Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Chesapeake
Virginia curbside collection runs weekly from Monday through Friday. Your exact pickup day depends on your local county or city zoning schedule.
State Mandate
Virginia DEQ regulations strictly prohibit lead-acid batteries, motor oil, and whole waste tires in curbside bins.
City-issued Automated Cart (typically Dark Green or Brown, plus repurposed Blue bins) Bin (Trash)
Trash must be bagged and placed inside the automated container. Place the bin at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day, ensuring it is 3 feet away from mailboxes, cars, and bulk piles.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food wrappers and non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Small, non-hazardous household items
Drop-Off Bins (No City Curbside Service) Bin (Recycling)
The City does not offer curbside recycling. Materials must be taken to one of seven 24/7 drop-off sites or collected via a paid private subscription service.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics #1 and #2 (bottles and jugs with necks)
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Mixed paper, newspaper, and magazines
- ✓Flattened clean cardboard
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass containers of any kind
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food-soiled cardboard (like greasy pizza boxes)
- ✕Household garbage
Yard Waste Bin
Must be placed in clear 35-gallon plastic bags. Limit of 30 bags per week (50 in Nov/Dec). Larger branches require a scheduled bulk yard waste pickup.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small twigs and plant trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly upon request (Max 12 household collections per year)
Placement
Place items at the curb no earlier than three days prior to collection, and at least 3 feet away from mailboxes, cars, and overhead wires.
Accepted
- ✓ Appliances (doors removed from fridges)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large furniture (sofas, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Tree branches (under 6 feet long and 6 inches in diameter)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Carpet and flooring
- ✕ Tires and auto parts
- ✕ Wooden fencing and pallets
- ✕ Hazardous waste or contractor-cut tree debris
Bulk collection is included in city services, but exceeding the 12-per-year household limit or placing unauthorized items like construction debris requires a private junk removal service at your own expense.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Chesapeake has very few holiday exceptions. Trash collection occurs on its normal schedule for almost all holidays, including MLK Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. Only Thanksgiving and Christmas cause a one-day delay (a 'slide') for the remainder of the week.
Yard Waste Exception
Bagged yard waste and bulk collections follow the exact same holiday slide schedule as regular trash.
Even when City offices are closed for minor holidays, waste collection crews are usually working. Always place your bin out on your normal day unless it is Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Dirt Out of Yard Bags
Never put dirt, rocks, sod, clay, or heavy mulch into your clear yard waste bags. The extreme weight poses a danger to collection workers, and the bags are prone to tearing and spilling across the street.
Tape Glass Surfaces on Bulk Items
If you are setting out bulk items that contain glass, such as mirrors, windows, or glass-top tables, you must extensively tape the glass surfaces to prevent shattering when the grapple truck grabs it. The resident is responsible for cleaning up any broken glass left behind.
Do Not Bag Drop-Off Recyclables
When utilizing the city's recycling drop-off centers, empty your recyclables loose into the dumpsters. Plastic garbage bags jam the sorting machinery at the processing facility and often cause entire batches of good recyclables to be thrown away.
Seasonal Information
Autumn
November and DecemberTo accommodate heavy fall leaf drop, the city temporarily increases the limit for clear yard waste bags from 30 bags per week to 50 bags per week per household.
Winter
JanuaryThe city offers post-holiday Christmas tree disposal on your normal trash day. Trees must be completely stripped of all decorations, lights, tinsel, and stands. Do not put them in your trash bin; they are picked up separately by grapple trucks.
Summer and Hurricane Season
June to NovemberIn the event of severe coastal storms, keep bulk piles away from drainage ditches and overhead wires. Note that the city does not collect contractor-cut tree debris; if you hire a professional tree service for storm cleanup, they must haul it away.
About Chesapeake Waste Management
The Transition Away from Curbside Recycling
In July 2022, Chesapeake officially ended its municipal curbside recycling program. Residents were allowed to keep their old blue bins to use for additional household trash capacity. Today, residents who want to recycle have two primary options: utilize one of the seven free community drop-off sites strategically located around the city (such as the Central Library or City Park) or sign up for a private, subscription-based curbside service through approved companies like Recyclops or Tidewater Compost.
Strict Limits on Bulk Household Waste
Unlike some municipalities with unlimited bulk pickup, Chesapeake enforces a strict annual cap to maintain operational efficiency. Each household is limited to 12 bulk household waste collections per calendar year. Furthermore, each pile cannot exceed 4 feet wide by 4 feet high by 10 feet long. Crucially, a bulk pickup must be formally requested by 5:00 p.m. the workday prior to your normal collection day to guarantee service.
Separate Piles for Household vs. Yard Debris
When scheduling a bulk pickup, residents must physically separate household bulk items (like furniture, mattresses, or appliances) from bulk yard and tree debris (like large branches or shrubbery). Because these two types of waste are processed differently, they are collected by different grapple trucks. Fortunately, bulk yard waste collections are unlimited and do not count against your 12 yearly household bulk collections, provided the pile meets the 4'x4'x6' dimension limits.
Clear Bag Mandate for Routine Yard Waste
For standard yard waste such as grass clippings, leaves, and small twigs, residents must use clear 35-gallon plastic bags. You do not need to call ahead for bagged yard waste. The weekly limit is 30 clear bags per residence, though the city increases this allowance to 50 bags during the peak leaf season in November and December. Bags filled with heavy non-compostable materials like dirt, rocks, or mulch will be rejected at the curb.
Drop-off Facilities
SPSA Chesapeake Transfer Station
901 Hollowell Lane, Chesapeake, VA 23320
Materials Accepted
Chesapeake Central Library Drop-Off Site
298 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322
Materials Accepted
Indian River Library Drop-Off Site
2320 Old Greenbrier Road, Chesapeake, VA 23325
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chesapeake have curbside recycling?
No, the City of Chesapeake officially ended its municipal curbside recycling program in 2022. Residents can either subscribe to a private recycling service like Recyclops or drop off their recyclables for free at one of the seven community drop-off sites, such as the Central Library or Chesapeake City Park.
How do I schedule a bulk trash pickup in Chesapeake?
You must request a bulk pickup by 5:00 p.m. the workday before your normal collection day. You can do this by calling 757-382-2489, using the Chesapeake Service Request app, or filling out the online form. Remember that household bulk is limited to 12 collections per calendar year.
What happens to my trash schedule on holidays?
Chesapeake has very few holiday exceptions. Trash collection occurs on its normal schedule for almost all holidays, including Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. The only holidays that cause a one-day delay (a 'slide' schedule) are Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
How should I dispose of yard waste and leaves?
Grass clippings and leaves must be placed in clear 35-gallon plastic bags and set at the curb on your normal trash day. No appointment is needed for bagged yard waste. You are allowed up to 30 bags per week, increasing to 50 bags in November and December. Large limbs require a scheduled bulk pickup.