Spring-area households served by Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 370 will pay $2.55 more per month on their trash bills by September, after the district announced a rate hike and a new hazardous waste pickup program in the same week.
The first increase hit Aug. 1. Monthly residential trash collection rose $1.35 per household under an annual Consumer Price Index adjustment built into MUD 370's contract with Best Trash, according to a district post. Aug. 1 is the contract's annual CPI adjustment date.
A second charge follows Sept. 1, when Best Trash begins a six-month trial offering curbside household hazardous waste disposal for $1.20 per household per month. The district said the program will provide "added convenience" for residents.
What the hazardous waste program covers
The district's announcement referenced flyer images but did not list specific accepted items in text. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality defines household hazardous waste broadly: oil-based paints, pesticides, pool chemicals, fuels such as gasoline and propane, fluorescent bulbs, corrosive cleaners and wood stains.
Before this trial, Best Trash's standard policy barred hazardous waste from regular pickup and directed customers to Harris County's hazardous waste recycling facility instead.
Background on the contract
MUD 370 switched from its previous hauler, Texas Pride, to Best Trash in early 2024 after the old contract expired. Best Trash, the largest privately owned trash and recycling company in the Gulf Coast region, began delivering carts to MUD 370 residents on Feb. 27, 2024.
The district covers roughly 628 acres in Harris County. TNG Utility Corp handles billing for the district and can be reached at (281) 350-0895 for questions about charges.
What's next
The MUD 370 Board of Directors holds a public meeting Monday, Aug. 10, where residents can participate. The hazardous waste trial runs six months from its Sept. 1 start; the district has not said whether the service becomes permanent if the pilot succeeds.
