Portsmouth, VA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Under Sec. 16-32 of the City Code, any residence in an area that receives automated refuse and recycling collection must set garbage and recyclables out in the approved container furnished by the city; loose bags or unauthorized bins do not qualify, and the director of general services decides which container type each area gets. Sec. 16-33 limits what can go inside: no substance other than garbage, trash, or recyclables belongs in that approved container, so mixing in yard debris or construction material is a separate violation.

The pickup calendar is set by Sec. 16-36: household garbage and trash go out weekly, but recyclables are collected every other week on the same day as the regular trash run, unless the city manager designates otherwise. on collection day; the empty bin must come off the curb by that evening and be stored beside or behind the dwelling. Sec. 16-1 defines recyclables to include newspapers, cardboard, junk mail and catalogs, clear glass bottles and jars, plastic containers numbered 1 and 2, aluminum cans and foil, and steel or tin food cans, so items outside that list are not part of the curbside program.

Violations of this chapter default to a class 3 misdemeanor under Sec. 16-2(a), and Sec. 00 for further violations, each added directly to the property's refuse bill.