When a new residential customer occupies an existing home that receives Solid Waste services, the existing size brown trash cart and fees for that size of brown trash cart apply to the new residential customer. Collection service begins when the CPS Energy account is established. Trash carts come in large, medium and small sizes.

For customers that have moved into a newly constructed house that does not have existing carts, please call 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000 and carts will be delivered. Please note, the medium trash cart is the default size for the brown cart.

San Antonio also has recycling and organics/composting programs. In addition to the brown trash cart, customers should have a blue recycling cart and a green organics/composting cart. Only traditional single-family home customers should have blue or green carts. If you are missing any of these please contact 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000.

Private/gated communities, new developments, non-traditional properties such as In-Fill Development Zones (IDZs) and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), multifamily properties of 5 or more units, and small businesses may be eligible for City waste collection services by exception. The property owner, HOA or community’s authorized representative must contact 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000 to request a Property Assessment.

For information and requirements please visit City Ordinance for Solid Waste and Information Bulletin 576.

Monthly collection fees are assessed by the size of the brown trash cart and billed to your CPS Energy bill. There is a $3.00 fee called the Environmental fee that allows access to the Solid Waste drop-off centers. In addition, a $2.00 Parks fee is also included on your CPS Energy bill. The current collection fees are:

• Small brown trash cart (48 gallon) - $14.76 per cart
• Medium brown trash cart (64 gallon) - $20.26 per cart
• Large brown trash cart (96 gallon) - $30.75 per cart
• Residents are allowed up to 3 carts max each for garbage, recycling, or organics.

As the fees above show, the smaller the cart, the lower the fee. If you are not filling up your brown trash cart, why pay for empty space? Customer can request to downsize their brown cart.

The blue recycling and green organics carts are serviced free of charge. Recycling and organics/composting are collected one day out of the week by two different trucks and trash is collected a different day of the week. Use our Collection Day Finder to find out when your carts are picked up.

Each of our three programs for trash, recycling and organics/composting have specific guidelines about what is and is not accepted in the brown, blue and green cart. Also, there are policies for collection day to follow. These tips will ensure your carts are serviced.

If you think your cart has been missed, please wait until 5:00 pm and then call 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000. The driver may just be a little behind.

It is unlawful for residents to deface, paint, write, stain, carve, scratch on any public refuse or recycling containers.

Four times per year, curbside collection is provided for large brush piles and bulky items – twice for each. Customers receive a door hanger telling them of their collection week or you can use our Collection Day Finder to determine your schedule.

Putting the wrong item in the wrong cart is an expensive issue for San Antonio. We call this contamination. For repeated contamination, customers at that address may be assessed a fine. Learn how you can avoid a fine.

Solid Waste operates Drop-off locations around the City for large brush, bulky items and household hazardous waste - good to know after you are done unpacking. Learn about locations and hours of operation.

The SWMD provides an assistance service at no cost to customers who are not physically able to roll their carts to and from the curb. Contact 3-1-1.

We communicate with customers in a variety of ways including door hangers and cart tags. If you receive one, you can find out what it means here. Follow us on Facebook for the latest information on holiday schedules, special events, weather updates and so much more.

San Antonio’s recycling and organics programs are only successful when their guidelines are followed correctly. Placing unaccepted items in the blue and green carts is referred to as contamination.

The City’s Solid Waste Department contracts with a recycling processing company that is privately owned. This materials recovery facility (MRF) accepts our material, processes it and then sells the commodities on the global recycling market. When the material is contaminated, they cannot sell it.

If the City’s recycling trucks drop off loads that are too contaminated by weight, the MRF charges the City a fine. Here is one astounding example. In 2018, the City was charged $1.5 million just for contamination by dirty diapers.

Organic materials also go to a privately run company that turns that material into nutrient-rich compost. Non-organic material such as plastic or metal will never break down and must be removed, which is an expense of resources. This company also sells their finished product.

Contamination of organic material is very dangerous. Glass, for example can shatter during the process causing serious personal injury. We like to say, “if a worm can’t eat it, it does not go in the green cart.”

Although not called contamination, there are many items that should never be placed in the trash cart. Some examples include batteries, paint and chemicals, fireworks, electronics, coals, ashes or embers, dead animals as well as prescriptions and biohazardous waste.

The goal of these programs is to send less tonnage to the landfill where it will stay buried in perpetuity. Landfills create methane gas and can leak into the water table. One ton of material going to the landfill is also more expensive than recycling one ton.

Keep San Antonio sustainable. Do not contaminate your carts.

We communicate directly with individual customers in a variety of ways. Here are the methods we use and what the messages mean.

We produce videos and commercials to promote recycling and composting and how to use the carts correctly.

Each year at Fiesta, The Solid Waste Department provides recycling at the Battle of the Flowers and Fiesta Flambeau parades. We have many stations along the parade routes.

We distribute bags into the stands and when people fill them up with recyclable bottles and cans, they bring them to a station and get one of our Fiesta medals free!

So next Fiesta, organize your class, troupe, team, neighbors and clubs to turn out at the parades, look for our stations and start earning medals.

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) should never be placed inside any cart for curbside collection and always brought to HHW Drop-Off Centers.

Permanent HHW Drop-Off Center

Hours:
Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
(closed Sunday, Monday, and on holidays)

Monthly HHW Drop-Off Center

Hours:
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on days listed below
September – February: first Saturday of the month (postponed one week in case of holiday)
March – August: first Friday and the next-day Saturday of the month (postponed one week in case of holiday)

Quarterly HHW Drop-Off Center

Hours:
On the following dates from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

• A recent CPS Energy bill showing payment of the Environmental Fee and picture ID are required.
• Contents should be kept in the original container.
• If the container is leaking, transfer contents to a leak proof or lined cardboard box.
• Do not mix different materials in the same container or bag.
• Place all items in a box and put it in the trunk or truck bed during transport.
• A technician will unload the HHW materials and return the containers upon request.
• If materials are brought in a non-approved container, it will not be returned.
• Paint and other liquid waste are limited to five 5-gallon cans or 25 1-gallon cans
• HHW materials are limited to 220 pounds.

• Auto fluids
• Batteries
• Household cleaners and solvents
• Pool chemicals
• Oil filters
• E-waste
• Fluorescent light fixtures and ballasts
• Pesticides
• Paint (limit 25 1-gallon cans or five 5-gallon cans)
• Printer cartridges
• Cooking oil
• Lacquer, shellac, furniture polish

• Trash
• Ammunition or fireworks
• Commercial waste
• Medical waste
• Medicine