Aligned With Austin’s Universal Recycling Ordinance

Austin is one of the most important compliance-driven multifamily waste markets in Texas. Under the City of Austin’s Universal Recycling Ordinance, multifamily property owners and managers with five or more units are required to provide residents and employees with convenient access to both recycling and composting collection.

Austin multifamily communities must also submit an annual recycling plan, provide sufficient recycling capacity, offer convenient access to composting collection, and support resident education around proper landfill trash, recycling, and organics disposal.

Local overview for apartments:
Austin Apartment & Multifamily Recycling Rules

Built for Austin Recycling, Composting & Resident Education Requirements

Austin’s multifamily waste rules create a clear operational challenge: residents need simple, convenient, repeatable systems that reduce contamination and make recycling and composting easier to follow.

• Mandate Type: Mandatory recycling and composting access for qualifying multifamily properties
• Applicability Threshold: Multifamily properties with 5+ dwelling units
• Annual Plan: Property owners or managers must submit a recycling plan each year
• Recycling Capacity: Equal capacity for recycling and landfill trash, or 24 gallons of recycling capacity per unit, per week
• Composting Capacity: One gallon of composting capacity per unit, with at least weekly pickup
• Resident Education: Clear instructions, signage, and onboarding materials help reduce contamination

National Doorstep helps Austin apartment communities turn these requirements into a cleaner, more resident-friendly waste operation through doorstep collection, contamination education, Proof of Pickup® documentation, and compliance-aligned service design.

How Our Valet Trash Service Works in Austin

Visual workflow:
How Valet Trash Works

GPS-Verified Routes

• GPS-tracked porter tours
• Proof of Pickup® technology
• Amazon®-level verification

Tech overview:
Valet Trash Service Software

Leak-Proof Valet Trash Totes

Sanitary, leak-proof totes engineered to protect hallways, breezeways, elevators, and corridors while improving nighttime workflow.

5-Night Collection Standard

The national industry benchmark for multifamily valet trash, designed for high-density apartment operations.

Doorstep Waste SOPs

• Set-out windows
• Containment & sanitation rules
• Recycling contamination prevention
• Resident-facing recycling and composting education support

Single-Stream Recycling Education

Delivered through your leasing packet addendum + onsite resident collateral to help Austin residents separate landfill trash, recyclables, and compostable materials correctly.

Designed for All Austin Multifamily Assets

• Downtown Austin & Rainey Street high-rises
• East Austin, Mueller & South Congress mid-rises
• Domain, North Austin & Round Rock garden-style communities
• Westlake, Bee Cave & Lake Travis luxury apartment communities
• Student housing near the University of Texas at Austin

Optional Add-On Services

• Bulk-item removal
• Pet waste station servicing
• Common area trash pickup
• Compactor area cleanup support
• Resident recycling and composting education support

New Construction Guidance

When building a trash room, recycling room, or compost staging area, incorporate the following:

• Add a spigot for sanitation and wash-downs
• Install a pitched floor to direct water flow properly
• Include a floor drain for safe and efficient cleanup
• Plan space for clearly labeled landfill trash, recycling, and composting containers
• Design resident access points to reduce contamination and overflow

Austin Valet Trash & Recycling FAQ

Have questions about valet trash rules, resident instructions, recycling contamination, composting access, or Austin multifamily compliance expectations? Visit our comprehensive FAQ page:

View the Full Valet Trash FAQ