Table of Contents
1. Why This Matters
2. Drain the Tank First
3. Where to Drop It Off in Killeen
4. Killeen's Curbside Rule
5. Other Options
6. Common Mistakes
7. Tex's Take
8. FAQ
So the mower finally quit. Or maybe you bought a new one and the old push mower's just sitting there, rusting out by the fence line. Either way, you're about to learn something most Killeen residents don't find out until they're standing at the curb with a dead Toro: this thing isn't going in with the regular trash pickup. Not gas-powered, not electric, not even a manual reel mower with a dead wheel. Killeen has a specific rule for this, and it's not buried in some 40-page PDF. It's short, it's clear, and it means one extra stop before this thing is gone for good.
This isn't a case where the city's just being difficult. A mower that's had gas and oil in it for years counts as machinery with fuel and lubricant residue, and that's exactly the kind of thing a garbage truck compactor doesn't handle well. Compact a tank with old gas fumes trapped inside, and you've got a fire risk riding around Bell County on the back of a city truck. Killeen's rule exists because of that, not because someone at City Hall has it out for lawn equipment. If you've already dealt with a dead water heater or an old car battery in this city, you already know the pattern: anything with fuel, fluid, or a compressor skips the curb entirely.
Step 1: Drain the Tank First
Before this mower goes anywhere, empty out whatever fuel and oil is left in it. Run the engine dry if it still starts, or siphon the tank if it doesn't. The gas doesn't go in your trash can or down a drain. Killeen's Recycling Center at 111 E Avenue F takes used automotive oil from residents (up to 5 gallons at a time) and antifreeze, and oil filters are accepted at both the Recycling Center and the Transfer Station. Gasoline itself isn't listed as accepted there, so the cleanest move is to burn through what's left by actually running the mower a few more times, or ask about the next Household Hazardous Waste collection event, which Bell, Coryell, and Lampasas counties run periodically for exactly this kind of leftover.
Where to Drop It Off in Killeen
| Location | Address | Phone | Hours | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killeen Transfer Station | 12200 State Highway 195, Killeen, TX (call to confirm zip) | 254-501-8971 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8am–5pm; Wed & Sat 8am–3pm | Free up to 500 lbs/month with utility bill + ID, then a per-100-lb rate — ask the scale attendant, published rates vary |
| Killeen Recycling Center | 111 E Avenue F, Killeen, TX 76541 | 254-501-7785 | Mon–Fri 10am–5pm | Call ahead to confirm — mowers aren't on their published accepted list |
| Cen-Tex Scrap & Metal | 12800 State Highway 195, Killeen, TX 76542 | 254-526-4600 | Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, closed weekends | Free drop-off, may pay for metal weight — tank must be empty |
Killeen's Curbside Rule
Killeen does run special collection for bulky items like furniture and appliances, and residents get charged an extra fee starting at $21 per stop when they set those out. Lawn mowers don't get that option. They sit on the same prohibited list as boats, tires, and construction debris, meaning the truck that comes by on your scheduled day is contractually not allowed to take it, fee or no fee. Setting it out anyway just means it sits at your curb until someone calls code enforcement, or you end up hauling it back inside.
Other Options
If the mower still runs, don't haul it anywhere yet. Facebook Marketplace and the Killeen-area yard sale groups move working push mowers fast, especially cheap ones under $50. Charities like Goodwill in Killeen generally won't take gas equipment because of liability around fuel and moving blades, so don't waste a trip assuming they will. Home Depot and Lowe's in the area don't run a mower trade-in program the way they do for propane tanks or CFL bulbs, so that's not a shortcut here either. Private junk removal outfits will take it off your hands for a fee if hauling it yourself isn't an option, but for a mower specifically, the Transfer Station's free monthly allowance usually beats paying someone $80 to do the same drive. For other bulky household items Killeen won't take curbside, check our full Household Items guide list.
Common Mistakes
- Leaving gas in the tank. Both the Transfer Station and scrap yards can turn you away for this, and it's a genuine fire hazard sitting in your garage in the meantime.
- Assuming bulk pickup covers it. Furniture and appliances get picked up curbside for a fee. Machinery with fuel or oil doesn't, no matter what fee you're willing to pay.
- Driving to the Recycling Center first. It's closer to most neighborhoods than the Transfer Station, but its published list doesn't include lawn equipment. Call before you load up.
- Tossing a working mower. A $40 push mower on Marketplace moves in a day around Fort Hood. No reason to haul a functioning one to the dump.
Tex's Take
The Transfer Station is the move here. Just is. It's free for the first 500 pounds, it's not far from the Recycling Center if you're already headed that way for oil or antifreeze, and it removes any guesswork about whether your specific mower qualifies. The scrap yard is worth the extra half-mile drive only if the mower's mostly metal and you don't mind waiting in a different line for a few extra dollars. Either way, the one thing not worth doing is setting it at the curb and hoping. Bell County code enforcement in this town does follow up on bulky waste violations, and a mower sitting at your property line for two weeks is the kind of thing a neighbor eventually reports.
FAQ
Can I put my lawn mower out on bulk trash day in Killeen?
No. Machinery with oil or gas, including lawn mowers, is on the city's prohibited curbside list regardless of collection day.
Does the Transfer Station charge for a single lawn mower?
Not if you're under your 500-pound monthly allowance and bring a current utility bill and photo ID. A push mower alone typically weighs well under that.
What do I do with the gas that's still in the tank?
Run the mower until it's dry if it starts, or siphon it out. Don't pour it down a drain or leave it in a container in your trash. Check for the next Household Hazardous Waste collection event if you can't burn through it, or browse our other Hazardous Materials guides for city-specific HHW drop-off info.
Will a scrap yard pay me for an old mower?
Sometimes, depending on how much steel and aluminum it has and current scrap prices. Call Cen-Tex Scrap & Metal ahead of time and ask, since payouts change with the metals market.
Can I just leave it for someone to take?
Technically that's still an unpermitted item sitting on city right-of-way or your property, and it can draw a code complaint the same as any other bulky item left out too long.
Data last verified September 2026 against official City of Killeen solid waste sources. Hours, fees, and accepted items can change without notice. Call ahead before making a trip.
Bottom line: drain it, skip the curb, and call the Transfer Station at 254-501-8971 before you load up the truck if you want to double-check the current overage rate. That one call saves a wasted trip more often than it should.
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