Portsmouth, VA Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Bag size limit
- 40 gallons or 25 pounds
- Bag count limit
- 20 bags per collection
- Bag type required
- Clear plastic bags
- Oversized material
- Collected as bulk refuse
- Prohibited
- Mixing trash/dirt/rocks into bags
Summary
Portsmouth requires yard waste in automated-collection areas to go out in clear plastic bags of no more than 40 gallons or 25 pounds each, capped at 20 bags per collection, with oversized material treated as bulk refuse.
Sec. 16-32(b). In areas receiving automated refuse collection, as defined in section 16-1, yard waste must be set out for collection placed in clear plastic bags. Such bags must not exceed 40 gallons or 25 pounds each. Customers are limited to 20 bags per collection. Customers shall not mix any other form of trash, refuse or garbage with yard waste. Yard waste too bulky to be placed in clear plastic bags shall be included for collection as bulk refuse.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
City Code Sec. 16-32(b) sets the core limits: in areas receiving automated refuse collection, yard waste must be set out in clear plastic bags not exceeding 40 gallons or 25 pounds each, with customers limited to 20 bags per collection, and customers may not mix any other trash, refuse or garbage in with the yard waste. Yard waste too bulky for the clear bags is instead collected as bulk refuse under the separate bulk-refuse rules. Sec. 16-34(c) adds preparation requirements: it is unlawful to place yard waste containing dirt, rocks, or other material outside the code's definition of yard waste for collection, the material must be in clear plastic bags meeting the Sec.
16-32 standard, and it is unlawful to rake, sweep or place yard waste into or onto the street, curb, gutter or drainage structure. Sec. 16-1 defines yard waste as material derived from leaves, shrubbery trimmings, and lawn trimmings. Sec. on the scheduled collection day.
Violations & Fines
Bagging yard waste with dirt, rocks, or non-yard-waste material, exceeding the 40-gallon/25-pound bag limit, exceeding 20 bags per collection, or sweeping yard waste into the street, curb, gutter or drainage structure violates Secs. 16-32 and 16-34, exposing the property's refuse account to the Sec. 16-2 escalating fines of $25.00, $50.00 and $100.00 for repeat violations within 12 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bags of yard waste can Portsmouth residents put out?
Can I use black trash bags for leaves in Portsmouth?
What happens to yard waste too big for bags?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Portsmouth
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