In This Guide:
- Why It Won't Fit Your City Cart
- City Landfill — Your Fastest Option
- Scrap Metal Recycling at K&L
- Bulky Trash Collection Events
- Donate or Sell a Working Fan
- Common Mistakes
- Tex's Take
- FAQ
So the old ceiling fan finally gave out. Or you replaced it with something new. Either way, you've got a disassembled motor housing, a set of blades, a canopy bracket, and a light kit sitting on your garage floor, and you need them gone.
Nacogdoches has a smaller disposal infrastructure than Houston or Dallas — no on-demand bulk pickup, no permanent household appliance drop-off event schedule. But you have a city landfill that works, a scrap metal yard that pays you, and a Habitat ReStore that might take a working fan. Here's what's verified and what isn't.
Why It Won't Fit Your City Cart
Nacogdoches runs automated curbside collection — the truck arm grabs your city-provided cart, tips it, and moves on. The official Public Works page is clear: no metal objects, no furniture, nothing that can't fit inside the cart. A ceiling fan motor housing alone is too large and too rigid for the cart's opening. The blades are awkward. The bracket is metal.
The blue recycling bags from Nac Recycling — the city's curbside recycling provider — also don't cover this. Their program handles paper, plastic bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans. Scrap metal is explicitly excluded.
You have three real options: the city landfill, the scrap yard, or a periodic bulky collection event. The right one depends on whether the fan works and how fast you need it gone.
City Landfill — Your Fastest Option
The City of Nacogdoches Landfill accepts general household items including appliances. A ceiling fan qualifies. Load it in your truck or trunk and take it out yourself — no appointment needed.
| Facility | Address | Phone | Hours | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Nacogdoches Landfill | 4602 NW Stallings Dr., Nacogdoches, TX | (936) 560-5422 | Mon–Fri 7:30 AM–5:00 PM Sat 7:30 AM–3:00 PM |
1 free load/month (water bill required); fee for additional loads |
NW Stallings is on the northwest side of town, just off Loop 224. If you're making a Saturday run, note the 3:00 PM hard close — they do not accept late arrivals.
Scrap Metal Recycling at K&L — They'll Pay You
Ceiling fans are made of recyclable metal. The motor housing is typically steel. The blade brackets are usually aluminum or die-cast zinc alloy. The motor windings contain copper. None of that belongs in a landfill if you have a truck and 20 minutes.
K&L Recycling operates the scrap metal yard at 2508 Woden Rd. — just south of SE Loop 224. Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful cites this facility as the local scrap metal option for residents. They accept ferrous and non-ferrous metals. A ceiling fan unit brings in mixed metal — not a windfall, but you're not paying disposal fees either.
| Facility | Address | Phone | Hours | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K&L Recycling (Nacogdoches) | 2508 Woden Rd., Nacogdoches, TX 75961 | (936) 552-7555 | Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Sat 8:00 AM–12:00 PM |
They pay you (weight-based, current market rate) |
Call (936) 552-7555 before you go. Ceiling fans aren't listed as a specific item on their site, but they accept ferrous and non-ferrous metals of all varieties — a fan unit qualifies. Confirm they'll take a whole unstripped unit, or ask if they want the plastic blade covers removed first. They'll tell you in under a minute.
Under Texas law (Occupations Code Chapter 1956), metal recycling entities operating in Texas must be registered with DPS. K&L is a licensed, multi-location commercial recycler — this is not a fly-by-night operation.
Bulky Trash Collection Events
Nacogdoches holds periodic Bulky Trash Collection events by city ward. On designated event days, residents can either register for curbside pickup (20 spots available, limit 2 items per household) or use a community drop-off location where roll-off dumpsters are placed starting at 4 PM.
The accepted items list includes furniture, mattresses, and appliances like refrigerators and washers. A ceiling fan should qualify as a bulky household item — but the event page explicitly excludes electronics (TVs, computers, keyboards). A ceiling fan is not an electronic device in the same category, but call Public Works at (936) 559-2583 to confirm your fan would be accepted before scheduling a pickup spot.
These events are ward-based and not held on a fixed city-wide schedule. As of June 2026, the next event date and ward rotation were not confirmed on the official city page. Call Public Works at (936) 559-2583 or check nactx.us/764/Public-Works for current scheduling. Don't hold a garage full of junk waiting on an event date that may be months out.
Donate or Sell a Working Fan
If the fan still runs, someone in Nacogdoches will take it. Three paths worth considering:
Habitat for Humanity ReStore (600 Powers St.) — The Nacogdoches ReStore sells donated home goods and building materials. Some ReStore locations accept working ceiling fans with all hardware, blades, and mounting components intact. Others don't take used fans at all. Call (936) 564-3538 before you bring it. If they say yes, confirm they want all parts included — missing blades or no canopy bracket is usually a no.
Facebook Marketplace / Nextdoor — A working ceiling fan listed free on Facebook Marketplace or Nacogdoches Nextdoor is gone within hours in the summer. Post a photo, note the brand and condition, and mark it for porch pickup. Zero driving required on your end.
Goodwill — Goodwill accepts working small appliances and household items. Whether a ceiling fan qualifies at your local location is worth a call ahead — fan sizes and conditions vary, and store policies differ. Call before you go.
Common Mistakes
Trying to stuff it in the city cart. The automated arm and truck mechanism aren't built for rigid metal objects. The cart gets flagged and left. You'll have the fan back on your driveway with a notice from Public Works.
Driving to the landfill without your water bill. The free-load policy requires your current City of Nacogdoches water bill every visit. If your bill is a different address or you forgot it, you pay. It's a short drive from most of the city, but not a trip you want to make twice.
Assuming the scrap yard wants it whole. Some yards prefer you remove plastic components — blade covers, light diffusers, decorative housing — before weigh-in. One call to K&L at (936) 552-7555 tells you exactly what they want. Takes 60 seconds.
Waiting on a bulky event for something this size. A ceiling fan is not a couch or a refrigerator. The landfill on NW Stallings handles this in a single five-minute drop. Holding it for a ward event that's weeks or months away is unnecessary.
Donating a broken fan. The ReStore and Goodwill don't want it if it doesn't work. Scrap yard or landfill — those are the two options for a dead fan.
Tex's Take
K&L Recycling at 2508 Woden is the right call here — not because it's noble, but because the math is correct. The landfill costs you nothing if you have a water bill, but you're also disposing of material that has actual metal value. Ceiling fans contain copper motor windings, steel housing, aluminum brackets. You're not getting rich off one fan, but you're not paying either, and the material gets recycled properly instead of buried.
The landfill is the fallback if you need it gone today and can't be bothered with a phone call. Both options work. Nacogdoches doesn't make this complicated — the infrastructure exists, it's just not spelled out anywhere clearly.
What I'd skip entirely: waiting for a bulky collection event. Those events are designed for furniture and major appliances. A ceiling fan takes 10 minutes to load and drop. Use the landfill or the scrap yard and be done before lunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a ceiling fan in my regular Nacogdoches city trash cart?
No. The city uses automated collection carts, and the official Public Works page explicitly excludes metal objects from cart garbage. A ceiling fan is too large, too rigid, and too awkward for the cart opening. Your options are the city landfill, K&L Recycling, or a periodic bulky collection event.
How much will K&L Recycling pay for an old ceiling fan?
Scrap prices change daily based on metal markets. A standard residential ceiling fan contains a mix of steel, aluminum or die-cast zinc, and some copper in the motor. Don't expect more than a few dollars for one unit — the value is in bulk or if you're bringing other metal at the same time. Call (936) 552-7555 to ask about current prices before making the trip specifically for the payout.
Does the Nacogdoches city landfill charge to drop off a ceiling fan?
City of Nacogdoches residents get one free pickup-truck-sized load per month with a current city water bill. A ceiling fan easily fits within that allowance. Additional loads beyond one per month are charged. Nacogdoches County residents outside city limits are charged per load. Call (936) 560-5422 to confirm current rates if you're outside city limits.
Will the Nacogdoches Habitat ReStore take my old ceiling fan?
Call ahead to (936) 564-3538 before bringing it. ReStore policies on used ceiling fans vary — some locations accept working fans with all hardware and blades intact, others don't. The fan must work and be complete. Don't drop in unannounced with a disassembled fan in a box.
Does Nacogdoches have regular bulk pickup I can schedule for a ceiling fan?
There is no standing on-demand bulk pickup service in Nacogdoches. The city holds periodic Bulky Trash Collection events by ward, but these are not on a fixed monthly schedule. Call Public Works at (936) 559-2583 to ask about upcoming events in your ward. For a single ceiling fan, the landfill is faster than waiting.
Data last verified June 2026 against official City of Nacogdoches solid waste sources and K&L Recycling's published location page. Hours, fees, and accepted items can change without notice. Call ahead before making a trip.
Bottom Line
Fan still works? Call Habitat ReStore at (936) 564-3538 first, then try Facebook Marketplace if they pass. Fan is dead? Load it up and take it to K&L Recycling at 2508 Woden Rd. (call (936) 552-7555 first) or drop it at the city landfill at 4602 NW Stallings Dr. with your water bill. Either way, you're done in a morning.
If you're also clearing out other old appliances or fixtures, see our guides on disposing of small kitchen appliances and recycling an old window AC unit for how Texas cities handle similar electrical household items.
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