Fairfax County, VA Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Bundle length limit
- 4 feet maximum
- Weight limit
- 50 pounds per bundle/container
- Excluded items
- Stumps, dirt/rock/brick, appliances over 50 lbs/48 in
- Uncollected-after
- County may remove and bill after 10 days
- Penalty
- Fine per Enforcement Manual; Class II misdemeanor
Summary
Fairfax County caps curbside bulk items at four feet in length and 50 pounds per bundle or container. Dead animals, tree stumps, dirt, rock, brick, containerized liquids, friable asbestos, lead-acid batteries and oversized scrap metal or appliances over 50 pounds or 48 inches are excluded from routine curbside collection entirely.
(b)The following materials are not subject to the collection requirement of 109.1-5-3:(1)Dead animals and pets;(2)Manure;(3)Tree stumps;(4)Dirt, stone, rock, and brick;(5)Containerized liquids;(6)Friable asbestos;(7)Lead-acid batteries;(8)Appliances containing ozone-depleting chemicals;(9)Scrap metal and discarded appliances that are over 50 pounds in weight or 48 inches in length; and(10)Poisons, corrosives, flammables, explosives or other unacceptable or hazardous waste. It should be noted that items considered to be household hazardous waste (HHW) are subject to the collection requirements of 109.1-5-3.(c)For materials required to be collected curbside under this Article: (1) materials too large for containers shall be collected if tied securely in bundles not exceeding four feet in length; and (2) no single container or bundle shall exceed 50 pounds gross weight.
Full Breakdown
1-5-5(a)(3) repeats that same four-foot, 50-pound cap for loose, bulky non-putrescible material set out at the curb, requiring it to be securely bundled or completely contained to prevent leakage. 1-5-3 lists what falls outside the collection requirement entirely: dead animals and pets, manure, tree stumps, dirt, stone, rock and brick, containerized liquids, friable asbestos, lead-acid batteries, appliances containing ozone-depleting chemicals, and scrap metal or discarded appliances over 50 pounds or 48 inches in length; household hazardous waste, by contrast, remains subject to collection. Subsection (d)(1) guarantees weekly curbside removal of properly bundled refuse as the base level of service homeowners are entitled to. 1-5-5(a)(7) lets the county remove them itself and bill the resident for the cost.
Violations & Fines
Disposing of oversized bulk waste at an improper or prohibited site is punishable by a fine under the Solid Waste Management Program Enforcement Manual for each offense under Section 109.1-9-6(a), with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense; the county can also deny, suspend or restrict the hauler's collection permit for up to a year. A bundle-size or set-out violation not otherwise specified is a Class II misdemeanor with a fine set in the same Enforcement Manual under Section 109.1-9-8.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can a bulk item be for curbside pickup in Fairfax County?
Will the county pick up my old refrigerator at the curb?
What if my bulk items sit at the curb for over a week uncollected?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fairfax County
Compare Fairfax County to another location·View the Virginia trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.