Houston works differently from most Texas cities: instead of paying at a landfill gate, City of Houston residents can dump junk waste, tree limbs, and recyclables free at six Neighborhood Depositories (also called Residential Drop-Off Centers) spread across the city. There's no fee — you just need proof that you live in the city. Below are all six locations, plus the Environmental Service Centers for paint, chemicals, and other household hazardous waste that the depositories won't take.
Disposal sites in Houston
North Neighborhood Depository & Recycling Center
Residential Drop-Off Center
City of Houston Solid Waste Management
9003 N Main, Houston, TX 77022 Directions ↗
📞 (281) 814-3324
Hours| Tue–Sat | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
| Sun & Mon | Closed |
Fees & rules
- Free for City of Houston residents — up to 4 visits a month, one a week
- Bring one proof of address: a current Texas ID, or a City of Houston utility bill or lease. Contractor-type material (sheetrock, tile, lumber) is capped at 4 cubic yards; no limbs over 9 inches
- Pickups, or trailers up to 10 ft long with sideboards no higher than 4 ft. Arrive at least 30 minutes before closing
Accepts: Furniture (up to two large pieces), mattresses, stoves, washers and dryers, refrigerators with a tag showing the Freon was removed, tree waste (leaves in compostable bags), bagged junk such as shingles, recyclables, up to 5 passenger tires a visit (10 a month), up to 5 quarts of motor oil
Won't take: Household garbage, TVs, concrete, rocks, dirt, bricks, paint and chemicals, liquids, truck tires, pallets, dead animals
One of only two depositories that also accepts clothing and shoes. The Reuse Warehouse shares this address — usable building materials can be donated there instead of dumped.
Spot a wrong hour or fee? Tell us
Northwest Neighborhood Depository & Recycling Center
Residential Drop-Off Center
City of Houston Solid Waste Management
14400 Sommermeyer, Houston, TX 77041 Directions ↗
📞 3-1-1
Hours| Tue–Sat | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
| Sun & Mon | Closed |
Fees & rules
- Free for City of Houston residents — up to 4 visits a month, one a week
- Bring one proof of address: a current Texas ID, or a City of Houston utility bill or lease. Contractor-type material (sheetrock, tile, lumber) is capped at 4 cubic yards; no limbs over 9 inches
- Pickups, or trailers up to 10 ft long with sideboards no higher than 4 ft. Arrive at least 30 minutes before closing
Accepts: Furniture (up to two large pieces), mattresses, stoves, washers and dryers, refrigerators with a tag showing the Freon was removed, tree waste (leaves in compostable bags), bagged junk such as shingles, recyclables, up to 5 passenger tires a visit (10 a month), up to 5 quarts of motor oil
Won't take: Household garbage, TVs, concrete, rocks, dirt, bricks, paint and chemicals, liquids, truck tires, pallets, dead animals
Spot a wrong hour or fee? Tell us
Northeast Neighborhood Depository & Recycling Center
Residential Drop-Off Center
City of Houston Solid Waste Management
5565 Kirkpatrick, Houston, TX 77028 Directions ↗
📞 3-1-1
Hours| Tue–Sat | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
| Sun & Mon | Closed |
Fees & rules
- Free for City of Houston residents — up to 4 visits a month, one a week
- Bring one proof of address: a current Texas ID, or a City of Houston utility bill or lease. Contractor-type material (sheetrock, tile, lumber) is capped at 4 cubic yards; no limbs over 9 inches
- Pickups, or trailers up to 10 ft long with sideboards no higher than 4 ft. Arrive at least 30 minutes before closing
Accepts: Furniture (up to two large pieces), mattresses, stoves, washers and dryers, refrigerators with a tag showing the Freon was removed, tree waste (leaves in compostable bags), bagged junk such as shingles, recyclables, up to 5 passenger tires a visit (10 a month), up to 5 quarts of motor oil
Won't take: Household garbage, TVs, concrete, rocks, dirt, bricks, paint and chemicals, liquids, truck tires, pallets, dead animals
Spot a wrong hour or fee? Tell us
Southeast Neighborhood Depository & Recycling Center
Residential Drop-Off Center
City of Houston Solid Waste Management
2240 Central Street, Houston, TX 77017 Directions ↗
📞 3-1-1
Hours| Tue–Sat | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
| Sun & Mon | Closed |
Fees & rules
- Free for City of Houston residents — up to 4 visits a month, one a week
- Bring one proof of address: a current Texas ID, or a City of Houston utility bill or lease. Contractor-type material (sheetrock, tile, lumber) is capped at 4 cubic yards; no limbs over 9 inches
- Pickups, or trailers up to 10 ft long with sideboards no higher than 4 ft. Arrive at least 30 minutes before closing
Accepts: Furniture (up to two large pieces), mattresses, stoves, washers and dryers, refrigerators with a tag showing the Freon was removed, tree waste (leaves in compostable bags), bagged junk such as shingles, recyclables, up to 5 passenger tires a visit (10 a month), up to 5 quarts of motor oil
Won't take: Household garbage, TVs, concrete, rocks, dirt, bricks, paint and chemicals, liquids, truck tires, pallets, dead animals
One of only two depositories that also accepts clothing and shoes.
Spot a wrong hour or fee? Tell us
South Neighborhood Depository & Recycling Center
Residential Drop-Off Center
City of Houston Solid Waste Management
5100 Sunbeam, Houston, TX 77033 Directions ↗
📞 3-1-1
Hours| Tue–Sat | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
| Sun & Mon | Closed |
Fees & rules
- Free for City of Houston residents — up to 4 visits a month, one a week
- Bring one proof of address: a current Texas ID, or a City of Houston utility bill or lease. Contractor-type material (sheetrock, tile, lumber) is capped at 4 cubic yards; no limbs over 9 inches
- Pickups, or trailers up to 10 ft long with sideboards no higher than 4 ft. Arrive at least 30 minutes before closing
Accepts: Furniture (up to two large pieces), mattresses, stoves, washers and dryers, refrigerators with a tag showing the Freon was removed, tree waste (leaves in compostable bags), bagged junk such as shingles, recyclables, up to 5 passenger tires a visit (10 a month), up to 5 quarts of motor oil
Won't take: Household garbage, TVs, concrete, rocks, dirt, bricks, paint and chemicals, liquids, truck tires, pallets, dead animals
Spot a wrong hour or fee? Tell us
Southwest Neighborhood Depository & Recycling Center
Residential Drop-Off Center
City of Houston Solid Waste Management
10785 SW Freeway, Houston, TX 77074 Directions ↗
📞 3-1-1
Hours| Tue–Sat | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
| Sun & Mon | Closed |
Fees & rules
- Free for City of Houston residents — up to 4 visits a month, one a week
- Bring one proof of address: a current Texas ID, or a City of Houston utility bill or lease. Contractor-type material (sheetrock, tile, lumber) is capped at 4 cubic yards; no limbs over 9 inches
- Pickups, or trailers up to 10 ft long with sideboards no higher than 4 ft. Arrive at least 30 minutes before closing
Accepts: Furniture (up to two large pieces), mattresses, stoves, washers and dryers, refrigerators with a tag showing the Freon was removed, tree waste (leaves in compostable bags), bagged junk such as shingles, recyclables, up to 5 passenger tires a visit (10 a month), up to 5 quarts of motor oil
Won't take: Household garbage, TVs, concrete, rocks, dirt, bricks, paint and chemicals, liquids, truck tires, pallets, dead animals
Spot a wrong hour or fee? Tell us
Environmental Service Center – North
Household Hazardous Waste
City of Houston Solid Waste Management
5614 Neches St., Houston, TX 77026 Directions ↗
📞 3-1-1
Hours| Second Thursday of each month | 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
| Every other day | Closed |
Accepts: Paint, Household chemicals, Batteries, Motor oil, Pesticides, Electronics
This is where paint, chemicals, and other hazardous household items go — the Neighborhood Depositories will not take them. Call 3-1-1 to confirm current hours and accepted items before driving out.
Spot a wrong hour or fee? Tell us
Environmental Service Center – South
Household Hazardous Waste
City of Houston Solid Waste Management
11500 S. Post Oak Rd., Houston, TX 77035 Directions ↗
📞 (713) 551-7355
Hours| Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Sun, Mon, Thu | Closed |
Accepts: Paint, Household chemicals, Batteries, Motor oil, Pesticides, Electronics
This is where paint, chemicals, and other hazardous household items go — the Neighborhood Depositories will not take them. Call 3-1-1 to confirm current hours and accepted items before driving out.
Spot a wrong hour or fee? Tell us
Reuse Warehouse
Donation / Reuse
City of Houston Solid Waste Management
9003 N. Main, Houston, TX 77022 Directions ↗
📞 3-1-1
Free drop-off point for reusable building materials — a better option than the dump if your renovation leftovers are still usable. Shares the North Depository site.
Spot a wrong hour or fee? Tell us
Westpark Consumer Recycling Center
Recycling Center
City of Houston Solid Waste Management
5900 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX 77056 Directions ↗
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, check an upfront junk-removal price.
