Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Harrisonburg
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.
Green (City-Issued Toter) Bin (Trash)
Must use the official Public Works Toter cart. Place at the property line by 7:00 a.m. on collection day, but no earlier than 4:00 p.m. the day before. Extra bags outside the cart require a prepaid $1.00 refuse sticker.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Opaque or colored #1 plastics
N/A (Drop-Off Only) Bin (Recycling)
Curbside recycling is not provided. Materials must be pre-sorted and dropped off at the Recycling Convenience Center (2055 Beery Rd) or the Mobile Recycling Unit.
Accepted Items
- ✓#1 transparent plastic only
- ✓#2 plastics
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Cardboard and office paper
- ✓Household batteries
Do NOT Include
- ✕Opaque #1 plastics
- ✕Plastics #3 through #7
- ✕Mixed material items (e.g., bubble mailers)
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Prescription medications
Yard Waste Bin
Must be tied into bundles (max 4 ft long, 2 ft wide, 75 lbs). Curbside pickup requires an online reservation. Bagged leaves and grass clippings are accepted at the Convenience Center.
Accepted Items
- ✓Tree trimmings
- ✓Brush
- ✓Shrub clippings
- ✓Limbs (under 2 inches in diameter)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-demand (Requires online reservation)
Placement
Place items at the back of the curb on the designated reservation date. Do not block sidewalks, fire hydrants, or storm drains.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (couches, chairs, tables)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Televisions and computers
- ✓ Stereos
- ✓ Oversized cardboard (flattened)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Automotive parts
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Liquid paint
- ✕ Items exceeding weight limits
Bulk pickup for standard household furniture is covered by the residential Solid Waste Management fee, but limitations on frequency and volume may apply.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
The city publishes a specific holiday route map annually. Generally, trash collection is pushed back one day following a major federal holiday.
Yard Waste Exception
Because yard waste is strictly by reservation, pickups will not be scheduled on city-observed holidays.
Even if your trash day doesn't change, remember that the Beery Road drop-off center and the Mobile Recycling Unit are always closed on city holidays.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Transparent Plastics Only
Harrisonburg's drop-off centers have very strict plastic rules. They only accept transparent (clear) #1 plastics and #2 plastics. If your #1 plastic item is opaque or colored, it cannot be recycled locally and must be thrown in your trash Toter.
Beware of Mixed Material Mailers
Do not bring mixed-material shipping packaging to the Recycling Convenience Center. Items like manila envelopes lined with plastic bubble wrap cannot be separated by the facility and will contaminate the clean paper streams.
Pre-Sort Before You Go
Because the city uses a drop-off model rather than single-stream curbside bins, you must pre-sort your recyclables at home. You will be required to place glass, cardboard, and specific plastics into separate designated dumpsters upon arrival.
Seasonal Information
Fall/Winter
November to JanuaryDuring weeks with major holidays, regular trash collection is often shifted by one day for the remainder of the week. Both the Recycling Convenience Center and Mobile Unit close completely on official city holidays.
Spring
March to MaySpring yard cleanups generate massive amounts of brush. Remember that curbside yard debris will not be picked up automatically; you must request a reservation online, and all branches must be tied into compliant bundles under 75 pounds.
Year-Round
January to DecemberThe city does not collect bagged grass clippings curbside at any point in the year. If you wish to dispose of bagged grass clippings, you must haul them yourself to the Recycling Convenience Center.
About Harrisonburg Waste Management
Transition to the Mechanical Toter Cart Program
In 2021, Harrisonburg Public Works completely overhauled its residential trash collection by introducing the official Toter trash cart program. To reduce extreme physical strain on sanitation workers and improve neighborhood aesthetics, the city deployed mechanical tipper arms on its trucks. Residents are required to exclusively use the city-issued 48-gallon or 96-gallon Toter carts featuring the Public Works logo. If you generate extra garbage, you cannot simply leave loose bags on the curb; you must purchase a $1.00 refuse sticker from the Treasurer's office to place on each additional bag.
No Curbside Recycling: Embrace the Mobile Unit
Unlike many municipalities, Harrisonburg does not offer standard curbside recycling bins. Instead, to combat soaring processing costs and high contamination rates, the city relies entirely on high-quality source separation. Residents must independently pre-sort their recyclables and take them to the Recycling Convenience Center on Beery Road. Alternatively, the city operates a highly popular 'Mobile Recycling Unit' that parks in designated neighborhoods on a rotating schedule to accept paper, glass, cans, and specific plastics.
Cardboard, Bulk, and Yard Debris by Reservation Only
If you have oversized items, bundled yard waste, or massive cardboard boxes from a recent move, you can't just leave them out on your regular trash day. Harrisonburg utilizes an on-demand, reservation-based system for bulky materials. Residents must submit an online request through the Public Works portal to schedule a specific date for curbside collection. This proactive approach keeps sidewalks clean and optimizes the daily routing of public works trucks.
Diverting Food Waste and Refuse Juice
While the city doesn't collect food scraps at the curb, they actively encourage organic waste diversion to cut down on landfill leachate—frequently referred to by local crews as 'refuse juice.' Harrisonburg residents are encouraged to utilize a public compost drop-off location near City Hall. Managed in partnership with the Climate Action Alliance of the Valley, this community initiative helps residents sustainably dispose of kitchen food scraps and enrich local soils.
Special Timing for the Downtown Central Business District
Timing your trash placement in Harrisonburg depends heavily on where you live. For most residential neighborhoods, carts must be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. However, properties located within the Downtown Central Business District (CBD) operate under a stricter window to accommodate heavy pedestrian and commercial traffic. CBD containers cannot be placed out before 6:00 a.m. and must be out prior to 11:00 a.m. on the scheduled collection day.
Drop-off Facilities
Harrisonburg Recycling Convenience Center
2055 Beery Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22801
Materials Accepted
Rockingham County Landfill
813 Greendale Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22801
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't Harrisonburg have curbside recycling bins?
Harrisonburg transitioned away from single-stream curbside recycling to a drop-off model to reduce high contamination rates and skyrocketing processing fees. Residents now pre-sort materials and bring them directly to the Recycling Convenience Center or the Mobile Unit to ensure the materials are actually recycled.
How do I get rid of an old mattress or heavy brush in Harrisonburg?
You cannot leave these items on the curb during your regular trash day. Harrisonburg Public Works requires residents to make a reservation online for the collection of bulk items, oversized cardboard, and bundled yard debris.
What happens if I have more trash than fits in my city cart?
Only trash placed securely inside the official Toter cart will be collected for free. If you have extra bags, you must visit the Treasurer's office or Public Utilities to purchase refuse stickers for $1.00 each. Place a sticker on every extra bag before setting it next to your cart.
Can I recycle colored or opaque plastic bottles at the drop-off center?
No. The Harrisonburg drop-off centers only accept transparent (clear) #1 plastics and all #2 plastics. Opaque or colored #1 plastics, as well as plastics #3 through #7, are strictly prohibited and should go in your household trash.