Austin's bulk trash, brush curbside collection service switching to on-demand format next year

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin's bulk trash, brush and hazardous waste curbside collection service is switching the way it handles collections for residential customers starting in the new year.

Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) will start offering on-demand collection for bulk trash, brush and hazardous waste pickup services starting Jan. 2025. The pickup service currently operates on a predetermined, biannual schedule.

Each service address will be able to schedule up to three collections per service every calendar year, and collections will reset at the beginning of the next year. 

Household hazardous waste (HHW) collection will be a new service for customers. Currently, most customers must make an appointment to drop off hazardous materials at the City of Austin’s Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center. All Austin residents will still be able to schedule an appointment to drop off HHW at the center, but the new on-demand option will bring that service directly to ARR customers homes.

ARR customers, which include single-family homes up to fourplexes in Austin, will be notified by mail and via the Austin Recycles app when they can begin scheduling appointments for these collections.

Customers will be able to make appointments on the Austin Recycles app, online, or on the phone by calling Austin 3-1-1 (512-974-2000). The scheduling system will list which items or materials can be collected and customers will identify what they plan to set out.

Collections will not be made without an appointment, according to ARR.

A release from ARR said the change from predetermined collection to on-demand comes after ARR conducted pilot programs to test the services before launching them to all curbside customers.

More information about ARR's on-demand services can be found online.