Richmond's Trash & Recycling: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles trash & recycling a little differently. In Richmond, Virginia, there are 8 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Illegal Dumping

Dumping trash, demolition debris, hazardous waste or other unsightly material on public property, City waters, rights-of-way, or private property without the owner's written consent is a Class 1 misdemeanor in Richmond under Sec. 11-102, punishable by up to $2,500.00 and 12 months in jail. A related accumulation offense in Sec. 11-103 covers letting waste pile up on your own property.

Key details: Max fine: $2,500.00. Max jail: 12 months confinement. Offense class: Class 1 misdemeanor. Covers: Public property, City waters, and private property without consent. Related offense: Sec. 11-103 bars letting waste accumulate.

A Sec. 11-102 conviction is a Class 1 misdemeanor: up to $2,500.00 in fines, up to 12 months in jail, or both. Sec. 11-103's accumulation offense and Sec. 11-104's exceptions apply the same enforcement framework; each is prosecuted criminally rather than through the civil-penalty schedule used for sound-control violations elsewhere in Chapter 11.

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

Recycling Requirements

Richmond charges every eligible residential water customer $2.99 a month for curbside recycling under Richmond City Code § 23-42(b), billed on the water bill alongside a $23.75 monthly solid waste transfer fee. Elderly and disabled homeowners and qualifying renters can apply to the Director of Finance for an exemption from both charges.

Key details: Governing section: Richmond City Code § 23-42. Recycling fee: $2.99 per month, per residential unit. Billed: On the monthly water bill. Companion fee: $23.75/month solid waste transfer charge. Elderly/disabled exemption: Via Director of Finance, tied to § 26-364/365.

Section 23-42(a) does not fine a customer for nonpayment; instead it authorizes the City to disconnect water service using the same nonpayment procedures that apply to unpaid water bills. An exemption granted under § 23-42 becomes void immediately if the qualifying owner or renter stops living at the property or otherwise falls out of compliance, and a renter's exemption is not transferable to a new tenant at the address.

Dumpster Rules

Any Richmond business using a bulk (dumpster-style) container for its refuse must hire a private contractor to service it; the City does not collect commercial dumpsters. Richmond City Code § 23-3 requires the container to stay covered, clean, and in good repair, bars refuse left beside it, and makes the property owner responsible for screening upkeep.

Key details: Governing section: Richmond City Code § 23-3. Servicing: Private contractor required, not City crews. Container condition: Must stay covered, clean, good repair. Overflow refuse: Not allowed adjacent to container. Screening upkeep: Property owner's responsibility.

Under § 23-7, the Chief Administrative Officer gives written notice of a § 23-3 violation and ten days to abate it. The owner or occupant can appeal in writing to the Chief Administrative Officer within ten days under § 23-8 and request a hearing; a Hearing Officer must rule within three days. If nobody appeals, or the appeal fails, the City abates the condition itself and adds the cost to the property's real estate tax bill.

Collection Schedule

Richmond City Code § 23-43 puts the Department of Public Works in charge of regular curbside collection for every residential property, covering household waste, bulk items, yard waste, and tree and shrub trimmings on a schedule the Director of Public Works sets. City crews generally will not enter private property to collect refuse.

Key details: Governing section: Richmond City Code § 23-43. Operator: Department of Public Works. Waste streams covered: Household, bulk, yard waste, trimmings. Schedule: Set administratively by the Director. Private property entry: Restricted, needs liability release.

Section 23-43 carries no standalone fine; disputes over property access are handled case by case by the Director of Public Works, who can decline entry onto a property. Broader noncompliance with the solid waste chapter, including this section, is enforced through the chapter's general abatement process under §§ 23-7 through 23-9: written notice, a ten-day cure period, and City abatement billed to the property if the deadline passes.

Bulk Item Disposal

Richmond schedules free bulk item collection under Richmond City Code § 23-44(b), but requesting same-day bulk pickup costs $100 and appliance collection costs $50. Landlords or agents handling an eviction must clear items left outside within 72 hours or face a $250 City removal fee under § 23-44(g).

Key details: Governing section: Richmond City Code § 23-44(b), (g). Regular bulk pickup: Free, on a set schedule. Same-day bulk request: $100 fee. Appliance collection: $50 fee. Fee waivers: Only cleanups or declared emergencies.

Missing the free bulk schedule and asking for same-day service costs $100; appliance pickup runs $50 regardless of timing, and neither fee can be waived outside a City-designated cleanup or declared emergency under § 23-44(f). Eviction leftovers not cleared within 72 hours draw a separate $250 removal fee billed to the building owner under § 23-44(g), and unresolved chapter violations generally proceed through the § 23-7 written-notice and abatement process.

Bin Placement Rules

Richmond issues 90-gallon or 95-gallon City containers for curbside collection under Richmond City Code § 23-72, capped at 180 pounds when full. A container damaged through no fault of the City costs $55.00 to replace, and any extra container the City provides also costs $55.00.

Key details: Governing section: Richmond City Code § 23-72. Standard container: 90-gallon or 95-gallon City cart. Weight limit: 180 pounds when filled. Resident-caused damage fee: $55.00 replacement. Extra container fee: $55.00.

There is no separate fine in § 23-72 itself; noncompliance is addressed through replacement fees and the general chapter enforcement path. Resident-caused damage or loss outside the lost/stolen-report process costs $55.00 to replace, an extra requested container costs $55.00, and a container the City finds diverted to non-refuse use can simply be reclaimed. Ongoing violations of the chapter's receptacle standards can still be escalated through the § 23-7 written-notice and abatement process.

Yard Waste Collection

Richmond collects tree trimmings under four inches thick, shrubbery trimmings, and brush on a Department of Public Works schedule under Richmond City Code § 23-44(c). Loose leaves are collected on a separate seasonal schedule, and picking up leaves outside that window costs a $30 fee per collection under § 23-44(d).

Key details: Governing section: Richmond City Code § 23-44(c), (d). Tree trimmings limit: Under 4 inches diameter, 6 feet long. Brush/shrubbery: Collected on a set schedule. Leaves: Collected on a seasonal schedule. Off-schedule leaf pickup: $30 fee per collection.

There is no separate fine for yard waste beyond the fees already built into § 23-44: leaves collected outside the established seasonal window cost $30 per collection under subsection (d), and that charge cannot be waived except during a City-designated cleanup or a declared emergency under subsection (f). Material that does not meet the yard waste definition in § 23-1, such as debris mixed with dirt, rocks, or bulky material, can be left uncollected or handled under the chapter's general abatement process.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Richmond City Code § 23-44(a) sets the collection window for curbside refuse and recycling bins: out no earlier than 4:00 p.m. the day before pickup, and back off City property by 7:00 a.m. the day after collection. Leaving a bin out past that deadline twice in a year draws a $50 civil penalty.

Key details: Governing section: Richmond City Code § 23-44(a). Earliest set-out: 4:00 p.m. the day before pickup. Set-out deadline: 6:00 a.m. collection day. Removal deadline: 7:00 a.m. the day after collection. Repeat-violation penalty: $50 civil fine after two notices.

A first and second late-bin notice in a calendar year just resets the clock, giving the account holder until 7:00 a.m. the day after the notice to remove the container. A third violation in the same year triggers a $50 civil penalty under § 23-44(a), added directly to the account holder's monthly utility bill and collected using the City's normal utility delinquency process.

The Bottom Line

Richmond's trash & recycling rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Richmond is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Richmond's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.