About the Solid Waste Management Program

The Solid Waste Management Program falls under the purview of the Environmental Management and Planning Department and is funded by a grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to provide funding for eligible local and regional municipal solid waste management projects in support of the goals and objectives of the adopted Regional Solid Waste Management Plan (RSWMP) for the BVCOG region.

The Environmental Management and Planning Department coordinates solid waste management and waste reduction programs in the region, as well as provides resources and technical assistance to local governments and other entities.

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) includes solid waste resulting from or incidental to municipal, community, commercial, institutional, and recreational activities, including garbage, rubbish, ashes, street cleanings, dead animals, abandoned automobiles, and all other solid waste other than industrial solid waste.

The Texas Waste Disposal Act (Chapter 361, Texas Health and Safety Code) establishes priorities for the management of solid waste in Texas. The State does not directly provide solid waste management services. The provision of solid waste management in Texas is primarily the activity of private companies and local governments.

The state’s 24 Councils of Governments (COGs) have been designated as the regional municipal solid waste (MSW) planning entities for Texas, and are responsible for developing municipal solid waste management plans (regional plans) to encourage regional approaches to providing services and reducing MSW generation and disposal.