Prince William County, VA Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Container size
- 10-45 gallons
- Max load weight
- 50 lbs
- Collection season
- March-December, weekly
- Brush bundle limit
- 6 in. diameter, 4 ft long
- Bag rule
- Biodegradable paper only, no plastic
- Hauler penalty
- Class 3 misdemeanor
Summary
Prince William County requires yard waste, grass, leaves and brush, to go out in a rigid ten-to-45-gallon container or a biodegradable paper bag, never a plastic one, with refuse removers picking it up at least weekly from March through December. Brush bundles are capped at six inches in diameter, four feet long and 50 pounds.
Yard waste containers shall be made of durable, watertight, rust-resistant material and shall have close-fitting lids and handles to facilitate collection. Yard waste containers for residences and commercial establishments shall be of not less than ten gallons nor more than 45 gallons in capacity with a load weight not to exceed 50 pounds. Brush, shrub and tree trimmings not exceeding 6 inches in diameter, 4 feet in length may also be bundled and tied so long as they do not exceed 50 pounds in weight. ...Yard waste shall not be placed in plastic bags. ... Collection and removal of yard waste and brush from all residential areas by refuse removers for the purpose of composting shall not be less than once weekly from March through the end of December. ... A violation of any provision of this article shall constitute a Class 3 misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 46 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 22-2 defines 'brush' as shrub and tree trimmings, plus decoration-free Christmas trees, but excludes stumps, trunks and any branch bigger than six inches in diameter or four feet long. Section 22-20(c) sets the physical rules for putting that material out: a durable, watertight, rust-resistant container of ten to 45 gallons holding no more than 50 pounds, or bundled brush tied at the same six-inch, four-foot, 50-pound limits, or a biodegradable paper bag made for yard waste. ' Anything that doesn't fit those limits, tree stumps, whole trunks, or land-clearing debris, isn't 'yard waste' at all under § 22-2 and instead has to go to the county landfill or be arranged with a hauler under § 22-19(b).
On the collection side, § 22-43(a) requires every refuse remover serving a residential area to pick up yard waste and brush for composting at least once a week from March through the end of December; outside that window, only the separate two-week Christmas tree collection in January applies. m.
Violations & Fines
A refuse remover that skips its weekly March-through-December yard waste route, or otherwise violates the hauling requirements of Article III, faces a Class 3 misdemeanor and can have its county hauling permit suspended or revoked under § 22-36. A resident who sets out yard waste in plastic bags or an oversized bundle is in violation of the container rule in § 22-20(c) and can be cited to bring the setup into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put yard waste out in a plastic bag in Prince William County?
How often does the county pick up yard waste and brush?
What size tree branches count as bundled brush versus bulk debris?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince William County
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