Solid Waste Service Changes
Beginning October 2026, your Solid Waste services may change a bit. The changes are intended to make using your services more convenient and flexible with an eye to the sustainability of programs.
Yard Waste Updates
Yard waste services are not being eliminated, but they are being restructured. The current program is underutilized, with only 11% of residents regularly using their green carts. The collected yard waste is not currently being diverted, so that will continue. Combining the gray and green routes will reduce trips to the Landfill and Transfer Station, resulting in operational savings.
Yard Waste (grass, leaves, small branches) may be:
- Placed in your gray card for collection with your weekly trash pickup
- Placed in paper bags (up to 20 per pickup) to be collected by request (up to two times per month)
- Dropped off at the Cobbs Recycling Center or the City of Waco landfill (up to four times per year at no additional charge)
Brush (larger limbs and branches) may be:
- Placed in a pile at your curb (no larger than 4' x 4' x 4') to be collected by request (up to two times per month)
- Dropped off at the Cobbs Recycling Center or the City of Waco landfill (up to four times per year at no additional charge)
Green Yard Waste carts may be:
- Kept until October 1, 2027 for use as an additional gray cart at no additional charge
- Returned before October 1, 2027
- Kept beyond October 1, 2027 for use as an additional gray cart with the associated monthly charge (FY28 fee set at $11.17 per month, pending budget approval)
Residents will have until October 1, 2027 to make their choice. Step-by-step guidance for returning or keeping your cart will be shared throughout the year.
Requests for on-demand pickups can be made:
Holiday Schedule Updates
Beginning October 1, 2026, during holiday weeks, your trash pickup day will slide to one day later. Your carts will never be serviced earlier than your scheduled pickup day.
For example, if Tuesday is a holiday:
- Tuesday’s pickup will slide to Wednesday
- Wednesday’s pickup will slide to Thursday
- Thursday’s pickup will slide to Friday
With the new schedule, you'll never be surprised by your pickup moving to an earlier day in the week.
We'll send updated pickup calendars with your October utility bill, so you can see any changes that affect you.
Other Changes
Trash and Recycling pickup days will change for a limited number of households, specifically those on Wednesday and Friday collection routes. Additional customers will also see changes to their recycling routes only. This change is not citywide, and most residents' service will stay the same.
These changes help keep the schedule consistent and efficient.
You won't have to guess if your household will be affected. We'll be reaching out directly through multiple channels, so you have all the information you need well in advance.
Rates and Fees
There are no new fees related to the changes at the time of implementation. Beginning October 1, 2027 customers who choose to keep their cart will be charged an extra cart fee each month.
These changes are expected to reduce operational costs, which will help stabilize or reduce planned annual residential rate increases in the future. The City's savings will be passed to customers. For example, in FY27, the planned monthly residential rate will increase by $0.41 rather than by $1.41.