Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Fairfax
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.
Black Cart Bin (Trash)
Trash must be placed in the city-issued 65-gallon cart or in plastic bags. The maximum weight per container or bag is 60 pounds. Carts must be removed from the street by 8:00 p.m. on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Normal household trash
- ✓Bagged animal waste and diapers
- ✓Small amounts of non-contractor debris
- ✓Invasive plant species (labeled)
- ✓Cold ashes (bagged)
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
All recyclable items must be empty, clean, and dry. Do not bag your recyclables; leave them completely loose inside the blue cart. Lids and labels may be left on accepted containers.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Mixed paper, mail, and magazines
- ✓Plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs
- ✓Aluminum, tin, and steel cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass bottles and jars
- ✕Plastic bags and film packaging
- ✕Styrofoam and shredded paper
- ✕Food wrappers and takeout containers
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, cords, strings)
Yard Waste Bin
Yard waste must be placed in reusable containers or paper yard waste bags. Plastic bags are strictly prohibited and will be tagged as a violation. Brush and limbs must be a maximum of 4 feet long.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cut grass
- ✓Plant and shrub clippings
- ✓Twigs and smaller limbs
- ✓Garden vegetation
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your designated collection day
Placement
Ensure items are placed away from parked vehicles, low-hanging limbs, wires, and storm drains. For safety, remove doors from all large appliances.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Stoves and water heaters
- ✓ Car parts (small amounts)
- ✓ Storm doors
- ✓ Large brush piles
Not Accepted
- ✕ Contractor-generated solid waste
- ✕ Dirt, stone, rock, or brick
- ✕ Dead animals and manure
- ✕ Asbestos and containerized liquids
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
Bulk collection is generally included as a municipal service for reasonable amounts of residential debris. Excessive construction debris may require alternative disposal methods or private dumpsters.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a holiday falls on a Monday, Monday pickups shift to Tuesday (and Tuesday stays on Tuesday). Uniquely, if a holiday falls on a Friday, Friday pickups will take place on Thursday (the day before).
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and large item collections adhere to the same holiday delay schedules as standard trash and recycling routes.
Always check the official Refuse & Recycling Holiday Collection Schedule on the city's website to verify specific shift days.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Recyclables Loose
Never put your recycling in plastic garbage bags [1.2.1]. Plastic film tangles the sorting machines at the recycling facility. Keep all items loose in your blue cart.
Glass Goes to the Purple Bins
Do not throw glass into your curbside recycling cart. Take all clean glass bottles and jars to a designated Purple Can Club drop-off location to ensure they are repurposed correctly.
Beware of Tanglers
Items like garden hoses, strings, electrical cords, and clothing should never go in the blue bin. These 'tanglers' cause severe damage to the material recovery facilities.
Seasonal Information
Spring and Fall
April, November, DecemberThe City collects loose leaves via vacuum suction trucks during these specific months [1.4.1]. Rake leaves to the curb or street edge. Bagged leaves will not be collected during vacuum season.
Autumn
NovemberAfter Halloween, residents can drop off their pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, and gourds at the 24-hour City of Fairfax Composting Center to keep seasonal food décor out of the landfill.
Winter
December to FebruaryExtreme weather events like snowstorms can delay curbside services. If your items are missed due to weather, leave them at the curb and they will be collected as soon as it is safe to do so.
About Fairfax Waste Management
Comprehensive Municipal Waste Services
Residents living within the city limits of Fairfax are serviced directly by the City of Fairfax Solid Waste Management Department [1.1.2]. The city provides modern, rolling carts for both refuse (black) and recycling (blue) to single-family homes and townhouses. To ensure service, carts must be placed at the curb no later than 7:00 a.m. on your designated collection day, and no earlier than dusk the night before.
The Purple Can Club Initiative
If you are new to Fairfax, you might not know that glass bottles and jars are strictly prohibited from curbside recycling carts. Instead, the city encourages residents to utilize the Purple Can Club. You can drop off empty, rinsed glass containers of all colors and shapes at designated purple bins located throughout the region. This process ensures glass is recycled properly without shattering and contaminating other valuable materials.
City Hall Food Scrap Composting
Fairfax takes waste reduction seriously by offering a 24-hour Composting Drop-off Center exclusively for residents and city workers. Located adjacent to the Community Garden on the west side of Fairfax City Hall, this facility accepts food scraps, meat, bones, and certified compostable bags. The city even offers free compost caddies to residents while supplies last to make transporting food waste easier.
Managing Invasive Plants Properly
While standard yard waste is collected weekly and turned into mulch, invasive plant species pose a unique threat. Plants such as English ivy, bamboo, and bush honeysuckle must never be mixed with your regular yard debris. The city requires residents to place these invasives directly into their trash cart or inside a plastic bag clearly labeled 'invasives' to prevent them from contaminating the local ecosystem.
Drop-off Facilities
I-66 Transfer Station
4618 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
Materials Accepted
City of Fairfax Composting Center
10455 Armstrong Street, Fairfax, VA 22030 (West side of City Hall)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put English ivy and bamboo in my yard waste bags?
No. Invasive plants like English ivy, bamboo, and bush honeysuckle contaminate the yard waste that is sent for mulching [1.2.1]. You must place invasive plants in your regular trash cart or in a plastic bag explicitly labeled 'invasives'.
Where can I recycle glass bottles in the City of Fairfax?
Glass is not accepted in your blue curbside recycling cart. You should take all empty and rinsed glass bottles and jars to one of the Purple Can Club drop-off bins located throughout the community.
What should I do if my collection falls on a Friday holiday?
In the City of Fairfax, if a scheduled collection day falls on a Friday holiday, your trash and recycling will be picked up on Thursday, the day before the holiday.
How do I dispose of old electronics and CRT monitors?
Electronics cannot go in the trash. The safest way to dispose of them is by dropping them off at the Fairfax County I-66 Transfer Station located at 4618 West Ox Road, or through the City contracted eAsset Solutions.