Houston's Solid Waste Department is preparing for the next phase of debris collection, set to begin Sept. 2, following several major storms that took place earlier this year.

What you need to know

Residents are asked to place all remaining storm debris curbside no later than Aug. 25. The second pass of debris collection is expected to take about a month to complete, city officials said in an Aug. 15 news release. Storm debris contractors will drive down every street and collect storm debris piles in all public right of ways, according to the release.

Residents should:
  • separate storm debris from bulk waste and demolition debris at the curb
  • place debris piles within 10 feet of the private property lines for crews to pick up
  • make sure tree trunks are 3 feet or less in diameter and 3 feet or less in length, with tree branches 6 feet or less in length
Residents should not:
  • report their debris to 3-1-1.
  • place debris in or near a ditch
The SWMD has already collected more than 2.1 million cubic yards of storm debris since Hurricane Beryl hit the Houston region in mid-July and generated approximately 4 million cubic yards of debris. City officials expect to conclude the first pass of collections Aug. 31.

Houstonians can view storm debris collection progress by using the neighborhood-specific tracker located on the SWMD's website.


Something to note

Normal household trash will not be picked up with debris collection. Debris needs to be separated into five distinct categories, including vegetative, construction, appliances, electronics and household hazardous waste.
  • Vegetation includes logs, plants and tree branches.
  • A construction pile is used for building materials, carpet, drywall, furniture and mattresses.
  • Appliances include large items such as air conditioners, dishwashers, refrigerators and stoves, while electronics are small items such as computers, radios, televisions and cords.
  • Hazardous waste is reserved for items that can be damaging to health or the environment, such as cleaning supplies, batteries and chemicals.
If residents are unsure of how an item should be categorized, the Solid Waste Department website includes a "What Goes Where?" search bar.

Related highlights

Meanwhile, the cities of Bellaire and West University both announced they have completed city-wide storm debris collections. West University Place concluded its final round of collections Aug. 12 with 13,400 cubic yards of debris picked up. Bellaire finished Aug. 16, collecting approximately 29,566 cubic yards of debris.


Both cities will now return to regular debris pickup and solid waste collection schedules and guidelines.