Trash & Recycling in Roanoke County, VA (2026)
8 rules for unincorporated Roanoke County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Roanoke County runs free weekly curbside garbage collection for residential customers under County Code Sec. 20-24(a). Waste must be bagged, and hazardous material, ashes, construction debris, auto parts and dead animals are barred from containers. Sharps, pet waste and solidified latex paint have their own handling rules.
Roanoke County Curbside Trash Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsRoanoke County Code § 20-24(a)
Weekly curbside collection. The county shall provide weekly curbside garbage collection of household waste at no charge to all residential customers, meeting requirements of this chapter, in the county. To receive curbside collection, the following general rules must be followed: ... (3)All material placed in the container for collection must be bagged.(4)No dead animals, hazardous material, au...
Bin Placement Rules
County Code Sec. 20-24(a)(1)-(2) requires curbside garbage containers set within five feet of the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day and pulled back at least ten feet from the right-of-way by 7 a.m. the next day, with five feet of clearance on every side.
Roanoke County Trash Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsRoanoke County Code § 20-24(a)(1)-(2), (b)
(1)All containers placed within five (5) feet of the curb line of a qualified road by 7:00 a.m. of the scheduled collection day.(2)Containers shall be removed at least ten (10) feet from the public street right-of-way no later than 7:00 a.m. of the day following the scheduled collection day. ... When set to the curb line, each container must have at least five (5) feet of clearance on all sides.
Bulk Item Disposal
Roanoke County collects bulk items and brush free every other week for residential customers under County Code Sec. 20-25(a) and (e). Items go out within five feet of the curb, clear of overhead wires, no earlier than the preceding Saturday and no later than 7 a.m. on collection day.
Roanoke County Bulk and Brush Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsRoanoke County Code § 20-25(a), (e)
Brush collection. ... The county provides free brush collection every other week to residential customers. ... Brush ... must be placed as close as possible to the curb line or road (at a minimum within five (5) feet) and five (5) feet away from any horizontal obstruction and have overhead clearance, such that the operation of the equipment is not impaired or restricted. Such placement shall be...
Illegal Dumping
In Roanoke County, Virginia (outside the independent cities of Roanoke and Salem), dumping rubbish, trash, garbage or litter on any public street, road, right-of-way, park or alley, or on private land without the owner's written consent, is a Class 1 misdemeanor under County Code § 13-13. The county administrator can order the violator by certified mail to clean up within ten days, and if that deadline passes the county removes the waste itself and bills the violator for the cost.
Illegal Dumping Penalties in Roanoke County
Heavy RestrictionsRoanoke County Code § 13-13
No person shall dump or dispose of or leave or cause to be thrown any rubbish, trash, garbage, litter or other waste substance or material in or upon and along any public property, including a street, road, highway, right-of-way, property adjacent to such highway or right-of-way, park or alley in the county; nor shall any person dispose of, dump or throw any rubbish, trash, garbage, litter or o...
Yard Waste Collection
Roanoke County lets residential customers bag small amounts of yard waste in their county cart on the regular pickup day; larger amounts go in disposable containers weighing no more than 30 pounds set out for scheduled bulk collection under County Code Sec. 20-25(b).
Roanoke County Yard Waste Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsRoanoke County Code § 20-25(b)
Yard waste. Residential customers may place small quantities of bagged yard waste in their county-provided containers on their regularly-scheduled collection day. Excess quantities of yard waste must be placed in disposable containers, to include but not be limited to, plastic or paper bags and adjacent to the road or curb line for scheduled bulk collection. The disposable containers must be of...
Dumpster Rules
Roanoke County requires every dumpster and other refuse-service container in every zoning district to be screened from view, with screening at least six feet high. The rule sits in the county's site-development landscaping standards and applies wherever a site plan is required.
Dumpster Screening Rules in Roanoke County
Some RestrictionsRoanoke County Code § 30-92-5(F)1
All refuse service (dumpsters/containers) and outdoor storage areas in all zoning districts shall be screened from surrounding views per section 30-92-5 and as shown in the Roanoke County Design Handbook. Height of screening must be a minimum of six (6) feet.
Collection Schedule
Roanoke County provides free weekly curbside garbage collection to residential customers under Roanoke County Code § 20-24(a), outside the Town of Vinton, which runs its own service under § 20-21. Containers must go out within five feet of the curb by 7:00 a.m. on collection day and come back at least ten feet from the street by 7:00 a.m. the next day.
Roanoke County Curbside Trash Collection
Some RestrictionsRoanoke County Code §§ 20-23, 20-24(a)
All county residents shall be entitled to receive solid waste collection service consistent with the provisions of this article, subject to the determination of the county administrator, or his designee, regarding the economic feasibility of providing such service to any particular location subject to the provisions of this chapter and the policies of the board of supervisors. ... (a)Weekly cur...
Recycling Rules
Roanoke County requires every nonresidential solid waste generator and every company that manages or recycles waste in the county to file an annual recycling report with the Solid Waste Division by December 31, under County Code Sec. 20-40. Missing the report can bring a civil penalty.
Roanoke County Recycling Reporting Rules
Some RestrictionsRoanoke County Code § 20-40(2), (7)
(2)Report requirement. All nonresidential solid waste generators and companies that manage solid waste or recycle materials generated within Roanoke County shall submit an annual report to Roanoke County. The county will provide official reporting forms which can be obtained from the solid waste office or the office of the Commissioner of the Revenue. The report must be submitted to the Departm...
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