Kaufman, Texas Waste Franchise & Dumpster Restriction Tracker

The City of Kaufman (Kaufman County) has an exclusive garbage-collection franchise: § 12.03.039 of the city code makes it unlawful for anyone other than the city's franchisee to engage in the business of garbage collection, and the city identifies Republic Services as its solid waste provider. An operator reports the franchise covers both weekly trash and roll-off dumpsters, and that the city has threatened to pull construction companies' permits over non-franchise dumpsters — costing the operator multiple jobs. The ordinance itself does not expressly mention roll-offs, and § 12.03.038(a) allows owners and contractors to self-haul construction waste to the city convenience station. The franchise agreement needs review to confirm roll-off coverage.

County

Kaufman County

Population

Approx. 7,100 (2020 Census; needs verification)

Provider / franchise holder

Republic Services (city solid waste franchisee)

Parent company

Republic Services, Inc.

Agreement type

Exclusive city garbage-collection franchise (Republic Services); roll-off exclusivity reported, needs contract verification

Exclusive status

Exclusive

Franchise fee

Source pending.

Freedom Index rating

🔴 Exclusive Market

Roll-off dumpsters mentioned

No — the ordinance does not expressly mention roll-off dumpsters

Temporary waste mentioned

Yes — construction, remodeling, and demolition waste is addressed in § 12.03.038

Self-haul exception

Yes — § 12.03.038(a) states construction and demolition waste "may be removed to the convenience station by the owner or contractor" for a council-set fee

City authorization required

Needs verification

According to the Kaufman Code of Ordinances, § 12.03.039 makes it "unlawful for any person or group of persons, firm or corporation, other than the franchisee of the city, to engage in the business of the collection of garbage within the city." § 12.03.035 requires commercial premises to arrange collection "with the city franchisee." § 12.03.038(a) provides that waste from construction, major remodeling, or demolition "will not be removed by the city franchisee as a regular service but may be removed to the convenience station by the owner or contractor" after paying a council-set charge. The ordinance does not expressly address third-party temporary roll-off dumpsters.

Relevant location: Chapter 12 (Utilities), Article 12.03 — Solid Waste · § 12.03.039 (Franchise required for collection service); see also §§ 12.03.035, 12.03.038

Code of Ordinances

The city has publicly announced amendments to its solid waste contract with Republic Services, but the contract itself has not yet been reviewed. Whether the franchise expressly covers temporary construction roll-offs needs contract verification.

Construction dumpsters included: Reported yes — needs contract verification.

Kaufman's ordinance makes it unlawful for anyone other than "the franchisee of the city" to engage in the business of garbage collection (§ 12.03.039), but it does not expressly mention roll-off dumpsters. An operator reports that the city's franchise with Republic Services covers both weekly trash service and roll-off dumpsters, and that the city has threatened to pull construction companies' permits over non-franchise dumpsters. Notably, § 12.03.038(a) states construction and demolition waste will not be removed by the franchisee as a regular service and may be self-hauled to the convenience station by the owner or contractor.

• An operator reports losing multiple construction roll-off jobs in Kaufman after the city reportedly threatened to pull construction companies' permits if a non-franchise dumpster was used. This account is operator-reported and needs verification.

First-hand accounts from dumpster operators who say they were enforced against in this city. Reporters are kept anonymous unless they chose to be identified.

1. Operator A

   Republic has the franchise agreement for both weekly trash service and roll-off dumpsters. I've lost multiple jobs in Kaufman because the city threatened to pull the construction company's permits if they used a non-franchise dumpster.

Status: No known challenge

No known lawsuit or legal challenge at this time, according to available sources.

• Kaufman Code of Ordinances — Art. 12.03 Solid Waste (§ 12.03.039 franchise required)OrdinanceConfirmed by ordinance
• City of Kaufman — Solid Waste Services (Republic Services)Official city pageConfirmed by ordinance
• Operator report submitted to the Texas Waste Freedom ProjectField reportField report only

City announced contract amendments with Republic Services (city Facebook page). Obtain the franchise agreement to verify whether temporary construction roll-offs are expressly included and the franchise fee, if any.

Confidence level: Confirmed by ordinance · Verification status: The exclusive garbage-collection franchise requirement is confirmed by ordinance (§ 12.03.039), and Republic Services is identified as the city's solid waste contractor on the city's website. Whether the franchise expressly covers temporary construction roll-offs, and the reported permit-related enforcement, are operator-reported and need contract verification.

Have a correction, a source document, or first-hand experience with dumpster rules in Kaufman? Help us verify this record.