Trash & Recycling in Alexandria, VA

If you live in Alexandria or are thinking about moving there, trash & recycling are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Alexandria has 9 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of trash & recycling, and some of them might surprise you.

Collection Schedule

Alexandria collects solid waste, ashes and yard debris weekly and recyclables every two weeks under City Code Section 5-1-31, and containers must reach the curb by 6 a.m. from May through September or 7 a.m. the rest of the year under Section 5-1-41(f).

Key details: Trash/yard debris frequency: Weekly, Sec. 5-1-31. Recycling frequency: Every 2 weeks, Sec. 5-1-41(f)(1). Summer set-out deadline: 6:00 a.m., May 1-Sept 30. Winter set-out deadline: 7:00 a.m., Oct 1-Apr 30. Mandatory for: Required user properties (1-4 units).

Missing the 6 a.m. summer or 7 a.m. winter set-out deadline under Section 5-1-41(f)(2) means the city is not required to collect that week, and repeated late set-outs or leaving containers curbside past the return deadline can draw a citation under Section 5-1-86 and a fine of up to $1,000 per violation under Section 5-1-87.

Bin Placement Rules

Alexandria requires waste containers, plastic liners and yard debris to sit within 10 feet of the curb or alley line for pickup under City Code Section 5-1-41(a), caps residential set-outs at nine containers per collection under Section 5-1-41(d), and lets the director require screening for bulk containers.

Key details: Curb/alley distance: 10 feet or less, Sec. 5-1-41(a). Container cap: 9 containers/liners per pickup average. Screening authority: Director may require it, Sec. 5-1-12(c). Gate requirement: Unlocked by set-out time, Sec. 5-1-41(h). Placement ban: No blocking parking, traffic or pedestrians.

Placing containers more than 10 feet from the curb or alley line, blocking parking, traffic or a pedestrian path, or exceeding the nine-container average without switching to an approved bulk container under Section 5-1-41 can result in the city skipping collection and, if the excess accumulates, a written nuisance notice under Section 5-1-82 followed by a fine of up to $1,000 per day under Section 5-1-87.

Bulk Item Disposal

Alexandria picks up large or bulk items like mattresses, appliances and metal objects only by appointment under City Code Section 5-1-41(g), and city council may charge a separate special-collection fee; automobile parts, rocks, dirt and building materials are excluded from the service.

Key details: How to request: By appointment only, Sec. 5-1-41(g). Accepted items: Large metal objects, mattresses, white goods. Excluded items: Auto parts, rocks, dirt, building materials. Fee: Separate fee set by city council. Enforcing dept.: Transportation & Environmental Services.

Setting out a mattress, appliance or large metal item for regular curbside pickup instead of scheduling the required Section 5-1-41(g) appointment means the city has no obligation to collect it, and an item left at the curb that accumulates and creates a nuisance can be cited under Section 5-1-82 and 5-1-87, carrying a fine of up to $1,000 per day.

Dumpster Rules

Alexandria requires anyone who collects, transports or disposes of solid waste, including operators placing dumpster-type containers, to hold a Section 5-1-51 permit, and the director inspects every dumpster-type container (three to 10 cubic yards) and roll-off container (20 to 40 cubic yards) under Section 5-1-53(a) before approval.

Key details: Permit required: Yes, Sec. 5-1-51, from the director. Dumpster size inspected: 3-10 cubic yards, Sec. 5-1-53(a). Roll-off size inspected: 20-40 cubic yards, Sec. 5-1-53(a). Permit term: Expires June 30 annually. Penalty: Up to $1,000/day or per trip.

Placing or operating a dumpster-type or roll-off container in Alexandria without the Section 5-1-51 permit, or without passing the Section 5-1-53(a) size inspection, is unlawful and can lead to permit denial or, for an existing permit holder, suspension under Section 5-1-56 for failing the minimum standards in Section 5-1-59. General Chapter 1 violations carry a fine of up to $1,000 per day, or per separate vehicle trip, under Section 5-1-87.

This is one of the stricter rules in Alexandria's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Alexandria bans letting solid waste, ashes, recyclables or yard debris accumulate into a nuisance under City Code Section 5-1-82, gives owners seven days after written notice to clear it, and requires every owner and occupant to keep enough approved containers on the property under Section 5-1-83.

Key details: Notice period: 7 days after written notice, Sec. 5-1-82(b). Owner/occupant duty: Keep sufficient approved receptacles, Sec. 5-1-83. City remedy: City removes & bills, lien possible. Penalty: Up to $1,000, per-day violations. Enforcing dept.: Transportation & Environmental Services.

Failing to clear an accumulation within seven days of the Section 5-1-82(b) written notice is a violation enforced by the director of transportation and environmental services under Section 5-1-86, with citations mailed to the occupant. Section 5-1-87 sets the penalty for any Chapter 1 violation, including an uncleared accumulation, at a fine of up to $1,000 upon conviction, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense.

Yard Waste Collection

Alexandria defines yard debris as shrubbery and tree prunings, grass clippings, leaves and similar material under City Code Section 5-1-2(17), and requires residents to bundle it in ties no longer than four feet or bag it in plastic liners under Section 5-1-11(e) before the city's weekly collection.

Key details: Bundle limit: 4 feet, securely tied (Sec. 5-1-11(e)). Weight cap: 75 lbs per bundle or liner. Collection frequency: Weekly, with solid waste. Excluded material: Limbs over 2 inches diameter. Penalty: Up to $1,000/day, Sec. 5-1-87.

Setting out yard debris that is not bundled to the four-foot limit, not bagged, or over the 75-pound weight cap under Section 5-1-11 lets the city skip the pickup, and an accumulation that becomes a nuisance triggers a written removal notice under Section 5-1-82. Any Chapter 1 violation, including a repeated refusal to comply, is punishable under Section 5-1-87 by a fine of up to $1,000 for each day the violation continues.

Recycling Rules

Alexandria runs a mandatory recycling program under City Code Sec. 5-1-90, covering every single-family home, apartment building, business and government office in the city. The Department of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES) administers the program, which took effect July 1, 2006, and enforces it with civil penalties up to $1,500 per repeat violation.

Key details: Effective date: July 1, 2006. Enforcing agency: Dept. of Transportation & Environmental Services. Reporting cycle: Implementation plan + data report every 2 years. Penalty range: $25 to $1,500 per violation. Appeal window: 5 working days to request a hearing.

Failing to notify customers or file required reports is a class three civil violation under Sec. 5-1-97: $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, $1,500 for each further offense arising from the same facts. A responsible party generating less than 10 tons of solid waste that misses its reporting deadline instead faces a class five violation ($25/$50/$100), while an entity with no tonnage data on file faces a class four violation ($100/$250/$500). T&ES enforces these as civil penalties collected through the city treasurer's office, and a hauler assessed three violations can lose its city hauling permit.

Illegal Dumping

Dumping any waste on property, in city waters, or into a sanitary sewer or stormwater system without a permit is unlawful under City Code Sec. 11-13-2. Dumping hazardous, household hazardous, bulk or industrial waste is a class 1 misdemeanor under Sec. 11-13-8, and if waste is dumped from a vehicle, the vehicle's owner is presumed to be the one who dumped it.

Key details: Base prohibition: No dumping waste without a permit. Hazardous/bulk dumping: Class 1 misdemeanor. Other dumping penalty: $100-$500 civil fine, escalating. Vehicle dumping: Owner presumed responsible. Enforcers: Police, TES, health & code officials.

Sec. 11-13-8 makes dumping hazardous, household hazardous, bulk or industrial waste, or any other waste with intentional disregard for state water quality, a class 1 misdemeanor; three citations for the same violation within 24 months creates a presumption of intentional disregard. Every other violation is a class 4 civil violation under Sec. 1-1-11(b)(4): $100 first offense, $250 second, $500 each additional, with each day a separate offense. Courts may also order site remediation.

This is one of the stricter rules in Alexandria's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Recycling Requirements

Sec. 5-1-93 of the City Code requires every curbside-eligible single-family home to separate mixed paper and commingled containers from the trash, and imposes the same split on apartment buildings. Businesses must instead recycle their two highest-volume material types, with small generators allowed to use city drop-off centers.

Key details: Single-family/multi-family requirement: Separate mixed paper + commingled containers. Business requirement: Recycle top 2 highest-volume material types. New business deadline: 60 days after business license issued. Small business exception: Under 1 cu. yd./week may use drop-off centers. Adequate space rule: New/remodeled buildings over 2,000 sq. ft..

Chapter 5-1's general penalty in Sec. 5-1-87 makes any violation of the chapter, including the curbside separation duty in Sec. 5-1-93, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. T&ES also enforces the related notification and reporting duties tied to this section as tiered civil violations under Sec. 5-1-97, ranging from $25 to $1,500 per offense depending on the property's waste volume.

The Bottom Line

Alexandria is tougher than many cities when it comes to trash & recycling. Out of the 9 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Alexandria, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

This guide is based on Alexandria's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.