OP 63.06: Solid Waste Disposal by University Personnel and On-Campus Trash Pickup

[Major revision–posted 9/21/26 (replaces 6/11/21 edition)]

Texas Tech University Double T

Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 63.06: Solid Waste Disposal by University Personnel and On-Campus Trash Pickup

DATE: September 21, 2026

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to provide a set of standard procedures and guidance for university departments to use in the disposal of waste. This policy establishes the approved solid waste disposal site based on contractual rates and requires compliance with the city ordinance concerning hauling trash. This OP does not pertain to disposal of chemicals or other hazardous wastes, as these are disposed of only by authority from and under the supervision of the Office of Environmental Health & Safety and are governed by a separate operating policy. All questions concerning environmental hazards should be directed to Environmental Health & Safety.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed every two years after publication by the Managing Director of Grounds Maintenance with recommended revisions forwarded to the Senior Associate Vice President for Facilities & Campus Services, who will forward substantive revisions to the Senior Vice President for Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1. Landfill Usage by University Personnel

a. All areas of the university will use the West Texas Regional Disposal Landfill facility.

b. The landfill is located at 17304 North FM 2528 in Abernathy, Texas.

c. Please visit the City of Lubbock website for the most current information on hours of operation and fees.

d. An alternative landfill the university can use is located at 1031 County Road Y in Plainview, Texas.

e. Please visit the City of Plainview website for the most current information on hours of operation and fees.

f. Loads that may blow away in the wind or fall out of a vehicle must be placed in a vehicle with a tailgate and covered. The purpose of this precaution is to prevent littering and comply with the City of Lubbock ordinances. Vehicles observed to be in violation of this requirement may be ticketed.

g. All City of Lubbock/Plainview landfill invoices are to be taken, emailed, or mailed to Ursula Cooksey, MS 3144, Grounds Maintenance Department, ursula.cooksey@ttu.edu.

2. Classes of Items

Items for disposal are categorized into three classes. Each of these classes is handled differently for disposal.

a. Items That Can Be Placed in a Dumpster to Be Taken to the Landfill Facility

Normal building trash is placed in a dumpster container located adjacent to the building. These containers are emptied on a regular schedule by a university-owned packer truck. Trash pickup hours are 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for the following locations:

(1) Dumpsters on the interior of the campus (including academic buildings);

(2) Kitchens and parking lots;

(3) Residence halls (after 8:00 a.m.); and

(4) Auxiliary locations, per agreement(s) with the department.

b. Items Restricted from the Dumpster That Can Be Disposed of in the Landfill Facility

The following items are restricted from being placed in a dumpster by Texas Tech University for several reasons. These items are too heavy for the truck to lift and/or could cause major equipment damage.

Sheetrock, shingles, concrete, concrete blocks, bricks, roofing material, etc.;
Sinks, tubs, major appliances, toilets, etc. (all are recyclable); and
Steel bars, pipes, rocks, dirt, clay, scrap lumber, carpet, wooden pallets, packing crates, large tree limbs, and discarded furniture.

(1) Should a dumpster be found containing restricted items, the container must be emptied by hand by the responsible department, contractor, or by Facilities Maintenance (FM), with a labor charge to the responsible department or contractor.

(2) When the volume or nature of the trash is such that it cannot be placed in the dumpster outside the building, the department has two choices:

(a) The department can contact Grounds Maintenance at 742.4OPS (4677) to submit a work order for scheduling of additional dumpsters. There will be no charge to education and general departments. For auxiliary departments, there is a fee of $33 for one dumpster and $11 for each additional dumpster. All pickups are also charged a tipping fee of $36.75/ton.

(b) The department can contact Grounds Maintenance at 742.4OPS (4677) or the iService Desk to arrange for a roll-off container. Billing and pickup instructions will be determined to meet the department’s needs. This is the better option for extremely large loads or if the need is going to last for more than a day.

c. Items Not to Be Placed in the Dumpster or the Landfill Facility

The following items are NOT to be placed in the trash trailer or in campus dumpsters.

(1) Contact TTU Facilities & Campus Services at 806.742.4OPS (4677) for proper disposal of the following items:

(a) Items on TTU Property Inventory;

(b) Appliances;

(d) Tires.

(2) Contact TTU Environmental Health & Safety at 806.742.3876 for proper disposal of the following items:

(a) Hazardous materials (e.g., chemicals, biohazardous items, sharps containers);

(b) Paint cans containing paint;

(d) Batteries.

3. Recycling

Texas Tech University highly encourages recycling efforts. It is the responsibility of individual users to sort and dispose of their recyclable materials. Recycling dumpsters can be found north of the Physical Plant off Hartford Avenue.

Address

Texas Tech Downtown Center Room 218
Email
officialpublications@ttu.edu

OP 63.06: Solid Waste Disposal by University Personnel and On-Campus Trash Pickup

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