Field notes / Waco
Waco disposal cost and rules index
Getting rid of something in Waco can run through the curb, the City's two gates, the Cobbs center or a private hauler, and the City prints the limits for each on a different page. This index sets the published figures side by side, each one linked to the page it came from and dated, so a resident can see which route applies before spending a morning on it.
The City contradicts itself on one number: the landfill minimum charge. The City's Landfill & Transfer Station page says "A $10 minimum fee will be charged to all users." The City's Utility Rates page lists a Minimum Tipping Fee of $20.00 per occurrence. Both are printed below and neither is picked. Confirm with the City which one applies before you make the trip.
How to read this index
This is an independent local guide, not the City of Waco and not a hauler. Every figure below was read from the City's or the State's own page on October 11, 2026, and each table says which page it came from. Where those pages say nothing, this index prints nothing rather than a guess, so a missing line means a missing published figure.
Rates and rules change, and the City can edit a page without notice. Treat the numbers as a dated snapshot and check the linked source before a costly or long trip. For the longer walk-throughs, our guides to City pickup versus private removal, hauling to the landfill yourself and the Cobbs drop-off explain how people use these limits in practice.
| Route | What is included | What costs extra |
|---|---|---|
| Curbside bulky pickup | One requested pickup a month, pile no larger than 6 by 6 by 6 feet | Extra bulky service at $50.00, $90.00 or $165.00 by volume band |
| Curbside yard waste and brush | Up to two pickups a month at no additional cost | Limits only: 4 by 4 by 4 foot pile, 3 inch limbs, 20 leaf bags |
| Landfill and transfer station | 2,000 pounds, four times a year, for a customer with a current trash-service bill | Per-ton gate rates, a minimum charge and per-item fees |
| Cobbs Recycling Center | Up to 8 cubic yards, four times a year, for residential customers | Tires at $3.50 or $6.00 each and a $15 refrigerant removal fee per appliance |
1. What the City collects at the curb, and its limits
The City's residential services page, retrieved October 11, 2026, sets the curbside terms. Bulky waste and yard waste run on separate schedules with separate size limits, and a request is needed for the bulky pickup.
| Service | Published limit or rule |
|---|---|
| Bulky waste pickup | One pickup every month, request required |
| Bulky pile size | Limited to 6 by 6 by 6 feet, with extra charges for exceeding it |
| Not taken as bulky waste | Freon appliances, basketball goals, glass, tires, construction materials (bricks, concrete, tiles), chemicals, liquids, hazardous materials, paint |
| Yard waste and brush pickup | Up to two pickups a month, scheduled, at no additional cost |
| Brush pile size | Limited to 4 by 4 by 4 feet |
| Brush limb diameter | No limbs larger than 3 inches are collected |
| Leaf bags | No more than 20 bags collected at a time |
The practical reading is that the bulky limit is about the size of the pile and the exclusion list, while the brush limit is about both the pile and the thickness of the wood. A tree trimmed into four-inch limbs falls outside the brush rule even if the pile is small. The exclusion list also points to the other routes in this index: tires, paint and construction materials all have their own lines further down.
2. What extra City bulky service costs
When a pile is bigger than the included pickup allows, the City's Utility Rates page lists a Large Bulky Waste Service priced by volume. The page, retrieved October 11, 2026, states the bands in cubic yards and the charge per service.
| Volume band | Charge |
|---|---|
| Up to 7 cubic yards | $50.00 per service |
| 8 to 15 cubic yards | $90.00 per service |
| 16 to 30 cubic yards | $165.00 per service |
| Multi-family residential complex office | $40.00 per service, per complex |
The schedule prices by volume, and the pages read for this index give no weight limit for these bands. Ask the City how a particular pile will be measured, and which band it falls in, before you count on the lowest charge.
Cart service and account charges on the same schedule
The same Utility Rates page, retrieved October 11, 2026, carries the monthly cart charges and the penalties that residents most often meet by accident.
| Item | Charge |
|---|---|
| Base pickup | $22.34 per month |
| Extra container (garbage, recycle or yard, up to 95 gallons) | $11.17 per month |
| Missed or special pickup for carts; carts left at the curb; overfilled cart or waste outside the cart; unbagged trash; non-City cart | $20.00 per occurrence, each |
| Administration fee, at initial account setup only | $20.00 |
| Deposit, residential garbage-only account | $50.00 |
| Deposit, commercial garbage-only account | $250.00 |
3. Landfill and transfer station gate rates
The City runs two gates for self-haul. Rates are posted on two pages: the Landfill & Transfer Station page and the Utility Rates page. The table below names the page behind each line, and both were retrieved October 11, 2026.
| Category | Rate | Page that states it |
|---|---|---|
| Landfill, municipal solid waste, McLennan County | $52.00 per ton | Both pages |
| Landfill, municipal solid waste, others | $75.00 per ton | Landfill & Transfer Station |
| Landfill, construction and demolition waste, no concrete or bricks | $75.00 per ton | Both pages |
| Landfill, construction and demolition waste with concrete or bricks | $125.00 per ton | Landfill & Transfer Station |
| Transfer station, municipal solid waste | $72.00 per ton | Landfill & Transfer Station |
| Transfer surcharge | $20.00 per ton, added on | Utility Rates |
| Landfill minimum fee, first statement | $10, "charged to all users" | Landfill & Transfer Station |
| Landfill minimum tipping fee, second statement | $20.00 per occurrence | Utility Rates |
| Transfer station minimum tipping fee | $20.00 per occurrence | Utility Rates |
| Special waste, dead animal services | $45.00 per ton, listed as no-min | Utility Rates |
| Special waste, special handling (meat products and similar) | $45.00 per ton, listed as no-min | Utility Rates |
| Weight ticket | $15.00 per ticket | Utility Rates |
| Safety gear at the landfill scale house | Vest $8, hard hat $15, glasses $4 | Landfill & Transfer Station |
Two of those lines reconcile. The transfer station's $72.00 per ton equals the $52.00 landfill rate plus the $20.00 surcharge, and the construction rate without concrete matches on both pages. The City states that personal protective equipment will be required at the landfill, and prices the gear as shown.
The minimum charge conflict, stated plainly
The two pages give different minimums, and this index does not decide between them. The Landfill & Transfer Station page says a $10 minimum fee will be charged to all users. The Utility Rates page, under Landfill Fees, lists a Minimum Tipping Fee of $20.00 per occurrence, and it lists the same $20.00 again under Transfer Station Fees.
We cannot tell from either page which one is current, or whether the facility page's words reach the transfer station as well as the landfill. A caller planning a small load, where the minimum may be most of the bill, should ask the City which charge the scale house applies before leaving home. If you find that one page has been corrected, the other still describes what it said on October 11, 2026.
4. Special items: tires, appliances, mobile homes and loose loads
Several items carry their own fee instead of a per-ton rate. The Utility Rates page lists most of them, and the Cobbs page adds the tire handling rules. Both were retrieved October 11, 2026.
| Item | Published fee or limit |
|---|---|
| Residential tires without wheels, 15 inches or smaller | $3.50 per tire (landfill, transfer station and Cobbs) |
| Residential tires without wheels, 16 to 20 inches | $6.00 per tire |
| Tires at Cobbs | Maximum four per visit, 20 inch limit, off the rims; the fee is not collected on site but added to the next utility bill |
| Appliances and white goods at the landfill and transfer station | $15.00 per unit |
| Refrigerant removal at Cobbs | $15 per appliance |
| Mobile home disposal, under 60 feet in length | $400.00 per unit |
| Mobile home disposal, 60 feet or longer | $500.00 per unit |
| Unsecured load (tarp or similar covering required) | $20.00 per occurrence |
| Small animal services, 35 pounds or less | $45.00 per service |
| Medium animal services, 36 to 75 pounds | $75.00 per service |
| Large animal services, over 75 pounds | $150.00 per service |
Tires are governed by two pages at once. The schedule supplies the two sizes and prices, while the Cobbs page adds the count, the size ceiling and the billing method. Because the cap is four per visit, a fifth tire needs a second trip or a different destination.
What each site refuses
A fee is irrelevant if the load is turned away. The City publishes the following refusals, each from the page named in the left column and retrieved October 11, 2026.
| Destination | Does not accept |
|---|---|
| Landfill and transfer station | Paint, liquid waste, NiCd, lithium and lead acid batteries, used motor oil and filters, household hazardous waste, ammunition and explosives, fluorescent light bulbs |
| Transfer station only | Brush, yard waste and concrete |
| Cobbs Recycling Center | Construction debris, industrial or commercial waste, propane cylinders, gasoline, radioactive materials, household hazardous waste, leaking equipment, wooden speaker cabinets, damaged electronics, chargers, cables, plastic bags, food waste, garbage |
| Curbside bulky pickup | See the exclusion row in section 1 |
5. What a resident gets free
The City publishes several no-charge allowances for residents, each with its own limit. The pages that describe them were retrieved October 11, 2026.
| Allowance | Published limit | Page that states it |
|---|---|---|
| Free landfill drop | 2,000 pounds, four times a year, at no additional charge; a current utility bill showing trash service is required | Landfill & Transfer Station |
| Free drop at either facility | One ton (2,000 pounds), four times a year, at no additional cost | City news item dated March 1, 2026 |
| Cobbs disposal | Up to 8 cubic yards, four times a year, at no charge for residential customers | Utility Rates |
| Cobbs bulky and brush trips | Four trips, each not exceeding 8 cubic yards per visit | Cobbs |
| Cobbs used motor oil, antifreeze and filters | Up to 5 gallons monthly, residents only | Cobbs |
| Cobbs latex paint | Up to 5 gallons monthly, residents only | Cobbs |
| Cobbs e-waste | No charge, drop off only | Utility Rates |
| Glass recycling containers | Free, available 24/7, no bags or boxes | City glass recycling page |
The first two rows describe the same benefit in slightly different words. The facility page speaks of bringing waste to the landfill, while the March announcement says either facility. Ask at the gate if your plan depends on which one you use.
The glass recycling page names three roll-off containers: Heritage Square, the McLennan Community College parking lot S, and the Goodwill headquarters on New Road. The City news item dated March 1, 2026 is the source for the either-facility wording above.
6. Hours and holiday closures
The Landfill & Transfer Station page and the Cobbs page, both retrieved October 11, 2026, publish these hours. Neither gate is open on Sunday.
| Site | Monday to Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landfill, 4730 TK Parkway, Axtell, 76624 | 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | Closed |
| Transfer station, 6171 S. University Parks Dr., 76706 | 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. | 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. | Closed |
| Cobbs Recycling Center | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Hours given as Monday to Saturday |
At Cobbs the bulky and brush bays close at 4:45 p.m. each day, which is earlier than the site's posted closing time. The two gates close on different clocks on Saturday, so a morning plan built around one does not carry over to the other.
| Facilities | Date |
|---|---|
| Landfill and transfer station | January 1, 2026 |
| Landfill and transfer station | May 25 |
| Landfill and transfer station | July 4 |
| Landfill and transfer station | September 7 |
| Landfill and transfer station | November 26 |
| Landfill and transfer station | December 25 |
| Landfill and transfer station | January 1, 2027 |
This index records no closure dates for Cobbs, so check with the City before a holiday-weekend trip there.
Chemicals, paint and televisions: the state pages
Two Texas Commission on Environmental Quality pages cover items the City sites refuse. Both were retrieved October 11, 2026.
The state's household hazardous waste guide says material generated by a household is not required to be handled as hazardous waste and can often be placed in the regular trash, and it lists local collection programs by county. That statement and the City's refusal lists in section 4 sit side by side, so the City page for your destination decides what its gate takes.
The state's television recycling page says to contact the manufacturer directly when a program is not listed, and notes that certain household hazardous waste programs may accept televisions. It states no fee amount.
Using the index to choose a route
Start with the limits that are hard stops. A pile over 6 by 6 by 6 feet, a limb over 3 inches or a 21st leaf bag changes the route. A tire over 20 inches, a mobile home, a concrete slab or an item on the refusal list does the same. Then check the cost line for the route that remains: the volume bands in section 2, the per-ton rates and minimum in section 3, or the per-item fees in section 4.
When none of the public routes fits, a private hauler is the other path. This site is an independent referral service, so the quote form passes your description to a local pro who confirms scope and price with you, and our pricing guide shows private planning ranges separately from the City figures here.
Official sources
- City of Waco, Residential Services: curbside bulky, yard waste, brush and leaf bag limits.
- City of Waco, Utility Rates: Large Bulky Waste Service, cart charges, tipping fees, tires, appliances, mobile homes and unsecured loads.
- City of Waco, Landfill & Transfer Station: gate rates, hours, refusals, closures and the free allowance.
- City of Waco, New Landfill: the March 1, 2026 announcement of the free drops at either facility.
- City of Waco, Cobbs Recycling Center: hours, tire limits, trips, oil and paint allowances, refusals.
- City of Waco, Glass Recycling: the three free containers.
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, household hazardous waste and television recycling: the state guidance on chemicals and televisions.
Sources checked October 11, 2026. Figures are the City's and the State's as published on that day; confirm with the City before a trip.
Before you decide
Questions worth asking
Which Waco landfill minimum charge is correct, $10 or $20?
The City's pages disagree. The Landfill & Transfer Station page says a $10 minimum fee will be charged to all users, while the Utility Rates page lists a Minimum Tipping Fee of $20.00 per occurrence. We do not pick one; ask the City which applies before you drive.
How much does Waco charge for extra bulky service?
The Utility Rates page lists $50.00 per service up to 7 cubic yards, $90.00 for 8 to 15 cubic yards and $165.00 for 16 to 30 cubic yards, as retrieved October 11, 2026.
How many tires can I take to Cobbs, and what do they cost?
The Cobbs page allows a maximum of four tires per visit, off the rims, up to 20 inches. The Utility Rates page lists $3.50 per tire for 15 inches or smaller and $6.00 for 16 to 20 inches, billed to the next utility bill.
Is there a free way to take a load to the Waco landfill?
The City says residents may bring up to 2,000 pounds four times a year at no additional charge, with a current utility bill showing trash service. A March 1, 2026 City notice words it as either facility.