Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Arlington
Trash Day
Collection runs Monday through Friday. Trash is picked up once per week on your neighborhood's designated collection day.
Recycling
Collected weekly on the same day as regular trash collection using the blue cart.
Yard Waste
Collected weekly on your regular trash collection day using the green organics cart or biodegradable paper bags.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
The residential Household Solid Waste fee is billed quarterly as part of your combined Arlington County water, sewer, and refuse utility bill.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online (CAPP Portal), Auto-Pay (Direct Debit), Phone, Mail, In Person, Drop Box
Pro Tip / Discount
Payment arrangements and utility assistance programs are available for qualifying low-income residents; no specific senior citizen trash discount is listed.
Black Cart Bin (Trash)
Trash must be securely bagged. Place the black cart at the curb no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the day before your collection day and no later than 6:00 a.m. on the day of collection.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Pet waste
- ✓Glass not taken to purple bins
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be placed loose inside the blue cart. Never bag your recycling in plastic bags, as they jam the processing machinery.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and mixed paper
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass bottles and jars
- ✕Plastic grocery bags or film wrap
- ✕Food-soiled pizza boxes
- ✕Styrofoam packing materials
- ✕Household hazardous waste
Yard Waste Bin
Place organic waste loose in the green cart or inside compostable/paper bags. Large unbundled brush requires scheduling a special pickup through the county.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Tree limbs and brush
- ✓Food scraps (meat, dairy, bones, produce)
- ✓Food-soiled paper napkins and pizza boxes
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your regular trash collection day (for standard non-metal bulk)
Placement
Place eligible bulk items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated collection day.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Wooden furniture
- ✓ Couches and sofas
- ✓ Standard household items under 500 lbs
Not Accepted
- ✕ Metal appliances and white goods
- ✕ Electronics and televisions
- ✕ Construction debris (concrete, dirt)
- ✕ Hazardous materials
While standard household bulk is free, Metal/Appliance Pickup and E-waste MUST be scheduled in advance through the county website or by calling 703-228-5000.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
For most minor federal holidays (like MLK Day or July 4th), trash is collected on your normal schedule. However, for major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day, collection shifts one day forward for the remainder of the week.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and food scraps collections follow the exact same holiday slide schedule as regular trash and recycling.
Always ensure your bins are out by 6:00 a.m. even on holiday weeks, as pickup times can fluctuate.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Food Scraps Go Green
Instead of throwing away food scraps in your black trash bin, use your green organics cart. Make sure to use certified compostable bags or paper bags, never regular plastic trash bags.
Keep Recyclables Loose and Unbagged
Sorting facilities cannot open plastic bags to recycle the contents. If you put perfectly good aluminum and cardboard inside a plastic trash bag, it will likely be sent to the incinerator as garbage.
Seasonal Information
Autumn
November to DecemberArlington conducts its annual Fall Vacuum Leaf Collection [4.1.9]. Neighborhoods receive two passes based on a designated civic association map. Residents can track the progress of leaf vacuum trucks online.
Winter
JanuaryThe county typically collects Christmas trees curbside during the first two full weeks of January. Trees must be bare—free of all lights, ornaments, tinsel, and stands—so they can be chipped into mulch.
Spring and Summer
March to SeptemberArlington asks residents to practice 'grasscycling'—leaving short clippings on the lawn. Not only does this naturally fertilize your turf, but it keeps heavy, wet grass out of the county's energy-from-waste facility.
About Arlington Waste Management
Recent Transition to American Disposal Services
In mid-2026, Arlington County initiated a major phased transition for all curbside solid waste services, handing operations over to American Disposal Services (ADS) [1.3.3]. This transition began with organics in May, recycling in late June, and culminated with full trash collection in August 2026. While your actual pickup day remained the same, the County issued a temporary $30 household rate adjustment to active accounts to account for previous contractor service disruptions.
Curbside Food Scraps in the Green Cart
Arlington is a pioneer in Virginia, allowing all residential curbside customers to co-collect food scraps with their yard waste in the green organics cart. Residents can line a kitchen caddy with compostable bags or paper bags and toss items like meat bones, fruit peels, and coffee grounds straight into their yard waste bin. The golden rule in Arlington is simple: 'If it grows, it goes.'
The Purple Glass Drop-Off Network
Glass is strictly banned from Arlington's curbside blue recycling carts. Instead, the county operates a network of purple glass-only drop-off bins at locations like the Quincy Park and Trades Center recycling sites. The glass collected here is sent to a specialized regional processor where it is crushed and repurposed for local construction projects, keeping the county's single-stream paper bales clean.
Free Mulch and Grasscycling Initiatives
To further divert waste from regional incinerators, Arlington encourages 'grasscycling'—leaving grass clippings on your lawn as a natural fertilizer. For the yard debris they do collect, the county processes it into nutrient-rich mulch at the Earth Products Yard in Shirlington. This locally made mulch is then offered back to residents for free pickup or nominal-fee delivery.
Drop-off Facilities
Trades Center Recycling Drop-Off Center
2700 S Taylor St, Arlington, VA 22206
Materials Accepted
Quincy Park Recycling Drop-Off Center
Washington Blvd & N Quincy St, Arlington, VA 22201
Materials Accepted
Household Hazardous Materials (HHM) & Electronics Center
565 31st St S, Arlington, VA 22202
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put food scraps in my Arlington yard waste bin?
Yes! Arlington allows residents to co-collect food scraps directly in the green organics cart [2.3.1]. You can dispose of meat, bones, dairy, and fruit peels. It is recommended to use certified compostable bags or paper bags for your kitchen scraps before tossing them in.
How do I dispose of a mattress or large couch in Arlington?
You do not need to schedule an appointment for standard household bulk items weighing under 500 pounds, such as mattresses or couches. Simply place them at the curb next to your black trash cart by 6:00 a.m. on your regular collection day.
Does my trash schedule change on federal holidays?
For most holidays like Independence Day or MLK Jr. Day, your trash is collected on its normal schedule. The county only implements a 'holiday slide' for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day, pushing collection back one day for the remainder of the week.
Why didn't they pick up my glass in the blue recycling bin?
Arlington banned glass from the single-stream blue recycling carts because it breaks easily and contaminates paper bales. You must take your glass jars and bottles to one of the purple drop-off bins located throughout the county, or place them in your black trash cart.