Residential Garbage Information

Garbage Collection

Trash must be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. WCA/GFL has between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to collect all items placed at the curb on your scheduled collection day.

The collection process proceeds by collecting garbage/recyclables from one side of the street at a time. This process is for the safety of the collection crew. Waste trucks occasionally reach capacity during collection, which can cause a delay of a few hours.

Residential garbage may be placed in plastic bags or poly carts for collection. The bags may not exceed forty (40) pounds when full nor exceed 100 gallons per collection day. The City of Tomball provides residents with two (2) rolls of plastic bags per year. The bags can be picked up in our office starting in January.

City Council approved giving residents the option to either utilize poly carts or continue using bag collection. Poly carts for residential waste and recycling may be obtained by completing the Poly Cart Order Form and returning it via email to customerservice@tomballtx.gov or directly to City staff. Poly carts will be delivered within five (5) business days after processing the application.  

For a complete list of poly cart guidelines, please review our Informational Guidelines. Placement information for carts can be found here. 

Prohibited Collection Items: 

• Hazardous waste
• Motor Oil
• Gasoline
• Paint
• Batteries
• Garden Chemicals
• Smoke Detectors
• Automobile Tires
• Tree Trunks
• Auto body parts
• Construction Demolition and Debris

Construction Demolition and Debris

Waste materials include, but are not limited to, glass, brick, concrete/asphalt, roofing material, insulation, and lumber resulting from a construction or demolition project. These materials include rocks, soil, tree remains, and other vegetative matter resulting from land clearing for a construction project. 

Any material meeting the criteria listed above will require a Special Collection (please see below) or collection via a Roll-Off Container through WCA/GFL. For assistance or more information, please contact our office. 

Hazardous Waste

The City does not provide Hazardous Waste collection. To find a location to dispose of hazardous waste properly, please visit Harris County Household Hazardous Waste. 

Recycling

Residents may recycle by placing the following items in the recycle bin or poly cart provided by Waste Corporation:

• Newsprint and advertising inserts
• Plastic containers (#1-#7) milk, soda, water, juice, liquor, shampoo detergent
• Aluminum and bi-metal cans
• Cardboard boxes

All recyclables must be reasonably rinsed and free of food products.

As of November 18, 2019, the collection routes for recycling will change from City-wide, same-day collection to a two-day collection route based on location. Residents north of FM 2920 (Main Street) will be serviced on Monday, while residents south of FM 2920 will be serviced on Thursday. Please review the attached Recycling Service map here for an overview of the collection route and days. For more information please contact our office.

Brush and Tree trimmings

WCA/GFL will provide a curbside collection of brush once a week on Thursdays. Tree limbs must be bundled and must not exceed four (4) feet in length, four (4) feet in height, and four (4) feet in width or 40 pounds. Tree limbs larger than four (4) inches in diameter will not be collected.

Christmas trees placed at the curb will be collected on the regularly scheduled brush/bulk collection day. 

Bulk or Heavy Items

Up to two (2) cubic yards of bulky or heavy trash such as old furniture, appliances and similar items are to be collected on Thursday of each week. Anything in excess of two (2) cubic yards requires a Special Collection (see below). 

Note: refrigerators/freezers must be drained and lines sealed by a licensed technician with an appropriate recycled content tag affixed to the unit.

Special Collection

WCA/GFL will provide a Special Collection for all bulky waste and brush in excess of two (2) cubic yards (approximately the size of a sofa) for an additional fee. Fees for Special Collection may be found on our Master Fee Schedule here or by contacting staff.  

Citizen's Assistance Program

For those residents that are physically unable to place their bags or poly carts at the designated collection location and require special assistance, please complete the Citizen's Assistance Program Form and return it via email to customerservice@tomballtx.gov or City staff.