Disposal guide
Household hazardous waste in Central Texas: where paint, chemicals and batteries go
Paint, solvents, pool chemicals and car batteries do not go in the trash. These are the drop-offs and collection events that take them, and who each one serves.
What Texas law says
| Rule | What it says | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Lead-acid batteries | No one may put a used lead-acid (car) battery in mixed municipal solid waste or otherwise dispose of it, except by delivering it to a battery retailer or wholesaler, a secondary lead smelter, or an authorized collection or recycling facility. Retailers selling lead-acid batteries must accept at least one and up to three used batteries from each customer for recycling and post a required notice (statutes.capitol.texas.gov, checked 2026-11-07). | Texas Health & Safety Code §361.451, §361.452 |
| Used oil and used oil filters | No one may collect, transport, store, recycle, use, discharge, or dispose of used oil in a way that endangers public health or the environment. Do-it-yourself used motor oil and used oil filters are banned from municipal solid waste disposal, and anyone transporting more than 55 gallons of their own or others' used oil must register with or report to TCEQ (statutes.capitol.texas.gov, checked 2026-11-07). | Texas Health & Safety Code §371.041; 30 TAC §330.15(e); 30 TAC Chapter 324 |
| Household hazardous waste (HHW) guidance | Per Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, checked 2026-11-07: TCEQ says HHW from a household (e.g., corrosive cleaners, fluorescent bulbs, fuels, mercury, oil-based paint, pesticides, pool chemicals, stains) is not required to be handled as hazardous waste and can often go in regular trash, but recommends using local HHW drop-off facilities or collection events. Per Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, checked 2026-11-07: Keep products in original labeled containers, transport them upright and secured, and never mix them. TCEQ keeps a list of HHW programs, but not of batteries/used oil/latex paint/antifreeze-only collections (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, checked 2026-11-07). | TCEQ, Household Hazardous Waste: A Guide for Texans; household waste exclusion at 40 CFR 261.4(b) (cited in TCEQ RG-606) |
Sources (checked Nov 2026): statutes.capitol.texas.gov · statutes.capitol.texas.gov, page 2 · Texas Commission on Environmental Quality · Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, page 2 · Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, page 3 · Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, page 4.
Where to take it
| Site | City | Hours | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williamson County HHW Events | Taylor | Not posted | 'Open to all residents of Williamson County' (WM Spring 2026 newsletter) (wilco.org, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Round Rock HHW Drop-Off | Round Rock | Tue-Sat 12 p.m.-4 p.m. (roundrocktexas.gov, checked 2026-11-07). | Bring driver's license AND a recent City of Round Rock water bill (residents) or an HHW voucher (Fern Bluff MUD / Brushy Creek MUD voucher holders). Non-residents pay per vehicle (roundrocktexas.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Austin Recycle & Reuse Center | Austin | Not posted | Appointment required (Austin Recycles app or online). Free for Austin and Travis County residents except tires; fees apply to non-residents per the Austin Resource Recovery FY2027 fee schedule. Businesses may not drop off hazardous waste (austintexas.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| San Marcos HHW Center | San Marcos | Sources disagree; confirm with City of San Marcos - Resource Recovery | San Marcos & Hays County residents ONLY; residential household waste only (no business waste). 300 lb limit per vehicle per day (about thirty 1-gallon paint cans) (sanmarcostx.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Bastrop County HHW Events | Smithville | Open during collection events only, 9 AM-12 PM (bastropcounty.gov, checked 2026-11-07). | For residents of Bastrop County, Lee County, City of Smithville and City of Bastrop. Voucher required (available online and in person 3 weeks before each event); address verified with utility bill or driver's license / valid ID (bastropcounty.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| New Braunfels HHW Drop-Off | New Braunfels | Next date not published (bulverdetx.gov, checked 2026-11-07). | Open to the public (bulverdetx.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
Sources (checked Nov 2026): wilco.org · roundrocktexas.gov · austintexas.gov · sanmarcostx.gov · bastropcounty.gov · bulverdetx.gov.
City and county programs
Bastrop County
| Where | What the city or county says |
|---|---|
| Bastrop, Cedar Creek, McDade, Paige, Rosanky, Smithville and Unincorporated Bastrop County | Bastrop County's Household Hazardous Waste Facility (109 Taylor Street, Smithville) serves residents of Bastrop County, Lee County, the City of Smithville and the City of Bastrop; it opens only during scheduled collection events (paint, tires/electronics, and full HHW events), and a voucher plus address verification (utility bill or driver's license) is required (Bastrop County, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Red Rock | Bastrop County residents (and Lee County, City of Smithville and City of Bastrop residents) can bring household hazardous waste to collection events at 109 Taylor Street, Smithville, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; the facility is open during events only and a voucher (address verified by utility bill or driver's license) is required (bastropcounty.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
Caldwell County
| Where | What the city or county says |
|---|---|
| Lockhart | Lockhart Public Works does not pick up hazardous materials; residents are told to contact Public Works at 512-398-6452 (cityoflockhart.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
Comal County
| Where | What the city or county says |
|---|---|
| Bulverde, Canyon Lake, Comal County (unincorporated) and Fischer | The City of New Braunfels' Household Hazardous Waste drop-off events (for chemicals, oil, cleaners, etc.) are free for City of New Braunfels and Comal County residents (newbraunfels.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| New Braunfels | Household Hazardous Waste drop-off events are free for City of New Braunfels and Comal County residents. Batteries are not allowed in curbside carts but are accepted at these events (newbraunfels.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
Guadalupe County
| Where | What the city or county says |
|---|---|
| Guadalupe County (unincorporated) and McQueeney | Guadalupe County's trash-disposal page points residents to the San Marcos Household Hazardous Waste Facility as a resource; it lists no county-run HHW program (guadalupetx.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Seguin | Seguin offers at-your-door household hazardous waste pickup for customers with City garbage service, run by HHW Solutions on Mondays (8 AM–6 PM) when scheduled. Book at hhwsolutions.com, through the Waste Connect app, or by calling 888-694-4978 (seguintexas.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Schertz | Schertz residents can get household hazardous waste picked up once a month by request through HHW Solutions (hhwsolutions.com/schertz, 972-440-2040). The service is included in the residential rate (schertz.com, checked 2026-11-07). |
Hays County
| Where | What the city or county says |
|---|---|
| Buda | The City of Buda points residents to the City of San Marcos Household Hazardous Waste Collection & Reuse Facility, which provides free disposal of household hazardous materials (paint, pesticides, used oil, batteries, light bulbs, sharps, cooking oil) to Hays County residents with proof of residency (budatx.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
Travis County
| Where | What the city or county says |
|---|---|
| Austin | Austin Resource Recovery's on-demand household hazardous waste collection for residential curbside customers is limited to 30 gallons total per scheduled collection, and individual containers over 5 gallons cannot be collected (austintexas.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Del Valle, Manchaca, Spicewood and Unincorporated Travis County | Household hazardous waste (paint, automotive fluids, batteries, cleaners, pesticides, pool chemicals, propane cylinders, etc.) can be dropped at the City of Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center by appointment; containers must be 5 gallons or smaller and businesses cannot drop off hazardous waste (austintexas.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Lakeway | Per lakeway-tx.gov, checked 2026-11-07: The Lake Travis Regional Reuse & Recycling Center in Lakeway is not open for daily drop-offs; the City points residents to the City of Austin Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center for household hazardous waste. |
| Manor | Manor's Collection Guidelines list 'Hazardous Materials' and 'Chemicals / Batteries / Wet Paint' under Items Not Accepted (manortx.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Sunset Valley | Sunset Valley directs household hazardous waste to the Austin/Travis County HHW facility at 2514 Business Center Drive; HHW is not accepted at the Storage Yard (sunsetvalley.org, checked 2026-11-07). |
| West Lake Hills | The City of West Lake Hills warns that batteries must not go in trash containers because lithium batteries are dangerous in a trash truck's compacting mechanism (westlakehills.org, checked 2026-11-07). |
Williamson County
| Where | What the city or county says |
|---|---|
| Coupland, Florence, Granger, Hutto, Jarrell, Liberty Hill and Unincorporated Williamson County | Williamson County and Waste Management (operator of the Williamson County Landfill) hold twice-a-year Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days for Williamson County residents (wilcotx.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Georgetown | Georgetown residents register for City household hazardous waste collection through Georgetown Customer Care (512-930-3640 or customercare@georgetown.org); no hazardous materials are allowed in carts (recycle.georgetown.org, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Cedar Park | Cedar Park's Household Hazardous Waste Front Porch Pickup Program (contracted through HHW Solutions) collects scheduled items from residents' front porches on Fridays 8 am-6 pm; schedule online by midnight Wednesday or call 888-694-4978. Items must not be placed at the curb (cedarparktexas.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
| Round Rock | Round Rock residents can drop off household hazardous waste free at the Deepwood Recycling Center, 310 Deepwood Drive, Tuesday-Saturday 12-4 p.m. with a driver's license plus a City water bill or HHW voucher; limit 25 gallons per month; non-residents pay $60 per vehicle (roundrocktexas.gov, checked 2026-11-07). |
Sources (checked Nov 2026): Bastrop County · bastropcounty.gov · cityoflockhart.gov · newbraunfels.gov · guadalupetx.gov · seguintexas.gov · schertz.com · budatx.gov · austintexas.gov · austintexas.gov, page 2 · lakeway-tx.gov · manortx.gov · sunsetvalley.org · westlakehills.org · wilcotx.gov · recycle.georgetown.org · cedarparktexas.gov · roundrocktexas.gov.
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Other guides: Texas illegal dumping laws, e-waste drop-offs, where to dump concrete and dirt, brush and yard waste drop-offs and tire disposal.
More disposal guides: every dump and landfill in Central Texas and all our guides.
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