Dumps, Landfills & Recycling in Austin, 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.

Austin is unusual: the city doesn't run a public landfill you can drive junk to. What it runs instead is the Recycle & Reuse Center — free for Austin and Travis County residents, and the right answer for paint, chemicals, electronics, and anything hazardous. The catch that sends people home empty-handed: it's appointment-only, so you can't just show up. For actual household trash and construction debris, you're headed to a private landfill out on FM 812. Here's how both work.

The Recycle & Reuse Center — read this before you load the truck

APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. You cannot drive up without one. Book through the Austin Recycles mobile app or online before you go.
Free for City of Austin and Travis County residents. If you live outside Austin/Travis County, fees apply.
Free household hazardous waste disposal for residents — up to 30 gallons of home-generated hazardous waste.
Fees apply to tires, even for residents.
Businesses are NOT eligible to drop off hazardous waste. Commercial operators should call 512-974-4335 for options.
You can also take items away free — the reuse side lets residents pick up usable paint, cleaners, and materials others dropped off.
The center no longer offers free glass cullet.
Appointments cannot be modified once booked — you have to cancel and rebook, and you must cancel through whichever method you used to book (app, web, or the link in your confirmation email). Call 3-1-1 if you get stuck.
Not sure whether they take your item? Austin's 'What Do I Do With...?' tool answers per-item before you book.

Disposal sites in Austin

Recycle & Reuse Center

Household Hazardous Waste / Reuse

City of Austin Resource Recovery

2514 Business Center Drive, Austin, TX 78744 Directions

📞 3-1-1

Fees

Free for City of Austin and Travis County residents
Fees apply for non-Austin/Travis residents
Fees apply to tire drop-off
Free household hazardous waste disposal up to 30 gallons (residents)

Accepts: Household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, cleaners), Electronics, Recyclables, Reusable items, Tires (fee)

Won't take: Business/commercial hazardous waste, Household trash, Walk-ins without an appointment

APPOINTMENT ONLY — book via the Austin Recycles app or austintexas.gov/dropoffschedule before driving out. This is the single most common reason people get turned away.

Texas Disposal Systems Landfill

Private Landfill (Type 1)

Texas Disposal Systems

9600 FM 812, Austin, TX 78719 Directions

Private landfill southeast of the city — this is where household trash and construction/demolition loads go, since Austin has no municipal landfill. Gate rates are set by the operator, not the city. Call ahead to confirm current per-ton pricing, hours, and whether they take your load.

Texas Disposal Systems Recycling & Wood Waste

Recycling / Wood & Brush

Texas Disposal Systems

9201 FM 812, Austin, TX 78719 Directions

Accepts: Wood waste, Brush, Tree debris

Separate site from the landfill, just up FM 812 — the destination for large brush and tree-limb loads. Confirm rates and hours before hauling.

City of Austin services

Curbside bulk & brush collection

City Service

Austin Resource Recovery collects large items and brush from the curb for residential customers on a scheduled basis — often the cheapest option since it's included with your city services. Check your collection schedule in the Austin Recycles app or at austintexas.gov before hauling anything yourself.

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

Getting rid of something specific in Austin?

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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