Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) is set to introduce a new on-demand collection service for bulk, brush, and household hazardous waste (HHW) starting January 2025. This change will replace the existing biannual collection schedule with a more flexible system allowing residential customers to schedule up to three collections per year. The service will be available to single-family homes and fourplexes within Austin.
Residents will receive notifications via mail and the Austin Recycles app about when they can start scheduling appointments. Scheduling can be done through the app, the city's website, or by calling Austin 3-1-1. Once an appointment is made, customers will receive email confirmations and reminders. Collections will only occur if an appointment has been scheduled.
"We’re excited about offering on-demand collection of bulk, brush and household hazardous waste to all of our residential customers," said ARR Director Richard McHale. "Our customers will be able to schedule their collections when they want them. By making these services more convenient, we anticipate that we’ll keep more material out of the landfill and continue moving Austin closer to zero waste."
The shift to on-demand services follows pilot programs that tested these offerings before their citywide launch. The benefits include reduced waiting times for collections and improved alignment with residents' disposal needs. Timely removal of brush can mitigate wildfire risks and prevent blockages in waterways. Additionally, specifying items for collection helps ARR deploy suitable vehicles for efficient waste management.
For those not part of previous pilots, HHW collection represents a new service enhancement. Currently, most residents need appointments to drop off hazardous materials at the City’s Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center. The new system extends this convenience directly to homes while ensuring safe handling of potentially dangerous materials like batteries and chemicals.
"The health and safety of our team and the community is our top priority," McHale stated. "We want to remind our customers to keep batteries and other dangerous materials out of their carts and use the on-demand service instead."
ARR encourages downloading the Austin Recycles app for updates about these changes. More information is available at austintexas.gov/OnDemand.
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