Frisco's Environmental Collection Center on Walnut Street is the city's household chemical, electronics and special-materials site. It is not a dump - no trash of any kind is taken here.

The building keeps two separate timetables, and confusing them is the commonest wasted trip. For general drop-offs - single-stream recycling, cardboard, styrofoam, plastic bags and film, cooking oil, clothing donations and household batteries - it opens 8am to 4pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, runs later to 6pm on Wednesday, and closes at 1pm on Saturday. Sunday it is shut. The Household Chemical and Electronics Disposal and Reuse Center inside works to a much narrower schedule: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 to 11:30am and again 1 to 3pm, Wednesday from 9 to 11:30am and 1 to 6pm, and Saturday 8am to 1pm. Frisco's TCEQ permit allows chemicals and electronics only during those posted windows, and leaving items outside them counts as illegal dumping.

Access is limited to Frisco residents. Bring a current City of Frisco water bill and a driver's license with a matching address, or a voucher. Residents in apartments bring a current rent statement with matching license instead, and their quantity allowances are cut by half.

Chemicals accepted include paints, lawn and automotive chemicals, cleaning agents and aerosols. Electronics cover televisions, laptops, computers, monitors, cell phones, cords, lights and batteries. Metal is taken too - appliances, metal lawn furniture, exercise equipment and grills - free during chemical hours. Tape battery terminals before you come, and note that lithium-ion batteries above 40 amp-hours or 20 pounds cannot be accepted; call 972-292-5913 first.

Nothing is charged at the gate. Anything usable goes into the Product Exchange, where Frisco residents can take up to five items free after signing a waiver. For household trash, the city sends residents to the NTMWD transfer stations instead. Main line: 972-292-5900.