Posting Language
Title
Approve amendments to Chapters 5, 6, and 7 of the Administrative Rules for Solid Waste Services to implement new limits on the volume of brush drop-off at the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant, clarify the fees applicable to extra trash, recycling, and composting collection services, and update bulk, brush, and household hazardous waste collection guidelines in accordance with current Austin Resource Recovery practices. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.
De
Lead Department
Austin Resource Recovery
Fiscal Note
This item has no fiscal impact.
Prior Council Action:
November 21, 2024 - City Council approved amendments to the administrative rules for solid waste services (Chapter 15-6, Solid Waste Services - Administrative Rules) (Administrative Rules) related to operational practices and procedures for residential collection services, including number and sizes of carts, definitions of customer types, materials accepted for organics collection, updates to frequency of bulk and brush collection, and updates to collection procedures.
June 9, 2022 - City Council approved amendments to the Administrative Rules related to the use of City services for certain residential units and the Universal Recycling Ordinance to make the Administrative Rules consistent with City Code Section 15-6-11 (Collection Service), which requires that premises with one to four residential dwelling units use Austin Resource Recovery’s (ARR) collection service.
June 28, 2012 - Council approved amendments to City Code Chapter 15-6 (Solid Waste Services) to require ARR administrative rules to be approved by Council.
For More Information:
Richard McHale, Director, Austin Resource Recovery, 512-974-4301, or Gena McKinley, Assistant Director,
Austin Resource Recovery, 512-974-1915.
Council Committee, Boards and Commission Action:
March 25, 2026 - The Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Commission was briefed by memorandum, with no action taken.
April 8, 2026 - The Zero Waste Advisory Commission recommended rule adoption by Council on a vote of 6-0-0.
Additional Backup Information:
City Code Chapter 15-6 (Solid Waste Services) provides that the director of Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) shall adopt administrative rules to implement and enforce the chapter and that Council must approve such rules.
ARR posted the proposed Administrative Rules amendments to Speak Up Austin and opened public comment from August 15 to September 15, 2025. Forty-eight responses were received from 28 individuals. Staff responses to public comments are attached as “Exhibit A".
These amendments include new guidelines for dropping off material at drop-off locations in alignment with ARR practices. A new limit for brush drop-off of six cubic yards per person per day is proposed for the Hornsby Bend Management Plant (Plant). This limit is introduced to mitigate large brush loads dropped off by commercial contractors, as the Plant is not designed to process large commercial loads that contain commercial debris and other trash material that damage City equipment. Residents, including those who are not ARR customers, may continue to drop off brush below this new limit at the Plant. The rules propose requiring all users of the Plant to pay a fee starting October 1, 2026. The fee will be included in a Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget request.
The Administrative Rules for extra trash, recycling, and composting are amended to provide additional clarity on applicable fees. The amendment clarifies that extra recycling is collected at no additional cost and provides guidelines for setting out this material. It also establishes a maximum of 15 additional items (bags, piles, stacks, reusable containers, etc.) of compostable material or yard trimmings.
Collection guidelines are updated, including curbside composting details which were not previously described. Bulk, brush, and household hazardous waste collection guidelines are amended to reflect the on-demand services now provided by ARR.