PWC - Recycling

Join us on Prince William Recycles Day on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 at the County Landfill.
New Program: Borrow Recycle Bins for Events?

Start a Backyard Compost Program
This is a great time to start a backyard composting program. Composting leaves and grass reduces keeps valuable nutrients in your yard instead of sending them to the landfill. The Solid Waste Division sells backyard compost bins for $20 each (supplies are limited). The Solid Waste Division is located in the Development Services Building (adjacent to the James J. McCoart Administration Building) at 5 County Complex Court, Suite 250. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please call 703-792-4670.

Where & What to Recycle
Recycling helps conserve natural resources, save landfill space, conserve energy and reduce pollution (see Waste Reduction Information). Be sure to recycle at home following guidelines from your trash/recycling hauler on separation of items. PWC residents, Homeowners Associations, and business owners may hire a private refuse hauler to collect trash/recycling from their home or business. The refuse hauler charges for collection and transportation (not disposal) of the refuse. This is a contract between you and the private refuse hauler. If your hauler fails to provide recycling or trash removal services, or regularly misses pick-ups, or mixes trash and recycling, call the company directly to report the problem. You can find the appropriate phone number on the side of your trash can, on a bill or on the Hauler Information List. If the hauler fails to respond, you may request assistance or report a violation through this Refuse Hauler Complaint Form or you may call the Solid Waste Administrative Office at 703-792-6254 or 703-792-4670. We will work with your refuse/recycling hauler to improve your service.

You can also drop materials at one of the Recycling Trailers located throughout the County (sites are subject to change) or at the County's recycling collection centers or at the PWC Landfill or Balls Ford Yard Waste Composting Facility.

Items accepted for recycling include newspaper, corrugated cardboard, magazines & catalogs, mixed paper, telephone books, soft cover or paperback books, white office paper, Electronics, scrap metal, textiles, used motor oil, used antifreeze and automobile batteries. Also, clean glass bottles and jars, tin/steel food and beverage cans, plastic jugs and bottles (please rinse and remove caps). No plastic cups, bags or medicine containers, hoses or toys; no Styrofoam, no wraps or motor oil containers. Recycling trailer located at Public Works landfill

Recycle at the curbside or at Recycling Trailers:

Glass bottles and jars - remove caps & rinse (we do not accept plate glass, mirrors, light bulbs, ceramics, cookware, drinking glasses or chemical bottles)
All metal, steel and aluminum cans - rinse (we do not accept foil, trays, pans, aerosol cans or paint cans)
Plastics - plastic jugs and bottles - remove caps and rinse (we do not accept tubs, cups, Styrofoam, dishes, bags, wraps or motor oil containers)
Newspaper and mixed paper.
Prince William County residents can now also recycle mixed paper at the curb! Be sure to recycle white/colored paper, magazines, catalogs, soft cover or paperback books, junk mail (even envelopes with clear windows), and empty non-waxed food boxes (i.e. cookie and cereal boxes). Just put it at the curb with the other materials you recycle.

Please remember to place newspapers in a brown paper bag, all mixed paper in another brown paper bag and any shredded paper in a clear plastic bag. Flatten food boxes to fit into the recycling bin (please take large cardboard boxes to the PWC Landfill or to the Balls Ford Yard Waste Composting Facility. Be sure your paper is free of food, and do not recycle waxed, foil or coated paper. Recycle only paper that can be torn – no plastic coated items like overnight shipping envelopes.

Yard waste can be recycled at the PWC Landfill or the Balls Ford Yard Waste Composting Facility.

Businesses, Non-Residential property including apartment and Refuse/Recycling Haulers are required to fill out the Annual Recycling Report Form to meet reporting requirements adopted pursuant the Sections 10.1-1411 and 15.1 – 11.5.2 of the Code of Virginia, and Section 22-169 of the Prince William County Code Chapter 22 Update and Revisions approved by the Board of County Supervisors on April 3, 2007.

News & Information

See the current Annual Recycling Rate Report for Prince William County. With your help the County strives to reach the goal of recycling 40%.
Thank you for joining us on Prince William Recycles Day on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008 at the County Landfill. It was a day blessed with good weather and local families enjoyed a program filled with games, landfill tours, prizes, the clown face painting, free hot dogs and drinks, and informational displays. The event also offered free paper shredding for up to four boxes of paper. The theme of this year’s event was “Recycling and Greening the Home.” The event also included information on making your home more “planet friendly” including ways to recycle more materials, how to conserve water and energy in our homes, and ways to make our homes more green. With everyone’s help, we can increase our recycling rate and reduce our County’s impact on the environment.

A big thank you to our sponsors: 4 – H Club, AAA Recycling & Trash Service, Aegis Environmental, American Disposal, Capitol Fiber, Inc., Charlie & Son Trash Service, Continuum Energy Solutions, Cooperative Extension Service, Davis Industries, Enviro Solutions, Inc., Fortistar Methane Group, Golder Associates, Inc., Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Karen Radley Volkswagen, Master Gardeners, Neighborhood Services Branch, PWC, Park Authority, Patriot Disposal, Potomac Disposal Services of VA, Prince William Library System, SCS Engineers, Shacklee Independent Distributor, SP Recycling, Solid Waste Services, Waste Management, Watershed Branch, PWC.

Raffle prizes were contributed by: Costco – Manassas, Continuum Energy Solutions, Cracker Barrel – Dumfries, Eastern Clearing, Famous Dave's, Giant Food – Dale City, Golder Associates Inc., Kelly HVAC, Inc., Old Country Buffet, PRTC, and Red Lobster. Special appreciation to staff and volunteers for their efforts. Call 703-792-4670 for details. Click the link for information on more America Recycles Day Events in the area.

We also thank all those who celebrated Prince William Recycles Day with us on Nov. 3, 2007 at the County Landfill. Maddie Guyant, a 6th Grader, won the 2007 Recycling Rocks Award.
Prince William County and the Recycling Youth Ambassadors won the 2005 Virginia Recycling Association "Spotlight" Award for the "RECYCLING ROCKS" Public Service Announcement. Clips are being aired on The Prince William Channel 23.

More Resources

Recycle at the Library.
Neighborhood Services Newsletter.
Prince William is a member of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG).
The National Service Center for Environmental Publications maintains and distributes Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publications in hard copy, CD ROM and other multi-media formats. The current publication inventory includes more than 7,000 titles. NSCEP also develops and distributes the annual EPA National Publications Catalog. The EPA also provides information on recycling and protecting the environment, including educational resources for kids, students, teens, teachers and researchers.

Back to the Solid Waste Management Home Page.