic.
• Ashes must be cooled, boxed or bagged, and labeled “ASHES.” Tape or otherwise attach the label to the outside of the cart, or directly on the box or bag if not in the cart. (Due to the risk of causing a fire in the refuse truck, ashes should be extinguished completely for at least 72 hours before setting out for collection.)
• Needles or syringes must be placed in a hard-plastic or metal container with a screw-on or tight-fitting lid.
• Broken glass must be carefully wrapped in newspaper, boxed and labeled ”GLASS.” Tape or otherwise attach the label to the outside of the cart, or directly on the box or bag if not in the cart.

6.1.10. Items not collected for garbage:

• Loaded carts exceeding weight limit (30-gallon cart weight limit = 70 pounds; 60-gallon cart weight limit = 130 pounds; 90-gallon cart weight limit = 185 pounds)
• Extra garbage in bags or personal containers weighing more than 50 pounds
• Hot ashes or loose cool ashes
• Dead animals
• Tires
• Items too large for regular garbage collection such as furniture, etc.
• Biomedical waste
• Liquids
• Loose kitty litter, Styrofoam peanuts, vacuum cleaner bags or sawdust
• Broken glass that is not properly wrapped
• Rocks, dirt or construction debris
• Household hazardous waste (pool chemicals, motor oil, paint, solvents, etc.)
• Automotive parts.

These guidelines apply to City of Austin Solid Waste Services Pay-As-You-Throw residential customers. Once-a-week commercial customers subscribing to City of Austin services and City of Austin on-the-job customers are allowed to recycle cardboard, paper and aluminum cans, and must follow the guidelines listed below for these items. This information does not apply to residents who are not a City of Austin Solid Waste customer and/or do not have a City of Austin garbage cart.

6.2.1.

Recycling is collected once each week.

6.2.2.

See Section 5.1 for set-out guidelines.

6.2.3.

Days of collection are normally Mondays though Fridays, except during holiday “slide” weeks observed by the Department.

6.2.4.

The Director designates which day your recycling service falls on and any special collections due to holidays or weather.

6.2.5.

The Director may impose additional restrictions on items, or quantities of items to be collected to protect workers or based on equipment limitations.

6.2.6.

The Director may impose additional restrictions based on applicable laws, regulations, and the City’s contracts with purchasers of items to be recycled.

6.2.7. Items collected for recycling:

CONTAINERS

• All Plastic Bottles #1 and #2: (A bottle has a smaller neck than base. Remove lids and throw away. Rinse plastics to keep pests away. Flatten plastics. Place in recycling bin.)
  • Laundry detergent bottles
  • Bleach bottles
  • Shampoo bottles
  • Cooking oil bottles
  • Soda, liquor, water and milk bottles
  • Liquid and dishwashing soap bottles
  • Juice bottles and jugs
  • Bathroom and all-purpose cleaner bottles
  • Other plastic bottles with the #1 or #2 recyclable symbol and with smaller necks than bottoms.
• Cans: (Labels are okay. Remove lids and throw them away. Rinse food residue from metal cans to keep pests away. Place in recycling bin.)
  • Aluminum
  • Tin
  • Steel
• Glass: (Labels are okay. Remove lids and throw them away. Rinse glass to keep pests away. Place in recycling bin.)
  • Bottles and jars - any color (Food and beverage containers only.)

PAPER PRODUCTS

• Paper: (Paper may be placed in a brown paper grocery bag(s) or a recycling bin, a cardboard box(es) or a personal, reusable container(s), separate from plastics and other containers. Keep paper dry and out of rain.)
  • Computer and fax paper
  • Brochures, pamphlets and posters
  • Flyers and direct mail advertisements
  • Newspapers (including inserts), magazines and catalogs
  • Envelopes (White, manila and pastel colors only. Labels and windows are okay.)
  • Carbonless forms
  • Paper ream wrappers
  • Self-adhesive and “Post-it” notes
• Cardboard: (Boxes must be flattened into 2’ by 2’ by 2’ high bundles and tied with heavy cord or string. Keep cardboard dry and out of rain.)
  • Corrugated cardboard only (thick with a wavy middle)

6.2.8. Items that are not to be placed in recycling set-outs:

• Plastic packaging materials
• Broken glass (window glass, mirrors, glass bottles, etc.)
• Unrinsed jars, cans or containers
• Flower pots
• Styrofoam (egg cartons, cups, peanuts, etc.)
• Plastic tubs (yogurt, margarine or other frozen food packaging)
• Plastic utensils and food storage containers
• Toys
• Ceramic mugs or dishes
• Holiday or other greeting cards, including their envelopes
• Brown, red or any dark-colored envelopes and folders
• Product samples (such as soap, diapers, floppy disks and CDs)
• Plastic or foil packaging (sandwich baggies, plastic wrap, plastic bags)
• Soiled or food-stained paper or cardboard
• Pizza boxes
• Wet paper or cardboard
• Phone books
• Wrapping paper
• Rubber bands
• Facial or toilet tissue, or paper towels
• Medical supplies
• Window panes, light bulbs, Pyrex, crystal or dishes
• Pressed board (cereal, shoe boxes, beverage cartons, food boxes, detergent containers, etc.)
• Home chemical containers (pesticides and herbicides; solvents and paints; adhesives; motor oil and other petroleum product containers)
• Aerosol cans or compressed gas cylinders
• Motor oil or any container for automotive products
• Batteries (all kinds)
• Lids and caps to containers
• Car parts
• Plastics #3-7 or any other plastic containers (even if they have a recycling symbol on the bottom)
• Any other items not specifically allowed

These guidelines apply to City of Austin Solid Waste Services Pay-As-You-Throw residential customers only. This information does not apply to households who are not City of Austin Solid Waste residential customers and/or do not have a City of Austin garbage cart.

6.3.1.

Yard trimmings are collected once each week.

6.3.2.

See Section 5.1 for set-out guidelines.

6.3.3.

Days of collection are normally Mondays though Fridays, except during holiday “slide” weeks observed by the department.

6.3.4.

The Director designates which day your yard trimmings service falls on and any special collections due to holidays or weather.

6.3.5.

The Director may impose additional restrictions on items, or quantities of items to be collected, to protect workers, prevent contamination, or based on equipment limitations.

6.3.6.

Garbage must not be mixed with yard trimmings.

6.3.7.

Customers must use biodegradable kraft paper grass and leaf bag(s), a compostable cardboard box, or a personal trash container (reusable) instead of plastic bags. (Cactus or other thorny plants that can easily injure employees must be placed in a cardboard box.)

6.3.8. Items collected at the curb:

• Leaves
• Grass clippings
• Small branches and limbs (no longer than five (5) feet in length and no wider than three (3) inches in diameter) that are tied in small bundles using rope or heavy string, and weighing no more than 50 pounds.

6.3.9. Items not collected at the curb:

• Garbage
• Lumber
• Large tree limbs (longer than five (5) feet or wider than three (3) inches in diameter)
• Old water hoses
• Clay or plastic pots
• Old gardening tools
• Fertilizers
• Dirt, sand, soil, sod or rocks
• Any other materials not listed which are not biodegradable plant materials

These guidelines apply to City of Austin Solid Waste Services Pay-As-You-Throw residential customers only. This information does not apply to households who are not City of Austin Solid Waste residential customers and/or do not have a City of Austin garbage cart, unless covered by a separate annexation agreement.

6.4.1.

The Director determines the frequency of bulky item collections and any special collections. Customers will be notified in advance when to have items at the curb for collection.

6.4.2.

Items must be set out by the first day of collection at 6:30 a.m., even though crews will be collecting in the neighborhood for the entire week. It may take more than one day to collect these items.

6.4.3.

Place items at the curb (not in alley). Sort your items into separate piles of passenger tires (off the rim and no more than eight during each collection), appliances, metals and non-metals.

6.4.4.

Do not place your items under electrical wires, basketball goals or low hanging trees.

6.4.5.

Do not block your mailbox, cover your water meter, or lean materials against the telephone connection box. If you have a fence close to the street, avoid stacking materials against your fence.

6.4.6.

If you cannot wait for the next scheduled bulky item collection, you may request an off-schedule collection for a fee.

6.4.7.

The Director may impose additional restrictions on items, or quantities of items to be collected to protect workers or based on equipment limitations.

6.4.8. Items collected at the curb:

• Passenger car tires (removed from rims, no more than eight each collection)
• Doors
• Furniture
• Appliances
• Carpeting
• Rolled Fencing
• Lawn mowers
• Railroad ties (must be cut to no more than 5 feet in length)
• Pallets
• Lumber (nail-free and tightly bound)
• Tree logs or limbs larger than 8 inches in diameter
• Utility Poles (less than 10’ long)

The following items must be sorted into separate piles:

1. Tires (off rims)
2. Appliances and other metal items
3. Non-metal bulk items

Each pile may be picked up at a different time by a different crew over a period of several days. Mixed piles cannot be picked up.

6.4.9. Items not collected at the curb:

• Household Garbage (non-bulky items that could be collected with weekly garbage collection)
• Pesticides
• Paints
• Solvents
• Oils
• Hazardous materials
• Aggregates
• Automotive chassis and bodies
• Motorcycles
• Trailers
• Boats
• Truck or tractor tires
• Passenger tires mounted on wheels
• Construction and remodeling debris: plywood, bricks, rocks, cinder blocks, stone, concrete, mortar, sand, sheet rock, insulation, flooring, shingles, siding, steel, roofing, sheet glass, and mirrors
• Dirt or soil
• Brush or yard trimmings
• Cardboard