Tarrant County, TX Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- No County-provided
- No county-provided trash collection service
- Residents Contract
- Residents contract directly with private haulers
- Tceq Regulates
- TCEQ regulates waste transport under Chapter 330
- Illegal Dumping
- Illegal dumping criminal under Health and Safety Code 365.012
- Hoas Sometimes
- HOAs sometimes arrange subdivision-wide collection contracts
Summary
Tarrant County does not operate residential trash collection in unincorporated areas. Residents contract with private haulers such as Waste Management or Republic Services for weekly pickup.
Sec. 365.012. ILLEGAL DUMPING; DISCARDING LIGHTED MATERIALS; CRIMINAL PENALTIES. (a) A person commits an offense if the person disposes or allows or permits the disposal of litter or other solid waste at a place that is not an approved solid waste site, including a place on or within 300 feet of a public highway, on a right-of-way, on other public or private property, or into inland or coastal water of the state. ... (d) An offense under Subsection (a), (b), or (c) is a Class C misdemeanor if the litter or other solid waste to which the offense applies weighs five pounds or less or has a volume of five gallons or less.
Full Breakdown
Unincorporated Tarrant County does not provide municipal solid waste collection. Residents and HOAs contract directly with private licensed waste haulers who provide curbside trash, recycling, and yard waste pickup on weekly or biweekly schedules. Major providers serving the unincorporated areas include Waste Management, Republic Services, Community Waste Disposal, and Trinity Trash Services, among others. There is no county subscription mandate, meaning residents may choose their own hauler or, in theory, haul their own waste to a permitted landfill or transfer station. State law under the Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 361 (the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rules require that solid waste be disposed of at a permitted facility rather than dumped or burned on private property.
012, ranging from Class C misdemeanor to felony depending on quantity and materials. Haulers operating in the county must comply with TCEQ Chapter 330 waste transporter requirements and typically hold local business permits. Pickup schedules vary by hauler and neighborhood, usually with set-out times of 7 AM or earlier on collection day. Bins must be set at the curb or designated collection point, and service is generally suspended for federal holidays with rolling delays. HOA-managed subdivisions sometimes negotiate bulk contracts with a single hauler for all residents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tarrant County pick up my trash?
Can I burn my household trash instead?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tarrant County
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