Dumps, Landfills & Recycling in Arlington, Texas

Q: What's the difference between a landfill and a dump?

In everyday use people say "the dump," but a modern landfill is an engineered, permitted site with liners and monitoring. A transfer station is a smaller site where waste is collected and hauled to a landfill. Both take household junk; a transfer or collection station is often closer and quicker for small loads.

Here's what most Arlington homeowners don't know: you get three free landfill drop-offs every year, and discounted rates after that. No coupon, no paperwork — just your Texas driver's license, as long as it matches your Arlington Water Utilities account. The landfill takes the awkward stuff too: carpet, appliances, tree limbs, fence panels, even tires. Below is exactly how the free program works, what the landfill won't touch, and where to take paint and chemicals instead.

Your 3 free landfill drop-offs — how it actually works

Arlington residents get three (3) FREE drop-offs per year, then a discounted rate on every additional visit.
NO COUPONS. Arlington dropped the printed-coupon system back in 2020 — plenty of guides still tell you to print one. You don't need it. Just show ID at the scale house.
Bring a valid Texas driver's license or Texas ID to the scale house. The name and address on it must MATCH your Arlington Water Utilities account.
Eligibility is for Arlington Water Utilities account holders and their authorized users only, and only for homeowners whose permanent residence is in Arlington. The benefit is not transferable.
Authorized users must actually live at the address shown on their license. To add or remove one — or fix an outdated water account — call the Action Center at 817-459-6777 BEFORE you drive out.
Not eligible: contractors, landlords, owners of multiple properties, and apartment tenants. All pay regular landfill fees.
Unloading by hand? You must be on the scales by 4:00 p.m. Monday–Friday, even though the gate closes at 4:30.
No hazardous waste or liquids, ever — that means no paint, motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides, or batteries. Those go to Fort Worth's Environmental Collection Center, free (details below).
Rates for non-free visits aren't published anywhere — they vary by load and waste type. Call (817) 354-2305 for a quote before you load up.

Disposal sites in Arlington

Arlington Landfill

Municipal Landfill

City of Arlington

800 Mosier Valley Road, Arlington, TX Directions

📞 (817) 354-2305

Hours
Mon–Sat	7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Hand-unload cut-off	On the scales by 4:00 p.m. (Mon–Fri)
Sunday	Closed

Fees

Arlington residents: 3 FREE drop-offs per year with matching Texas DL/ID + Arlington Water Utilities account
Additional resident visits: discounted rate
Contractors, landlords, multi-property owners, apartment tenants: regular landfill fees
Rates vary by load and waste type and are not published — call (817) 354-2305 in advance

Accepts: Household/residential trash, Bulky items, Old carpet, Appliances, Tree limbs, Fence panels, Tires, Clean-up debris

Won't take: Hazardous household waste, Paint, Motor oil, Antifreeze, Pesticides, Batteries, All liquids

Unusually for a Texas landfill, this one does take tires — Denton's, by contrast, bans them outright. Note the address is on Mosier Valley Road, east of the city proper, which is why it doesn't show up in state permit records filed under 'Arlington'.

Fort Worth Environmental Collection Center

Household Hazardous Waste

City of Fort Worth (open to Arlington residents)

6400 Bridge Street, Fort Worth, TX Directions

Hours
Thu & Fri	11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday	9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sun–Wed	Closed

Fees

Free for Arlington residents

Accepts: Paint, Motor oil, Pesticides, Antifreeze, Household chemicals, Batteries

This is the answer to everything the Arlington landfill rejects. Arlington residents can drop hazardous household waste here free of charge — it's run by Fort Worth but open to you.

Corrugated Services

Recycling Facility

2920 E Randol Mill Rd, Arlington, TX Directions

Cardboard and paper recycling. Call to confirm what they accept from the public.

R2R Recycling

Recycling Facility

12700 Calloway Cemetery Rd, Arlington, TX Directions

Call ahead to confirm accepted materials and public access.

City of Arlington services

Curbside bulky waste collection

City Service

Before hauling anything to Mosier Valley Road, check whether Arlington will collect it from your curb — it's included with your city service and costs you nothing but the wait. Details on the City's Garbage and Recycling page.

See every disposal site nearby: Landfills & dumps in Tarrant County →

Getting rid of something specific in Arlington?

Common questions

Does it cost anything to dump at a landfill?

Usually yes. Most Texas landfills charge by weight (a per-ton gate rate) or by the load, and many cities give residents a discount or a set number of free drop-offs if you can show a current utility bill. Small transfer and collection stations sometimes take household trash for free. Exact fees are listed per facility above.

What's the difference between a landfill and a dump?

In everyday use people say "the dump," but a modern landfill is an engineered, permitted site with liners and monitoring. A transfer station is a smaller site where waste is collected and hauled to a landfill. Both take household junk; a transfer or collection station is often closer and quicker for small loads.

What's the cheapest way to get rid of junk for free?

Check whether your city offers free bulk-trash pickup on a set week, use county household-hazardous-waste and cleanup events, and give away usable items. For a landfill drop-off, bring proof of residency to get resident rates. If it's more than you can move yourself, a junk-removal quote is often cheaper than multiple trips plus gate fees.

How do I get rid of large or heavy items?

Bulky items — furniture, appliances, mattresses, construction debris — either go to the landfill (often for an extra per-item fee) or get hauled by a junk-removal service. If you'd rather not rent a truck and pay gate fees, get a quick quote and compare.

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