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)

Prince William County residents may drop off small amounts of construction debris (C&D), up to a regular-size pick-up truck load (2.5 cubic yards) at no cost.

This includes but is not limited to, decking, lumber or wood, wooden crates, carpet, vinyl flooring or aluminum siding, wire, sheetrock or drywall, glass, pipes, shingles, and other roofing material, and empty containers that have contained construction material. 

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

 (Sec 22-19b)

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)

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)

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) 

Here you can find more information on permitted refuse and recycling haulers in Prince William County.

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)

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)

 

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)

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.   

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.

Please visit the Convertus Manassas, Virginia website for more information on pricing. 

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 mercury 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.pwcva.gov/department/solid-waste-management/work

 (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) 

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.

Beginning March 31, 2025, the Prince William County Public Works Solid Waste Division will implement an upgraded Driver’s License Verification System at the County Landfill and Compost Facility. This system will replace manual, visual ID checks with an automated scanning process to verify County residency more efficiently.

Residents will scan their Virginia DMV-issued driver’s license at the scale house upon arrival. The system will then verify their residency and determine whether they pay the County Solid Waste Fee, ensuring accurate fee collection.

The new system is designed to:

·       Reduce wait times at the landfill and compost facility.

·       Improve accuracy in verifying County residency.

·       Ensure proper fee collection based on tax-based residency.

·       Enhance efficiency and streamline operations.

All residents using the Prince William County Landfill and Compost Facility must present and scan a Virginia DMV-issued ID for entry.

For other circumstances, customers must call the Landfill Office 2 business days before arrival (703) 792 5751

The system automatically determines if a resident pays the County Solid Waste Fee. Residents from the following jurisdictions do not pay this fee and will be required to pay disposal charges when using County solid waste facilities:

·       Town of Dumfries

·       Town of Occoquan

·       Town of Haymarket

·       Town of Quantico

·       City of Manassas

·       City of Manassas Park

What are my disposal fees?

The new system is expected to reduce wait times at the landfill and compost facility by eliminating the need for manual visual checks, allowing residents to enter more quickly and efficiently.

No, the Driver’s License Verification System does not store or retain any personal data. When you scan your Virginia DMV-issued ID at the scale house, the system only checks the address on the license at the time of entry to confirm Prince William County residency. Once the verification is complete, no information is saved or recorded in the system. This process is designed to be quick, secure, and privacy-conscious while improving efficiency at the facility.

Effective March 14, 2025, the Prince William County Tax Administration Office will no longer issue Solid Waste Facility Decals. On March 31, 2025, all landfill and compost facility residential visitors will be required to scan their Virginia DMV-issued driver’s licenses at the scalehouse.  

The Prince William County Landfill and Compost Facility provides reasonable accommodation to assist customers with a temporary or permanent disability that prohibits them from placing waste or recyclables into designated containers. Individuals requiring assistance should call the County Landfill at 703-792-5751 or the Compost Facility at 703-792-8477 to ask for assistance before arriving at the respective facility.