Collection Days & Items

Eligible Items

Recycled items eligible for collection are:

• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Broken down cardboard
• Cereal boxes
• Glass bottles and jars
• Clear plastic milk, juice, water, and soda water bottles
• Aluminum beverage cans
• Steel cans

It is very important that all materials are rinsed and reasonable cleaned. Plastic neck rings on bottles do not need to be removed.

Learn more with our Recycling Information Chart (PDF).

No Plastic Grocery Bags

Plastic grocery bags will not be accepted for recycling. It is recommended that the bags be returned to the store for recycling.

Recycle Bins

One bin per household may be provided by Waste Connections and the City of Friendswood. Recycle bins are property of Waste Connections and not that of the resident. If you have a recycle bin and you move, the recycle bin must stay with the house.

Excess Items

If you have more to recycle than what the bin holds, you may place the extra material in a clear plastic bag and place it either on top of or next to your recycle bin.

You also have the option to purchase your own recycle container, however, it must be indicated on the bin, that it is recycling to ensure that the items are recycled (and not collected by the household garbage truck).

Additional Cart Cost

Contact the Utility Billing Office at 281-996-3232 to obtain a 96 gallon recycling cart at an additional cost of $1.11 per month.

Heavy pick up/larger items will be collected on your first garbage day, once a week. These items consist of:

• Appliances
• Furniture
• Mattresses
• Water heaters (with water removed)
• Computers
• Televisions within reasonable size but not projection televisions
• Standard fiberglass tubs (needs to be cut in half and not galvanized)

Variable Items

Other acceptable items with special conditions:

• Carpet can be picked up for collection provided that there is not a lot and that the carpet is cut down to 5 feet or less, rolled up and not weigh more than 50 pounds If the carpet is wet, it must be dried before setting out for collection.
• Swing sets are also collected. Metal and wooden sets should be pulled apart and cut down to 5 feet or less. A total of 300 pounds or less can be collected.
• Refrigerators and freezers are collected for heavy garbage. The appliance must be "tagged" which indicates that the Freon has been safely removed.
  • To have your appliance tagged you may contact a licensed technician, from an appliance company, and have them remove the Freon (charges may apply).
  • Once the Freon is removed, the technician should put a sticker on the appliance, then you can set the appliance out on your first garbage day of the week.
• Wood fencing typically is not collected for garbage collection. If you have a few pickets that are not treated (chemically) and are less than 5 feet long, then you may bundle the pickets together with twine and set it out with your green waste debris for collection.
• Doors can be collected if the door is cut in half.

Items Not Accepted

• Hazardous material, which consists of
  • Gas
  • Oil
  • Liquid paint
  • Paint thinner
  • Any other type of chemical
• Tires
• Fencing material
• Railroad ties
• Dirt or soil
• Cast iron
• Construction material, such as:
  • Boards
  • 2 by 4’s
  • Sheetrock
  • Paneling
  • Windows
  • Cabinets, etc.
• Projection televisions

Natural disasters and other acts of God that may occur may require the City of Friendswood to work with other entities in cleaning up Friendswood. In the event that this type of situation occurs, there may be special exceptions take place to clean up our City.

This means that during these events, there may be a delay in pick up, recycle and/or green waste may be collected on different days. Certain items that usually are not collected may be collected, or fallen trees/branches may not need to be compliant. This may be acceptable only during these circumstances.

News releases will be generated with this information during these events to keep you updated on garbage pick up.