Copperas Cove releases 2026 recycling, special collections schedule

Copperas Cove households that rely on city pickup need to keep one rule at the top of the calendar: curbside recycling is collected every other week, and the 96-gallon green container must be at the curb on the address side of the residence by 7 a.m. on collection day. Miss that window, and the material waits for the next scheduled pickup, which makes the city’s 2026 Recycling and Special Collections Schedule a practical checklist for nearly every home in town.

The City of Copperas Cove released the schedule on Dec. 26, 2025, and it lays out the service dates that matter most for brush, bulk, recycling and seasonal clean-ups. The city set spring clean-up for March 14, 2026, from 8 a.m. to noon, and fall clean-up for Nov. 21, 2026, also from 8 a.m. to noon. Those are the biggest special collection days on the calendar for residents who need a place to take larger loads instead of leaving them for routine pickup.

Copperas Cove also keeps a free self-sort recycling drop-off location at the Solid Waste Transfer Station Complex, giving residents another option for materials that fit the city’s recycling stream. Accepted items include office paper, magazines, phone books, cardboard, aluminum cans, newspaper and plastics types #1 and #2 only. The city says recyclable material must stay uncontaminated, which matters because mixing the wrong items into the recycling cart can undo the purpose of the program and create extra work for city crews.

The Solid Waste Department says it manages residential, recycling, brush and commercial collections, along with the transfer station and recycling center. The transfer station’s goal is to give Copperas Cove a convenient, efficient and environmentally sound way to dispose of solid waste, and it operates under Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulations. Residents with questions can call the Solid Waste Department at (254) 547-5245.

The schedule also fits into Copperas Cove’s broader cleanup effort. The city planned a Great American Clean Up for April 18, 2026, with the Copperas Cove Police Department and Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful along FM 1113 from City Park to the west city limits, but canceled it on April 17 because of expected weather. Even with that cancellation, the message from City Hall is clear: keep waste sorted, keep it on time, and use the city’s cleanup dates before household debris turns into a neighborhood problem.