The official name for this location is the Hays County Citizens Collection - Driftwood, and it sits at 20290 FM 150 West where it meets Darden Hill Road. It is one of a pair of drop-off yards the county keeps for country properties that receive no bin collection at home; the county itself provides no kerbside service anywhere. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 8am until 4pm, with Sundays, Mondays and county holidays closed.

Prices come from a schedule the county publishes itself, marked as taking effect on 1 July 2017 - old enough that ringing (512) 216-5235 first is worth the minute it costs. General household rubbish is billed at $15 the cubic yard subject to a $2 floor. Building debris and scrap metal run to $25 per cubic yard, subject to a minimum charge of $10, while brush carries that same $25 rate. Measurement is taken across the whole load rather than the compacted volume, meaning air gaps count toward the bill.

A separate list covers single items. Fridges and freezers must arrive empty and cost $20 or $25 depending on size, and air conditioners land somewhere between $15 and $25. A washer, dryer, water heater or barbecue is $10. Chairs and sofas span $5 to $25 by size, with sectional pieces counted one by one; smaller tables cost $10 or $20 while dressers and similar bulk go at $25. A television is anywhere from $10 to $25. Mattresses are sold as sets, from $14 for a twin up to $25 for a king, with full at $16 and queen at $20. Tyres under 35 inches are $8 loose or $10 mounted, and anything bigger needs a quote. Payment may be made by cash, by cheque or by card.

Everyone books in with the attendant on arrival, and recyclables have to be separated before they go in the bins. What the yard will take: plastic bottles marked 1 or 2 and nothing else, cardboard broken down flat, glass containers once the lids and caps are off, junk mail, newspaper, magazines and shredded paper, aluminium and steel cans, batteries, used motor oil, antifreeze and fluorescent lighting. It also accepts computer equipment - PCs, laptops, servers, drives, tablets, handsets, boards and wiring. Refused outright: plastics numbered 3, 5 or 7, carrier bags, chlorine and other pool treatments, fuel and flammables of any kind, sealed pressurised vessels and biological waste.

Hazardous household chemicals belong somewhere else entirely. San Marcos runs a free drive-through facility for them on East Hopkins across from the HEB, available to anyone living in the county who brings proof of address, opening Friday from midday to half past three and Saturday morning until twelve. Its street number is printed two ways in the source material, 634 on the county listing and 630 on the city leaflet. Finally, allow enough time: unloading has to be complete by 4pm and no bulky load is admitted after half past three.