There're no wasted efforts in
Solid Waste Management

Director Thomas "Buck" Buchanan

Rain or shine, hot or cold, Solid Waste Management employees make more than 50 million house calls every year. They service nearly 400,000 homes with garbage, heavy trash, yard waste, curbside recycling, and dead animal collection, and they operate neighborhood depositories, recycling drop-offs, and household hazardous waste collection sites. 

The workers on the street are the ones that citizens see. But they aren’t alone in keeping Houston clean.

Our fleet and maintenance personnel ensure we have safe vehicles and facilities. Our environmental staff provides recycling opportunities for curbside recycling, drop-off sites, and household hazardous waste collection.  Our administrative and professional staff handles personnel administration, purchases, forecasts, analyses, education and outreach efforts.

The combined effort of everyone in our department makes us not only a revving engine, but also an incredible work force.

Whether it is the daily duties or special assignments, such as cleaning up storm debris after a hurricane, the Solid Waste Management Department always tries to exceed expectations.  The hard work of our outstanding employees has shown the world that our department can compete with the private sector and win.  In July 2007, our department regains the collection area that has been contracted out to private haulers since 1984. That will add 86,000 more customers to impress.

I am proud of our team not just because they do excellent work, but because they go the extra mile to provide excellent customer service.  To a man and to a woman, I have found that they are also proud of the service they provide to their neighbors, proud of their reputation for efficiency, and proud to belong to one of the best solid waste management agencies in the country.  Imagine what you would do without them.