Recycling at Home
In Prince William County
Items recycled in Prince William County may be different from those in other areas. Be familiar with the items and materials being recycled in the County and only place the appropriate items in recycling bins.
Recycling helps conserve natural resources, save landfill space, conserve energy, and reduce pollution. You can recycle at the curb following guidelines provided by your trash/recycling hauler. You can also drop materials off at one of the recycling drop-off trailers located throughout the County (sites are subject to change) or at the County's Convenience Centers at the Landfill or Compost Facility.
For residents who live in an apartment or condominium, check with your property manager about recycling programs at your complex or use the County recycling drop-off trailers. If your complex does not have a recycling program, please call (703) 792-4670 (TTY: 711) and we will work with the property manager to set up a program.
ImageRecycling guide available in Spanish.
Recycling at Home
Expand all- MATERIALS ACCEPTED FOR RECYCLING AT HOME AND DROP-OFF TRAILERS
- Plastic bottles, jugs, and jars - #1 and #2 containers, for example, soda, water, juice, milk, and detergent containers. Rinse out containers. Bottle caps may be replaced after rinsing. No containers that previously contained hazardous materials (such as motor oil, flammable materials, chemicals, etc.).
- Aluminum and steel food and beverage cans and empty aerosol cans. Empty and rinse out cans.
- Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, office paper, and paperboard boxes, such as cereal, cookie, cracker, and tissue boxes.
- Cardboard (flattened and cut down to sizes up to 2 ft. by 2 ft. in size for drop-off trailers.) Large boxes may be taken to the County Landfill or Balls Ford Road Compost Facility. Do not include cardboard with food residue or plastic liners. Discard packing materials such as Styrofoam, air pillows, and bubble wrap.
Residents may drop off the following items at the Landfill and Balls Ford Road during regular business hours. Please do not place these items in the blue recycling trailers or regular recycling bins.
- Scrap metal (car bodies are not accepted)
- Lead-acid automotive batteries (no-hybrid electric vehicle batteries)
- Household batteries (single-use and rechargeable)
- Used oil filters
- Motor oil or antifreeze - store separately in a clean container. Other fluids or solvents may be accepted at the Household Hazardous Waste program.
- Yard waste: grass, leaves, brush, branches, and pruning.
- Flags (Boy Scouts' flag retirement project)
- Food waste is accepted at the Compost Facility from residents for composting.
- Glass bottles, jugs, and jars may be placed in purple bins located at Solid Waste facilities and other locations in the County. Window glass, mirrors, light bulbs, or ceramic items must be placed in the trash.
- MATERIALS NOT ACCEPTED FOR RECYCLING AT HOME OR DROP-OFF TRAILERS
- No plastic bags - most grocery stores accept this item for recycling
- No glass items. Glass bottles, jugs and jars may be placed in purple bins located at Solid Waste facilities and other locations in the County. Window glass, mirrors, light bulbs or ceramics items must be placed in the trash.
- Window glass, mirrors, light bulbs or ceramics items must be placed in the trash.
- No plastics #3 - #7 (such as yogurt, margarine and wide mouthed containers and buckets, Styrofoam, bubble wrap, air pillows, etc.) See A to Z Disposal Guide for other options, or place these materials in the trash.