Junk removal in Lubbock, TX.

Lubbock, Texas (#84 nationally) operates a distinctly different municipal solid waste system from most U.S. cities. There is NO curbside bulk pickup and NO curbside recycling. Garbage runs twice weekly (Monday/Thursday OR Tuesday/Friday) at a $16.25 monthly flat rate. For bulk items, brush, mattresses, large furniture, and appliances, residents must self-haul to one of four Citizen Convenience Stations open Monday–Saturday 8:00 AM–5:30 PM. Service is FREE for Lubbock residents with valid driver’s license showing a Lubbock city address. Recycling is handled via 10 drop-off locations citywide. The city does NOT accept glass or plastics #3-7 (private services like Good Earth Recycling fill that gap). This guide covers every disposal option for City of Lubbock residents.

Free options at a glance

Lubbock’s system is built around self-haul to four free Citizen Convenience Stations rather than curbside bulk pickup. This is unusual but generous — residents can dispose of any quantity of bulk items at no extra cost, as long as they can transport them.

4 Citizen Convenience Stations (FREE)

Lubbock’s self-haul model is built around the four Citizen Convenience Stations. These are the primary disposal pathway for anything that won’t fit in your weekly garbage cart.

Why self-haul? Lubbock’s system trades curbside convenience for unlimited free disposal capacity. Residents who’d face per-pickup fees in other cities can dispose of any quantity here, as long as they can transport it.

What’s accepted:

· Mattresses

· Tree limbs and brush

· Garage doors

· Large furniture (sofas, dressers, tables)

· Appliances (washers, dryers, refrigerators, water heaters)

· Other items that prevent dumpster lids from closing

· Recyclable materials (paper, cardboard, plastics #1-2, aluminum, tin, appliances)

Hours: Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Closed Sundays and city holidays.

Required: Driver’s license showing a Lubbock city address. No utility bill needed.

Cost: FREE for Lubbock residents with valid ID. No per-load fees, no weight limits.

Key Citizen Convenience Station locations:

· 1631 84th St (Southside — main recycling center)

· 208 Municipal Dr (Northside)

· 7308 Milwaukee Ave (Northwest)

· 4307 Adrian St (Central)

Verify current locations and hours: Visit ci.lubbock.tx.us/solid-waste or call (806) 775-2495.

If you can’t self-haul: Coordinate with a friend, family member, or neighbor with a pickup truck. Or use a paid junk removal service like LoadUp (in-home pickup).

Twice-weekly garbage collection

Lubbock’s twice-weekly garbage collection is unusual nationwide — most cities collect weekly. The trade-off: more frequent pickup but no curbside bulk or curbside recycling. Customer service: (806) 775-2495.

Collection groups:

· Monday and Thursday for one group of addresses

· Tuesday and Friday for the other group

Address split: Some large neighborhoods (like Bell Farms) are split between both groups. Verify your specific collection days by address.

Start time: Collection starts at 7:00 AM. Have carts at curb by then.

Monthly cost: $16.25 flat rate includes:

· Twice-weekly garbage cart collection

· Free access to Citizen Convenience Stations

· Free access to 10 recycling drop-off locations

NOT included:

· Curbside bulk pickup (does not exist)

· Curbside recycling (does not exist)

· Curbside yard waste (use Citizen Convenience Stations)

Find your specific collection days: Visit ci.lubbock.tx.us or call (806) 775-2495.

10 recycling drop-off locations

Lubbock’s recycling is drop-off only — 10 locations citywide. Materials must be separated by type at most sites.

Hours: Monday–Saturday 8:00 AM–5:30 PM.

City accepts (free at drop-off):

· Paper

· Cardboard (flatten)

· Plastics #1 and #2 ONLY (bottles, jugs, jars, tubs)

· Aluminum cans

· Tin/steel cans

· Appliances

City does NOT accept:

· Glass (any color)

· Plastics #3-#7 (PVC, LDPE, polypropylene, polystyrene, other)

· Styrofoam

· Plastic bags

Key recycling drop-off locations:

· 1631 84th St (main recycling center)

· 208 Municipal Dr

· 7308 Milwaukee Ave

· 4307 Adrian St

· Texas Tech Campus (3122 Main St)

· 2901 Elgin Ave

· (and 4 additional locations — verify at city site)

For glass and plastics #3-#7: Private services like Good Earth Recycling offer curbside pickup with broader material acceptance. This is a paid subscription service but the only way to recycle glass in Lubbock without driving outside the city.

Texas Tech students: The Texas Tech Campus drop-off at 3122 Main St is convenient for students living in or near the university area.

HHW disposal

Lubbock’s HHW disposal is handled through the Citizen Convenience Stations for some materials and through periodic City events for full HHW.

What the Citizen Convenience Stations accept (free):

· Some HHW — verify at the specific station before arriving

· Appliances (recycling)

· Electronics (verify)

HHW collection events:

· Periodic events throughout the year

· Accept: paint, automotive fluids, batteries, pesticides, pool chemicals, fluorescent bulbs

· Find current event dates at ci.lubbock.tx.us

Year-round HHW alternatives:

· AutoZone, O’Reilly, Advance Auto: Used motor oil and lead-acid batteries (free)

· Best Buy: Most consumer electronics including TVs, computers, monitors, printers (free)

Latex paint shortcut: Latex paint can be dried completely at home with kitty litter or commercial paint hardener, then disposed in regular trash.

NEVER dispose of HHW in regular trash carts: Hazardous items can cause truck fires (hot loads) during automated collection.

Donation pickup, what gets accepted

Donation programs accept items in good usable condition: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (subject to program rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most household goods.

Items typically not accepted: damaged or stained furniture, mattresses with bedbug history or significant wear, appliances that don’t work, particle-board furniture in poor condition, cribs (federal safety regulations have changed), and exercise equipment that requires reassembly. Always call the program before scheduling.

Paid options

For households without a vehicle large enough to transport bulk items to a Citizen Convenience Station, residents with mobility limitations, or service needed for in-home loading, paid options are essential in Lubbock.

What to do, by item type

Reporting illegal dumping in Lubbock

Report illegal dumping to Lubbock Solid Waste Management at (806) 775-2495 or via the City of Lubbock website. For Texas state environmental violations, contact the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Active dumping in progress: call Lubbock Police non-emergency.

Photos with timestamps and license plate numbers significantly improve enforcement outcomes. See our complete illegal dumping guide for Texas state penalty information.

Common questions