Newsroom
The latest on the American AF Dumpsters / Waxahachie lawsuit, plus the Texas legal background behind exclusive waste franchises and construction dumpsters. Links open on the original publisher’s site. Newest items appear first.
The Lawsuit
American AF Dumpster Rentals v. City of Waxahachie — videos and coverage of the active case.
We’re Suing Our City — The Outcome Could Affect Everyone
American AF Dumpsters discusses its lawsuit against its city and why the outcome could affect dumpster operators and customers across Texas.
Texas Cities Are KILLING Roll-Off Operators — Here’s PROOF
American AF Dumpsters documents the Midlothian, TX job at 750 North Highway 67, where a city inspector issued a stop-work order until the company’s dumpster was swapped for the franchise hauler’s.
'American AF' Company FIGHTS Texas Monopoly
The Institute for Justice's video on Josh Roman and American AF Dumpsters' challenge to Waxahachie's construction dumpster monopoly.
Press Conference: Texas Small Business Fights Dumpster Monopoly
Institute for Justice press conference announcing the lawsuit by Josh Roman and American AF Dumpster Rentals challenging the City of Waxahachie's construction dumpster monopoly.
Case Coverage
Short Circuit (Volokh Conspiracy): Waxahachie's Construction Dumpster Monopoly Headlines a New IJ Case
The Institute for Justice's weekly Short Circuit column, published at Reason's Volokh Conspiracy, leads with the new Waxahachie case: it notes the Texas Constitution says monopolies 'shall never be allowed,' yet the city handed construction dumpster rentals to a national chain and outlawed competition from IJ client American AF Dumpster Rentals.
Read on Reason (The Volokh Conspiracy) →
Texarkana's waste contract gives Waste Management exclusive rights, and the city a 10 percent cut
Texarkana Today reviews the city's Waste Management contract: records show an exclusive right that reaches construction roll-offs, a 10% franchise fee to the city, and enforcement against competitors.
Read on Texarkana Today →
Waxahachie Entrepreneur Sues City Over Unconstitutional Construction Dumpster Monopoly
IJ press release: Josh Roman and American AF Dumpster Rentals joined the Institute for Justice to file a lawsuit challenging the city's monopoly for construction dumpster rentals.
Read on Institute for Justice →Texas Construction Dumpsters Monopoly — Case Page
IJ's case page for American AF Dumpster Rentals LLC v. City of Waxahachie — background, case documents, and the legal team.
Read on Institute for Justice →Background, Precedent & Other Cases
Context only — Texas legal precedent, statutes, other cities, and related rulings (including the Arkansas case that helped spark this fight). These are not part of the current lawsuit.
Arkansas Supreme Court Strikes Down City’s Illegal Trash Monopoly
The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled (Hedrick v. City of Holiday Island, 2025 Ark. 194) that a city cannot bar an independent roll-off operator, X-Dumpsters, just because it has a trash contract with another company — the ruling that helped spark the Texas challenge.
Read on Goldwater Institute →The Truth About Exclusive Contract Cities in Texas
An overview of exclusive hauling contracts in Texas cities and how they affect dumpster rental options, prices, and homeowner rights.
Read on In-Laws Services →What Happened When a Texas Homeowner Association Opted to Sign with a Single Hauler
Trade-press look at single-hauler exclusivity arrangements and the disputes they create for residents and competing haulers in Texas.
Read on Waste360 →Texas Supreme Court Addresses Validity of a Municipality’s Gross-Revenue License Fee on Construction Waste Hauling
Legal analysis of Builder Recovery Services v. Town of Westlake (2022), where the Texas Supreme Court held a general-law city could not impose a percentage-of-revenue license fee on construction trash haulers.
Read on Mitchell Williams (Between the Lines) →Solid Waste: Legal Q&A (Texas Municipal League)
The cities’ own reference: TML’s legal Q&A explaining how Texas municipalities may grant exclusive solid waste franchises and charge franchise fees.
Read on Texas Municipal League →Resolving a Hauler Conflict in Texas
Trade-press analysis of Republic Waste Services v. Texas Disposal Systems, the San Angelo case in which the 5th Circuit held a home-rule Texas city could fold temporary construction roll-offs into an exclusive solid waste franchise.
Read on Waste360 →Republic Waste Services of Texas, Ltd. v. Texas Disposal Systems, Inc. (5th Cir. 2016)
Primary source: the Fifth Circuit opinion holding that section 364.034(h) of the Texas Health & Safety Code did not clearly strip a home-rule city of authority to grant an exclusive construction-waste contract.
Read on FindLaw (court opinion) →Texas Disposal Systems Wins Round One in Legal Battle Over San Angelo Trash Contract
Local Texas news coverage of the San Angelo exclusive-franchise fight, where a federal judge initially freed Texas Disposal Systems to compete for temporary construction roll-off pickup.
Read on San Angelo LIVE! →Texas Health & Safety Code §364.034 — County Solid Waste (statute)
Primary law often argued in these disputes, including subsection (h): the section does not apply to a private entity contracting to provide temporary solid waste disposal services to a construction project.
Read on Texas Statutes →Have a story or document to add?
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