Covel Gardens is Waste Management's regional landfill for San Antonio, out at 8611 Covel Road in the far south-west of the city, 78252. It takes both household and commercial loads, and it is one of the few genuinely open-to-the-public gates in the area - most of San Antonio's free options are restricted to city solid waste customers.

The city's 311 knowledge base records weekday opening from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and a shorter Saturday running 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays it is shut. Two numbers reach it: (210) 623-8800 and (800) 800-5804.

There is a refusal list here that catches people badly, because it excludes several of the exact items a household clear-out produces. On its own facility page Waste Management states that this site does not take oils, tyres, paints, batteries, electronics, lawn mowers or appliances. A fridge, a mower or a set of old tyres will be turned away at the gate.

No gate rate is published. Charges are assessed by weight on the scale, and Waste Management does not put a figure on its public pages, so we will not print one. Ring ahead with a rough idea of tonnage and material type before setting out, because on a heavy load the gap between what you guessed and what the scale says can be considerable.

Special and hazardous waste streams are handled under a separate approval process rather than at the public gate. If your load is anything other than ordinary household or construction material, that conversation needs to happen before you arrive, not at the weighbridge.