Solid Waste Management

Solid Waste fees fund landfill operations, trash disposal, composting, recycling operations, other disposal programs and services, and future landfill cell construction. According to a thorough financial analysis, conducted in 2022 by an outside consultant that specializes in solid waste management financing, without an increase in revenue, the Solid Waste Fund was projected to be in deficit in FY25 and depleted in FY26. With small fee increases and sound management, it is anticipated that the county’s landfill will serve Prince William County's solid waste disposal needs until approximately 2060.

Annual Solid Waste Fee

The original Solid Waste Management Fee of $70 per single family home was approved by the Board of County Supervisors on Sept. 1, 1998, and implemented on Jan. 1, 1999. The fee was established to fund trash disposal, composting, and recycling operations, as well as repay the debt incurred to purchase land to expand the landfill. It is assessed on all properties based on residential dwelling type or business type and structure size.

On April 25, 2023, the Board of County Supervisors voted to increase the Solid Waste Management Fee for the first time since the fee's inception in January 1999. The new Solid Waste Fee is $75 per single family home and began July 1, 2023. 

The annual Solid Waste Fee appears as a separate line item on the real estate property tax bill. The fee is based on dwelling type and is divided in half between the July and December tax bills. 

Example: Single Family Home property owners will see a charge of $37.50 on the July bill and $37.50 on the December real estate tax bill. 

Annual Solid Waste Fee - Residential Property

Fee Class	Fee Per Unit
Single-Family Home/SFE	$75
Town Home	$67.50
Mobile Home	$60
Condominium/Apartment	$50.19

Annual Solid Waste Fee - Business and Non-Residential Property

Businesses and non-profit organizations, including schools and churches, are assessed based on waste generation amounts per year or an estimate using business type and square footage to determine the Single Family Equivalent (SFE), waste generation rate, which is multiplied by the Single-Family fee. 

Example: SFE is calculated as 1.3.  The waste generation rate of 1.3 x $75=$97.50 Annual Solid Waste Fee.  The property owner will see $48.75 on the July bill and $48.75 on the December real estate tax bill. 

Adjustments can be made to future billings if businesses or non-profit organizations can supply annual waste generation amounts. For a Solid Waste fee reassessment,  call (703) 792-4670 (TTY:711). Solid Waste Management staff will review the bill and the waste generation amounts assessed to your property. For other Tax Assessment related questions,  call (703) 792-6710 (TTY:711).