Recycling Dilemma #1013 – A Guide to Storm Debris During Hurricane Season

Waste Management (WM) will collect yard debris that meets their curbside guidelines. However, due to the large amount of yard waste after a storm and an increase in the number of residences using the service, WM crews may be delayed in servicing your area – please leave material at the curb to ensure they have access to it as crews work diligently to collect it.

Place all yard trimmings at curb by 7 a.m. on your service day and at least four feet from you trash and recycling carts. No additional service tags required. Waste Management will not pick up your storm debris unless it complies with their curbside Yard Waste guidelines.

Branches, tree limbs and trimmings – follow the 4” x 4’ x 40 rule

• No larger than 4 inches in diameter.
• Trimmed to 4 feet in length.
• Tied in bundles, placed in an open container, or kraft (paper) yard bag.
• Weigh no more than 40 pounds.

County Assistance for Storm Recovery Debris Removal

During a declared disaster, each county has access to FEMA funding and will provide storm debris removal (see the video above for a brief overview). Residents must submit a Debris Removal Request form to either Harris or Montgomery County depending on your county of residence to comply with FEMA reporting requirements. The Woodlands Township is not responsible for storm debris pickup. 

 Montgomery County Debris Removal Request Form: Click here

Harris County Debris Removal Request Form: Click here

Storm debris must be placed curbside within two to three feet of the street edge in the county right-of-way; ensure that yard and vegetative debris (tree limbs/branches, pine needles, etc.) does NOT include any construction debris* (fencing, drywall, concrete etc.). Do not place debris in the road or in ditches as it impedes traffic and impacts drainage. Debris will NOT be collected from private property past the right-of-way. *Construction and any debris that is not yard/vegetative will not be removed by the county. The homeowner/property owner is responsible for removing this type of debris (see other options below).

Bulky trash service must be scheduled at least two business days before your normal service day. Contact Waste Management at 1-800-800-5804 or cssatex@wm.com to schedule. This service is provided at no additional cost. Bulky trash is not offered on the 2nd or 4th Friday of the month due to the Bulky Cardboard schedule.

Accepted Items:

• Fencing and decking, 5 boards per bundle, max length 6 feet, limit 2 bundles.
• Furniture, mattress and box springs.
• Carpet, rolled in 4-foot bundles, limit 2.
• See requirements specific to other accepted items such as mirrors and toilets here.

Unaccepted Items for Bulky Trash (see other sections for disposal options):

• Brush or yard trimmings.
• Construction and home improvement debris.
• Electronics such as TVs and computers.
• Extra bags of trash

If residents are removing damaged roofing, fencing, siding, etc., these items cannot be serviced as bulky pickup by WM, nor as storm debris by the county. Below are options for disposal.  

• Waste Management Bagster – will hold medium amounts of construction debris on site
  • Bags can be purchased at local home improvement stores.  
  • Once full, simply schedule your pickup at www.thebagster.com or call 877-789-2247.
  • Bagsters can hold up to 3,000 pounds. Check out this list for acceptable material and capacity for large projects. 
  • For more information about the Bagster, visit www.thebagster.com. 

• Waste Management Roll Off (Dumpster) or Solid Waste Hauler – will hold large amounts of construction debris on site
  • 20- or 30-yard sizes
  • Paid directly by the resident to the hauler

• Montgomery County Precinct 3 Recycling Facility, 1122 Pruitt Road, Spring, TX 77380 
  Hours: Monday-Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Closed 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 
  Phone: 281-367-7283 
  Website: www.precinct3.org/recycling
  Montgomery County residents only. No contractors.

• Harris County:
  Residential debris drop-off sites are open for Harris County residents to take their vegetative, construction, and demolition debris free of charge. A monitor will be on site verifying Harris County residency. For more information, call 713-274-3100.
  • 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily:
    • A.D. Dyess Park, 16822 Kitzman Road, Cypress, TX 77429
    • Crosby Sports Complex, 6800 Miller Wilson Road, Crosby, TX 77532
    • Deputy Darren Goforth Park, 9118 Wheat Cross Drive, Cypress, TX 77095, Enter from Barker Cypress Road entrance
    • IT May Park, 2100 Wolf Road, Huffman, TX 77336
    • Lindsay/Lyons Park, 2310 Atascocita Road, Humble, TX 77396
    • Meyer Park, 7700 Cypresswood Drive Spring, TX 77379

• Spirit Landfill now managed by GFL, 17851 TX-105, Conroe, TX
  Hours: Monday – Saturday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  Phone: 936-207-1100
  Website: www.gflenv.com/montgomery-county-landfill

• Atascocita Recycling and Disposal Facility, 3623 Wilson Road, Humble, TX
• Hours: Monday – Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  Phone: 281-446-6545, option 3
  Website: https://atascocitalandfill.wm.com/index.jsp

Food waste and other mixed household trash that can rot must be disposed of separately from green waste or construction debris. Fit as much as possible in your curbside cart while still allowing the lid to close completely. Extra bags of household trash require a pink tag.

Pink tags can be purchasedfor $1.93 each.

• One tag per bag. Set tagged bags out with your cart on your regular service day- cart must be present to service the bags
• Bags cannot exceed 40 pounds and must be able to fit into the cart.
• Tags are available at Kroger Customer Service in Cochran’s Crossing, Alden Bridge and Sterling Ridge Village Centers or The Woodlands Township Town Hall.

Household trash can also be brought to the following locations, fees apply:

• Montgomery County Precinct 3 Recycling Facility, 1122 Pruitt Road, Spring, TX 77380 
  Hours: Monday-Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Closed 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 
  Phone: 281-367-7283 
  Website: www.precinct3.org/recycling
  Montgomery County residents only. No contractors. Household chemicals & hazardous waste collected every Wednesday and the third Saturday of the month. $10 per 0-5 gallons of materials. Some fees may apply for select items. For a complete list of accepted materials and pricing, please visit their website at https://precinct3.org/recycling/.

• Spirit Landfill now managed by GFL, 17851 TX-105, Conroe, TX
  Hours: Monday – Saturday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  Phone: 936-207-1100
  Website: www.gflenv.com/montgomery-county-landfill

• Atascocita Recycling and Disposal Facility, 3623 Wilson Road, Humble, TX Hours: Monday – Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  Phone: 281-446-6545, option 3
  Website: https://atascocitalandfill.wm.com/index.jsp

Bulky cardboard boxes too numerous or large to fit the cart must be scheduled at least 2 business days before your designated cardboard day. Contact Waste Management at 1-800-800-5804 or cssatex@wm.com to schedule. This service is provided at no additional cost.

• Flatten, tie and stack boxes
• Set items at the curb before 7 a.m. on the scheduled pick-up day beside carts. Do not lean boxes on or obstruct carts.
• ONLY cardboard will be collected – No Styrofoam packaging, packing peanuts, bulky trash items or plastic film. Packing paper should be folded and placed in your recycling cart for normal recycling cart service.

The service is provided to each neighborhood once a month on designated days. Download and print the Large Volume Collection Calendar or refer to the schedule below.

Bulky Cardboard collection occurs on the 2^nd Monday or 4^th Friday of the month.

• 2^nd Monday – Alden Bridge, Cochran’s Crossing, Sterling Ridge
• 4^th Friday – Creekside Park, College Park, Grogan’s Forest, Grogan’s Mill, Indian Springs, Panther Creek, Research Forest, Town Center

Residents can also drop-off cardboard, free of charge, at The Woodlands Recycling Center.

• Hours: Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. or Wednesday, 4 to 7 p.m.
• 5402 Research Forest Drive, behind the Bear Branch Recreation Center

Items such as paint and batteries are considered hazardous waste and cannot be collected curbside. See options below for drop off. These services may be suspended temporarily during a disaster to facilitate green waste cleanup – call the facility directly for updates. As of this publication, all services have resumed. Some items such as batteries have other local drop-off options – check the Recycle More Guide for participating locations.

• Montgomery County Precinct 3 Recycling Facility, 1122 Pruitt Road, Spring, TX 77380 
  Hours: Monday-Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Closed 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 
  Phone: 281-367-7283 
  Website: www.precinct3.org/recycling
  Montgomery County residents only. No contractors. Household chemicals & hazardous waste collected every Wednesday and the third Saturday of the month. $10 per 0-5 gallons of materials. Some fees may apply for select items. For a complete list of accepted materials and pricing, please visit their website at https://precinct3.org/recycling/.
• Harris County Household Hazardous Waste Disposal, 6900 Hahl Rd, Houston, TX 77040
  Hours: Drop-off is by appointment only. 
  Phone: 346-286-4299
  Website: Harris County Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Harris County residents only. There are no fees for these items. For a complete list of accepted materials and updates on hours, visit their website.