Match Your Austin Load to the Right City Service Before You Drive
Austin has more than one recycling route. The Recycle and Reuse Center handles many hard-to-recycle items by appointment, while curbside collection, on-demand bulk and hazardous-waste pickup, and Hornsby Bend handle other materials.
The biggest mistake is treating 2514 Business Center Drive like a normal walk-in dump. It is appointment-only, mattresses and general trash are not accepted there, and yard trimmings belong at a different City facility.
Quick answer: which Austin recycling service should you use?
Use the City of Austin Recycle and Reuse Center at 2514 Business Center Drive for many electronics, household hazardous waste, appliances, clean Styrofoam, plastic film, scrap metal, clothing, tires and other hard-to-recycle materials. You must schedule an appointment before visiting.
Use Austin curbside recycling for normal paper, cardboard, glass, metal containers and accepted hard plastics. Use on-demand bulk collection for qualifying furniture and other large items if you are an Austin Resource Recovery residential customer. Take brush and yard trimmings to Hornsby Bend rather than Business Center Drive.
On this page
- Choose the right Austin service
- Appointment process
- Hours and open-today checks
- Fees and resident rules
- Accepted recyclables
- Electronics and appliances
- Household hazardous waste
- Tire recycling
- Furniture rule conflict
- Not accepted
- ReUse Store and free paint
- Free mulch
- On-demand collection
- Brush and yard trimmings
- Holiday closures
- Load preparation
- Related guides
- Map
- Official sources
- FAQs
Austin Recycling Decision Guide: Center, Curbside, Pickup or Hornsby Bend?
| What you have | Best first route | Important rule |
|---|---|---|
| Paint, pesticides, batteries, automotive fluids | Recycle and Reuse Center or eligible on-demand HHW collection | Center appointment required; household waste only |
| Computers, TVs and electronics | Recycle and Reuse Center | Appointment required |
| Plastic film and clean Styrofoam | Recycle and Reuse Center | Styrofoam must be clean and dry; no packing peanuts |
| Normal cardboard, glass, cans and hard plastic | Blue curbside recycling cart when eligible | No plastic bags or film in blue cart |
| Mattress or large household furniture | On-demand bulk collection or another approved disposal/donation option | Mattresses are not accepted at the Recycle and Reuse Center |
| Brush and yard trimmings | Hornsby Bend | Not accepted at Business Center Drive |
| General household trash | Regular trash or approved disposal service | Recycle and Reuse Center is not a landfill |
| Business-generated hazardous waste | Commercial hazardous-waste guidance | Not eligible for household HHW drop-off |
How to Schedule an Austin Recycle and Reuse Center Appointment
The center is open by appointment only. Austin and Travis County residents can schedule online or through the Austin Recycles mobile app.
Appointment help
The City’s current appointment page lists 512-974-4343 for center help. Austin 3-1-1 can also help when you cannot cancel or manage an appointment normally.
Austin Recycling Center Hours: Appointment Availability Comes First
For this facility, “open now” is not the same as “available for walk-in drop-off.” The current official Austin Resource Recovery pages emphasize appointment-only access rather than inviting unscheduled visits.
Older City brochures and third-party listings can show historical fixed hours. Do not use an old Monday-Friday or Saturday schedule as proof that the center will accept your vehicle today.
Fees, Residency and the $6 Tire Charge
| User or item | Current City rule | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Austin resident | Facility use is free for eligible items | Schedule an appointment first |
| Travis County resident | Facility use is free for eligible items | Schedule through the official system |
| Outside Austin / Travis County | Fees apply | Verify the current amount before booking |
| Tires | $6 per tire | Confirm the number and type during scheduling |
| Business hazardous waste | Not eligible | Call 512-974-4335 for business disposal guidance |
| ReUse Store pickup | Items are free | Availability varies; appointment required |
| Austin ReBlend paint | Free | Appointment required; colors vary |
Other Recyclables Accepted at the Austin Center
Paper and cardboard
Cardboard and paper are listed among accepted materials. If the material fits your blue cart and follows curbside rules, curbside recycling may be easier.
Hard plastic
Hard plastic, children’s pools, pet carriers, trash cans and selected rigid plastic products appear on the current list.
Plastic bags and film
Clean and dry plastic bags, film and wrap are accepted at the center even though they should not go in Austin’s blue curbside cart.
Styrofoam
Clean and dry Styrofoam is accepted, but packing peanuts are specifically excluded.
Scrap metal
Scrap metal is listed among accepted center materials. This is recycling drop-off, not a promise of scrap-metal payment.
Clothing and housewares
Clothing and housewares appear on the accepted list, with reuse opportunities when items remain usable.
Cans and foil
Metal cans and foil are accepted, although normal household quantities may also belong in your curbside recycling cart.
Glass bottles and jars
Glass bottles and jars are listed. Mirrors, sheet glass and other specialty glass should not be assumed to follow the same route.
Solar equipment
The current accepted list includes solar panels and battery storage systems. Confirm unusual commercial-scale or damaged systems before moving them.
Electronics, TVs and Appliance Recycling in Austin
The Recycle and Reuse Center accepts a broad group of electronics and appliances that should not simply be placed into the blue recycling cart.
| Category | Current examples | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Computers | Computers and related electronics | Back up files and remove personal data |
| Phones | Cell phones and chargers | Factory reset and remove account locks when possible |
| Televisions | TVs | Protect screens during transport |
| Printers | Printers and fax machines | Remove confidential documents |
| Media | CDs, DVDs and floppy disks | City says to remove and discard CD jewel cases |
| Kitchen appliances | Microwaves, stoves and other kitchen appliances | Secure doors and loose components |
| Large appliances | Washers, dryers and water heaters | Plan safe loading and unloading |
| Outdoor equipment | Lawn mowers and weed eaters | Check fuel or fluid preparation in the appointment tool |
| Air conditioning | Air conditioners | Do not vent refrigerant before recycling |
Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Rules
One of the center’s most important functions is safe household hazardous-waste collection. Austin specifically warns against throwing these materials in normal trash or pouring them down drains.
Accepted HHW examples
Aerosol cans, automotive fluids, oil filters, batteries, cleaning products, cooking oil, fluorescent bulbs and mercury.
Paint and yard chemicals
Paint, thinners, pesticides, herbicides and pool chemicals are among the current accepted household categories.
Propane cylinders
Propane cylinders appear on the current HHW list. Keep valves protected and follow appointment instructions.
How Austin says to transport hazardous waste
Tire Recycling at the Austin Center
The current City page lists a $6 fee per tire. Tires are one of the clearest exceptions to the normal free resident use of the center.
If you have many tires, commercial tires, truck tires, unusual sizes or tires mounted on rims, use the appointment tool to verify the exact route before loading them.
Furniture: The Official Austin Page Currently Contains Conflicting Wording
The City’s current center page creates an important ambiguity. Its “other accepted recyclables” list includes wording for “lawn chairs and furniture”, but the same page separately lists “Furniture” under items the center does not accept.
Because those two statements conflict, do not load a couch, dresser, table or other large furniture based on the accepted-list wording alone. Use the City’s “What Do I Do With?” tool or schedule on-demand bulk collection if you are an eligible Austin Resource Recovery residential customer.
Items the Center Specifically Says It Does Not Accept
| Item | Why not to bring it blindly | Better next step |
|---|---|---|
| Mattresses | Specifically listed as not accepted | Use bulk collection or another approved mattress route |
| Non-recyclable trash | Center is not a landfill | Use regular trash or an approved disposal facility |
| Styrofoam packing peanuts | Excluded even though other clean Styrofoam is accepted | Check reuse or disposal guidance |
| Toilets | Specifically excluded | Check construction-debris or disposal options |
| Brush and yard trimmings | Handled at Hornsby Bend instead | Use 2210 FM 973 |
| Business hazardous waste | Household program is not for commercial waste | Call 512-974-4335 |
Free ReUse Store Items and Austin ReBlend Paint
The facility is not only a drop-off site. Reusable materials can be made available for pickup through the ReUse Store.
ReUse Store
Free items can include art supplies, automotive fluids, cleaning products and household chemicals. Inventory changes constantly, so do not expect a specific product to be available.
Austin ReBlend Paint
ReBlend is 100% post-consumer reblended flat paint made from material collected at the center. It is free for individuals, nonprofits and businesses, but an appointment is required and colors vary.
Free Mulch Pickup
Mulch is currently available for free pickup through the center, but visitors must load it themselves.
Bring containers
Use bins, tubs or another suitable way to carry the mulch home.
Bring a shovel
The City recommends a pitchfork or shovel because loading is self-service.
Bring gloves
Work gloves make self-loading safer and easier.
When Austin On-Demand Collection Is Easier Than Driving to the Center
Austin Resource Recovery residential customers can schedule on-demand collection for bulk, brush, household hazardous waste, and clothing/textiles. The current program allows up to three collections for each service per calendar year.
This option applies to eligible residential customers such as single-family homes and properties with up to four units receiving Austin Resource Recovery service.
Bulk collection
Can include appliances, doors, furniture, lawn mowers, nail-free lumber, pallets, passenger-car tires and other eligible oversized items.
Household hazardous waste
Eligible curbside customers can schedule HHW collection from home instead of driving those materials to Business Center Drive.
Clothing and textiles
The separate textile service accepts eligible clothing, blankets, curtains, non-soiled linens, fabric scraps and footwear under its own limits.
Brush and Yard Trimmings Go to Hornsby Bend, Not the Recycling Center
The Recycle and Reuse Center does not accept brush or yard trimmings. Austin directs those materials to the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant at 2210 FM 973.
The City currently lists Hornsby Bend brush drop-off hours as 8:00 AM–3:00 PM, Monday through Saturday. No appointment is required.
The material collected at Hornsby Bend is composted and used to make Dillo Dirt.
Austin Recycling Center Holiday Hours and Closures
Do not assume a normal appointment or map schedule applies on City holidays. During 2026, official City notices specifically listed the Recycle and Reuse Center as closed for multiple holidays, including Presidents Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day and Labor Day.
Hornsby Bend does not necessarily follow the same holiday closure pattern. For example, several 2026 City notices showed the Recycle and Reuse Center closed while Hornsby Bend remained open for its normal brush hours.
Curbside Recycling Is Often Easier for Normal Household Materials
Austin Resource Recovery currently provides biweekly recycling to eligible single-family homes and properties with up to four units. Mixed paper, accepted hard plastic, metal and glass can go directly into the blue recycling cart without sorting.
Good blue-cart items
Paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, metal cans and eligible hard plastic are among the normal curbside categories.
Keep these out
Plastic bags, film, Styrofoam, batteries and electronics need a different route, such as the Recycle and Reuse Center or another approved program.
How to Prepare for an Austin Recycling Center Visit
Map to the Austin Recycle and Reuse Center
The official City facility is at 2514 Business Center Drive, Austin, TX 78744. Schedule the appointment before using the map for your trip.
Official Austin Recycling Sources
Use Austin Resource Recovery for the final decision on appointments, accepted materials, fees and current operations. City rules can change faster than map listings and third-party directories.
Frequently Asked Questions About Austin Recycling Centers
Where is the City of Austin Recycle and Reuse Center?
The official City facility is at 2514 Business Center Drive, Austin, TX 78744.
Do I need an appointment?
Yes. Austin Resource Recovery says the Recycle and Reuse Center is open by appointment only. Schedule online or through the Austin Recycles app.
Is the Austin recycling center free?
Use of the facility is free for Austin and Travis County residents for eligible items. Fees apply to non-residents and to tire drop-off.
How much does tire drop-off cost?
The current City page lists a fee of $6 per tire.
Can I recycle a TV or computer there?
Yes. Televisions, computers, phones, printers and other listed electronics are accepted by appointment.
Does the center accept paint?
Yes. Household paint and thinners are included in the current household hazardous-waste list. Keep products in original containers and do not mix them.
Can businesses bring hazardous waste?
No. Businesses are not eligible to use the household hazardous-waste drop-off program. The City directs business questions to 512-974-4335.
Does Austin accept Styrofoam?
The Recycle and Reuse Center accepts clean and dry Styrofoam, but not Styrofoam packing peanuts.
Can I recycle plastic bags and film?
Clean and dry plastic bags, plastic film and wrap are accepted at the Recycle and Reuse Center. They should not be placed loose in Austin’s blue curbside recycling cart.
Can I bring a mattress?
No. Mattresses are currently listed as not accepted at the Recycle and Reuse Center. Eligible Austin Resource Recovery residential customers should check on-demand bulk collection or another approved mattress option.
Does the center accept furniture?
The City’s current page contains conflicting wording: one accepted-material list mentions lawn chairs and furniture, while the not-accepted section lists furniture. Verify your exact item using the City’s “What Do I Do With?” tool before driving.
Can I bring yard waste?
No. Brush and yard trimmings go to Hornsby Bend at 2210 FM 973 rather than the Recycle and Reuse Center.
How much will Hornsby Bend charge for brush after October 1, 2026?
The City has announced a rate of $9.80 per cubic yard beginning October 1, 2026, with a daily limit of six cubic yards of accepted brush and yard trimmings.
Can Austin Resource Recovery pick up bulky items from my home?
Eligible residential customers can schedule on-demand bulk collection up to three times per calendar year. Accepted items and set-out rules apply.
Can I get household hazardous waste collected from home?
Eligible Austin Resource Recovery residential customers can schedule on-demand household hazardous-waste collection, up to the program’s annual service limit.
Is Austin ReBlend paint free?
Yes. The City lists Austin ReBlend paint as free for individuals, nonprofits and businesses, but an appointment is required and colors and availability vary.
Is mulch free?
Yes. The center currently offers free mulch pickup, but visitors must load it themselves and should bring containers, a shovel or pitchfork, and gloves.
Is the center open on City holidays?
Do not assume so. Multiple official 2026 City holiday notices listed the Recycle and Reuse Center as closed. Check the appointment system and current City closure notice before traveling.
Is Recycling-Centre.org an official City of Austin website?
No. Recycling-Centre.org is an independent information guide. Final appointment availability, accepted materials, fees and closure information should be verified with Austin Resource Recovery.
The Simplest Austin Recycling Plan
Use your blue recycling cart for ordinary accepted paper, cardboard, glass, metal and hard plastic. Use the appointment-only Recycle and Reuse Center for electronics, household hazardous waste, plastic film, Styrofoam, batteries, tires and other hard-to-recycle items.
Use on-demand residential collection when bulky items or household hazardous waste can be collected from home, and take brush or yard trimmings to Hornsby Bend. This route-first approach prevents unnecessary trips and keeps each material in the program designed to handle it.