Solid Waste Management

The Solid Waste Disposal Fee funds trash disposal, composting and recycling operations, as well as repay the debt incurred to purchase land to expand the landfill. The Board implemented the fee on January 1, 1999. The Solid Waste Fee appears as a separate line item on the real estate property tax bill and is based on the type of dwelling or business. The fee is divided in half between the June and November tax bills.

(Sec. 22-186 and  187)

The County revised the minimum collection frequencies for residents which now include once a week collection for trash, recycling and seasonal collection of yard waste (March through December plus Christmas trees during the first two weeks of January). These are minimum standards, but private haulers are not prohibited from making more frequent collections.

(Sec. 22-43) 

Sharps generated in households may be disposed of in a heavy plastic bottle with a tight-fitting screw cap bottle, such as laundry detergent bottles, that are labeled "do not recycle." Sharps shall not be placed loosely in household trash and sharps in red "biohazard" containers shall not be disposed of in household trash. There is a special location for disposal at the Landfill.

(Sec. 22-19e)

Flatten all cardboard and place in your recycling bin or as directed by your private hauler.

 (Sec 22-19b)

Glass food and beverage containers should be recycled at special “purple” drop-off bins located at the Dr. A.J. Ferlazzo Government Building, Prince William County Landfill, Balls Ford Road Compost Facility and James S. Long Regional Park. If you cannot drop-off the glass at one of these locations, it should be placed in the regular trash, so it does not “contaminate” other recycling.

Plastic shopping bags have never been accepted with recycling. They are a contaminant at recycling facilities, compost facilities and are a major source of litter at the Prince William County Landfill. Also, recyclable materials should not be placed in plastic bags for collection. Plastic shopping bags may be taken back to grocery stores and other retailers for recycling. 

(Sec. 22-20b)

Yard waste must be collected separately in a clearly labeled personal container or paper yard waste bags. Yard waste cannot be mixed with trash, or recyclable material. Yard waste must be picked up, at least once a week from March -December. This began in October 2021. Additionally, Christmas trees will be collected the first two weeks in January.

(Bags and  Containers: Sec. 22-20c); (Frequency: Sec. 22-20f); (Separation and Collection: Sec. 22-43a and  22-170a and 170b)

Some benefits of this change in yard waste management include: 
•    Extends landfill useful life by up to 15 years.
(Yard waste is almost 15% of Prince William County Waste stream)
•    Composting is more sustainable solution for managing yard waste
•    Reduces Greenhouse gas emissions
•    Improves the final compost product with the elimination of plastic bags
•    Increases the County’s recycling rate
•    Meets a goal of the County’s 2004 Solid Waste Management Plan
 

Yard waste includes compostable waste materials generated by yard and lawn care and includes leaves, grass trimmings, brush, wood chips, and shrub and tree trimmings. Yard waste does not include roots or stumps, trunks, or branches exceeding six inches in diameter and up to four feet in length.

(Sec. 22-170a)

 

The separation ordinance for yard waste applies to occupants of residential dwellings, owners of apartments or condos, occupants of apartments and condominiums (for Christmas tree separation), and haulers.

It would be a code violation for the hauler to collect yard waste as trash or mix with trash (same as recyclable materials). To avoid a code violation, the hauler is advised to leave the yard waste or mixed trash/yard waste at the curb for the resident to manage appropriately per code requirements. Note: Yard waste that has been separated can be self-hauled by a resident to a Solid Waste facility convenience center. 

Generally, material needs to be placed in a personal can labeled “yard waste” or placed in a paper yard waste bag. Plastic bags are prohibited. In addition, you may also bundle brush and shrub and tree trimmings up to six inches in diameter and four feet in length so long as bundles do not exceed 50 pounds in weight. Contact your private hauler for additional information.

(Bags and Containers: Sec. 22-20c)

Refuse, recycling and yard waste collection is provided by private haulers which each establish their own guidelines for preparation of materials (including set out limits). Contact your private hauler for additional information.

 

Yard waste does not include roots or stumps, trunks, or branches and shrub and tree trimmings exceeding six inches in diameter, four feet in length and 50 pounds in weight.

Personal yard waste containers should be labeled “Yard Waste” and the label should be clearly visible to collection crews. Yard waste decals will be available to residents free of charge at the Prince William County Landfill, Balls Ford Road Compost Facility and at the Solid Waste Division Administrative Offices located at 5 County Complex Ct. during regular business hours.

(Sec. 22-20c)

The use of personal containers is optional. Yard waste may also be placed in biodegradable paper bags which are widely available at area retail stores.

If you are generating yard waste in Prince William County, there are several options available for managing the material, including:

·       On-site management (“grass cycling” or leaving the grass clippings on the lawn and composting);

·       Self-haul yard waste directly to a yard waste management facility;

·       Contract with a landscaping contractor to gather and remove the yard waste from the property, and;

·       Arrange with a private hauler to collect the yard waste to take to a yard waste processing facility.

If the community has  a landscaping contractor that leaves the yard waste with the community/resident, then the community/resident is required to manage the yard waste (see options above). 

Customers that manage yard waste entirely on site or self-haul should contact their refuse hauling company directly with any questions about services and pricing as the County does not regulate service agreements between private hauling companies and their customers.

Yes, your yard waste must be collected separately from other waste (trash, recycling, etc.).  Weekly collection of yard waste from all residential areas is mandatory for refuse hauling companies. However, residents can bring their separated yard waste in a personal container or paper bags to the Landfill or Balls Ford Road facility. No plastic bags.

Yes, residents can bring their yard waste to either facility, free of charge in yard waste paper bags or personal containers, no plastic bags. 

Trash and recycling are required be picked up weekly year-round. Yard waste is required to be picked up weekly March through December. In addition, Christmas trees are required to be collected during the first two weeks of January.

(Sec. 22-20f) 

Christmas trees will be collected curbside the first two full weeks of January.  Other yard waste material should be relatively minimal in these winter months. Yard waste placed in the regular trash in January and February will be buried in the landfill.  However, residents may bring yard waste to solid waste facilities, if they would prefer to have this material composted.   

Yard waste can be placed in biodegradable yard waste bags or clearly labeled personal containers. Twigs and small sticks can be bundled and tied.

(Sec. 22-20c)

Commercial properties are required to establish a recycling system for the material comprising the greatest percentage of their waste stream (by weight or volume). If the commercial property generates mostly yard waste, then the commercial property is required to establish a recycling system for the separation, collection, handling, storage and transportation of yard waste from March through December and Christmas trees during the first two weeks of January.

The owners of apartments and condominium properties are required to establish a recycling system for the separation, collection, handling, storage and transportation of yard waste from March through December and Christmas trees during the first two weeks of January.

The requirements for apartment buildings and condominiums to separate yard waste for collection would not apply if all yard waste is removed from the property by a landscaping company. However, if the landscaping company leaves the yard waste on site, then the apartment building or condominium is required to separate any yard waste set out for collection.

(Sec. 22-170b)

If a resident or HOA uses a yard service that removes the yard waste from the premises for disposal, then the service must follow code requirements for appropriate separation and disposal of the material.  

If an HOA provides or manages trash and recycling collection services on behalf of residential dwellings, apartments, or condominiums, then that HOA is responsible for ensuring these services are consistent with the mandatory requirements for separation of yard waste set out for collection.

The owners of apartments and condominium properties are required to establish a recycling system for the separation, collection, handling, storage, and transportation of newspapers, cardboard, mixed paper, #1 and #2 plastic bottles, jugs and jars, and metal food and beverage cans (aluminum, steel, tin, etc.).

(Sec 22-170b)

The property owner, business owner, or managing agent of an apartment or condominium property should notify tenants and employees within ten (10) days of arrival, and no less frequently than annually thereafter. Such notification should be in writing and include material separation requirements, how to prepare materials for recycling, set out requirements (if any), location of recycling container(s), information regarding common contaminants, collection schedule for recycling, and a name and telephone number where tenants or employees can call with questions.

 (Sec 22-172a-h)

The owners or managers of non-residential properties shall establish a system for the separation, collection, handling, storage, and transportation of Universal Wastes (fluorescent lamps, batteries, and mercery switches) and shall make the proper arrangements for the recycling of these materials. Information on the proper recycling of Universal Waste is available at https://www.knowtoxics.com/

(Sec 22-170d) (Sec. 22-19d)

No—businesses are responsible for managing their own Universal Waste (batteries, pesticides, Mercury-containing equipment, fluorescent lamps, and aerosol cans). This is a Federal requirement under Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) in part 273. Information on the proper recycling of Universal Waste is available at https://www.knowtoxics.com/

(Sec. 22-170d (Sec. 22-19d)

Principal recyclable material shall mean paper, metal, plastic, glass, commingled materials, yard waste, wood, textiles, tires, used oil, used oil filters, used antifreeze, batteries, electronics, or material as may be approved by the Director. Commingled materials refers to single stream collections of recyclables where sorting is done at a materials recovery facility (e.g., paper, metal cans, plastic bottles, etc.). For additional guidance on recycling at work in Prince William County, please visit https://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/publicworks/trash/Pages/Recycling-at-Work.aspx

 (Sec 22-2)

Yes, to ensure that there is sufficient capacity for recyclable materials generated from the property, recycling collection volume must be at least 25% of regular trash collection volume and recycling containers must be emptied at least once a week, or as necessary to prevent overflowing, or other nuisances caused by prolonged containment on site.

 (Sec. 22-20d) 

All nonresidential solid waste generators (business, both retail and wholesale, including apartments with more than two dwelling units and a live/work unit) shall submit an annual report of their refuse, recycling, yard waste (including Christmas trees), and food waste activity to the county's department of public works by October 15 of each year. Home-based businesses in the County and businesses in the incorporated towns of Dumfries, Haymarket, Occoquan or Quantico as well as the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park do not have to file a report with the County.

(Sec. 22-169a) 

Yes—all companies that manage solid waste or recycle materials generated within the county shall submit an annual report of their refuse, recycling, yard waste (including Christmas trees), and food waste activity to the county's department of public works by February 15 for the previous calendar year.