Environmental Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I call about....
Trash Collection
How do I sign up for refuse collection?
How much do trash collection and recycling cost?
Where does the County's trash and recycling go?
How do I get my refuse cart replaced or repaired?
What do I do if my refuse or recycling pickup was missed?
What do I do with old scrap metal or brush?
How do I recycle my Christmas tree?
Why should carpet and lumber that is put with the trash be no longer than 4 feet?
Does the County sell compost bins, and how do I get one?
Why do we have to pay to have Gas Grilles, Microwaves, de-humidifiers and small appliances collected?
Why can't I have a new refuse cart if I just moved to this address?
Why do I have to pay the same amount for refuse services as a family of 4?
When paying for refuse and water utilities at the bank, why does it take 10-12 days to show up on my account?
Recycling
How do I sign up for recycling collection?
How do I get a recycling cart?
What do I do with my old yellow recycling bin?
What can I recycle at my curb?
Why can't I recycle some plastics even if they have a recycling symbol?
How do I recycle at the curb?
How do I recycle old electronics?
Where are the recycling dropoff centers?
Household HazMat
What should I do with my old paint and batteries?
What should I do with my used motor oil?
What is the proper method for disposing of hazardous liquids?
Drinking Water
Where does Arlington’s drinking water come from?
Other drinking water questions...
StormWater
Is the rainwater and melted snow in the storm drain system treated at the plant before it reaches the stream?
Where should I wash my car?
How much fertilizer should I put on my lawn?
Why should I pick up after my dog?
What are the guidelines for drainage between my neighbor's and my house?
Wastewater Treatment
What happens to the dirty water that goes down the sink and toilet in my house?
How much water is treated by the Water Pollution Control Plant?
What is the collection area served by the Water Pollution Control Plant?
Is the rainwater and melted snow in the storm drain system treated at the plant before it reaches the stream?
What is that large round building at the treatment plant near the intersection of South Glebe Road and South Fern Street?
Sewer Backups
Sewage is backing up into my basement, who should I call or what should I do?
What can I do to prevent sewer back ups?
Other
Does Arlington County have a program to spray for mosquitos or gyspy moths?
Composting Information (703) 228-6400 Dead Animal Disposal (703) 931-9241 Recycling Drop-Off Center Information (703) 228-6570 Household Hazardous Waste Program (703) 228-6832 Leaf Collection (703) 228-6570 Leaf Mulch and Wood Chip:
- Information Recording
(703) 228-4570
- Orders
(703) 228-6570 Litter Collection/Street Sweeping (703) 228-6570 Oil Recycling (703) 228-6570 Rodent Control (703) 228-3232 Refuse Collection:
- Regular and Special Collections
(703) 228-6570
- Missed or partial pickup
(703) 228-6570 Refuse Carts:
- Rental, Repair
(703) 228-6570
- Stolen
(703) 228-6570 Recycling Program (703) 228-6570 Solid Waste Division, County (703) 228-6570 Utilities Billing Questions
(for water, sewer, refuse/recycling services)(703) 228-6570 Refuse Collection
How do I sign up for refuse collection? Please call the Utilities Services Office at (703) 228-6570, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to set up a new utilities account to begin water, sewer, and refuse collection services. These services are billed together for residents in Arlington County. There is a $25 water turn-on fee for new accounts which is reflected on the first bill. If you are renting a house in Arlington County and wish to have the account in your name, please have the owner's name, telephone number, and mailing address ready when you call to set up the account. Find out more about setting up your refuse collection account and the charges on our Accounts/Utilities Bill page.
How much do trash collection and recycling cost? The current solid waste rate is posted on our Accounts/Utilities Bill page. Find out more about setting up your refuse collection account and the charges on our Accounts/Utilities Bill page.
Where does the County's trash and recycling go? Trash from Arlington County residents goes to a Waste to Energy Plant. Recyclables from Arlington County residents go to a recycling facility in Burke, VA (find out more about where recyclables go).
How do I get my refuse cart replaced or repaired? You can request a refuse cart repair online, or you can call the Customer Service Center at (703) 228-6570 (M-F, 8AM - 5PM) to get a replacement cart or to get your refuse cart repaired.
What do I do if my refuse or recycling pickup was missed? You can report a missed trash pickup or a missed recycling pickup online, or call Customer Service Center at (703) 228-6570.
What do I do if with old scrap metal or brush? For brush, you can request a brush pickup online, or call the Customer Service Center at (703) 228-6570 to schedule a pick up. For scrap metal, please call the Customer Service Center at (703) 228-6570 to schedule a pick up. Find out more about acceptable materials for pickup and how to prepare them for pickup.
How do I recycle my Christmas tree? During the first two weeks in January, Arlington County provides curbside holiday tree collection to refuse customers. Trees should be free of decorations, nails, stands, and plastic bags for collection, and should be placed at the curb by 6 AM on the regular refuse collection day. The trees are ground into wood mulch for lawn and garden use. For more information, call the Customer Service Center at (703) 228-6570 or go to the page on special refuse collections.
Why should carpet and lumber that is put with the trash be no longer than 4 feet? Bundles of carpet or pieces of lumber that are put out with the trash should be 4 feet in length and weigh no more than 50 pounds to insure the safety and efficiency of the crews that handle these materials. These size restrictions also help avoid damage to collection vehicles. Call the Customer Service Center at (703) 228-6570 with additional questions or check our web page on special refuse collection.
Why do we have to pay to have gas grills, microwaves, de-humidifiers and small appliances collected? Fees are charged for items that potentially require special handling, which are most commonly appliances. Other large metal items are collected at no charge and will be recycled as scrap metal. Call the Customer Service Center at (703) 228-6570.
Why can't I have a new refuse cart if I just moved to this address? All refuse carts are assigned to an address, so you should have a refuse cart at your house when you move in. Refuse carts are not to be taken when a resident moves. It is recommended that the refuse carts be cleaned and sanitized semi-annually using hot soapy water, ammonia or bleach. Call the Customer Service Center at (703) 228-6570 if you do not have a refuse cart, or if your refuse cart needs repair. You can also request a refuse cart repair online.
Why do I have to pay the same amount for refuse services as a family of 4? The household Solid Waste rate is a fixed fee for basic refuse and recycling service for single and duplex family homes. This rate includes the total costs associated with curbside collection and disposal of residential refuse and recycling. For more information, call Customer Service at (703) 228-6570.
When paying for refuse and water utilities at the bank, why does it take 10-12 days to show up on my account? Banks that accept utility payments do not always transfer the money to the Arlington County Treasurer's bank on the same day the customer made the payment. Once the payment reaches the Treasurer's bank then the payment is sent to the Treasurer's Office for processing. Call Customer Service at (703) 228-6570 for more information. Check your utilities account on-line using the new E-gov service.
How do I sign up for recycling collection? Please call the Utilities Services Office at (703) 228-6570, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to set up a new utilities account to begin water, sewer, and refuse/recycling collection services. These services are billed together for residents in Arlington County. Find out more about setting up your refuse/recycling collection account and the charges on our Accounts/Utilities Bill page.
How do I get a recycling cart? All residential households who receive curbside trash and recycling pick up from the County will receive a new blue recycling cart. The County will be distributing the new blue recycling carts starting April 14 over an 8 week period. They will begin on the Southside and work north. If you have not yet received a new cart, you may recycle materials without separating them in your yellow bin, until you receive your new recycling cart. For more information you can call the Customer Service Center at (703) 228-6570.
What do i do with my old yellow recycling bin? Once you have received a new blue recycling cart, we encourage you to keep your yellow bins and make them a part of your in-home recycling system, donate them to a local school, or use it to set out your electronic items for pick-up. The County will not collect the yellow bins, however you can drop them off at the Solid Waste Bureau located at 4300 29th St. S. For more ideas view the flyer on ways to reuse your yellow bin.
What can I recycle at my curb? Aluminum cans, metal food cans, glass bottles and jars, cereal & food boxes, milk & juice cartons, plastic bottles and jugs #1-7 (with lids), wide-mouth plastic containers (yogurt cups, peanut butter jars, margarine tubs), mixed paper, newspaper, junk mail, paperback and hardcover books, aluminum foil & trays, empty aerosol cans, wire hangers, rigid plastics, plastic bags (place multiple bags in one plastic bag), pizza boxes and cardboard boxes. For more information, check out our recycling web page or call (703) 228-6570.
Why can't I recycle some plastics even if they have a recycling symbol? Although styrofoam, clamshell containers and disposable plastic cups and food trays have a recycling symbol on them, we cannot accept them curbside. Currently those items are not acceptable at our Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) because the clamshells and disposable plastic cups and food trays are made up of several types of plastics. Also there is currently no market for styrofoam, clamshell containers and disposable plastic cups and food trays. We hope there will be a market for them in the future and they will be accepted. The MRF sorts all the plastics and the particular types they don't have a market for will not be recycled and will be taken to a Waste-To-Energy facility.
How do I recycle at the curb? Place all acceptable materials inside blue recycling cart. Cardboard boxes do not have a size restriction and do not need to be broken down. They can be placed inside or next to the recycling cart. Large rigid plastics such as outdoor play equipment can also be placed next to the cart for collection. For more information, check out our recycling web page or call (703) 228-6570.
How do I recycle old electronics? You can request a special pick-up of recyclable electronic items online or by calling (703) 228-6570. There is a $15 charge for computer monitors and a $20 charge for TVs. Items should be placed at the curb next to the recycling cart on the scheduled pickup date. Small items can be placed inside your yellow recycling bin or in a small rigid container labeled E-WASTE. For more information check the special pick-ups page or call (703) 228-6570.
Does the County sell compost bins, and how do I get one? The County sells Presto Compost Bins for $17 each. You can purchase these compost bins at the Solid Waste Bureau located at 4300 29th St. S. There are many other commercial compost bins available at local retail store, or you can make a compost area using some stakes and metal wire. For more information on purchasing a compost bin call the Solid Waste Bureau at (703-228-6570) or call the Arlington Cooperative Extension Office at 703-228-6400 for questions about how to compost.
Where are the recycling dropoff centers? The County currently operates two recycling drop-off centers, one at Columbia Pike and South Four Mile Run Drive and the other at Quincy Park (at the corner of Washington Blvd. and Quincy St). The centers have large containers with marked openings for the deposit of recyclables. It is important to recycle only those materials specifically listed on the containers and to place them in the appropriate bin. Call (703) 228-6570 for more information.
Back to TopWhat should I do with my old paint and batteries? Residents may bring latex paints for recycling to the HHM storage facility at the Water Pollution Control Plant. If there is very little of the latex paint left, add some kitty litter and leave the paint can open until the paint hardens. Once the latex paint has dried out, you can dispose of it in your curbside trash collection. Oil-based (flammable) paints are only accepted at the HHM storage facility and should not be placed out in the trash. Kitty litter or other products should not be added to paint designated for recycling. Call the Household Hazardous Materials (HHM) Program at (703) 228-6832 for guidance on disposal/recycling of your paint products.
Alkaline batteries can be thrown in the trash (check the battery to be sure it says "alkaline" on it). Rechargeable batteries, as well as lithium, siver-oxide, and mercury batteries should be deposited in special orange collection boxes located at most Arlington County Fire Stations or brought to the HHW drop-off site. The fire station drop-off containers are painted bright orange and are prominently labeled "Battery Recycling". Do not place batteries containing liquid acid, such as auto batteries, in the collection boxes at the fire stations. Bring auto batteries to the HHM storage facility or call the Solid Waste Bureau, 228-6570, to arrange for curbside pickup.
How can I recycle my used motor oil? Read our tips on how to prepare motor oil for recycling. Motor oil should be brought to a participating automotive station for recycling. However, if the waste oil has been mixed with water, solvents or fuel, please bring the contaminated oil to the HHM storage facility for disposal. Call the Solid Waste Bureau (228-6570) or the HHM Program (228-6832) for motor oil recycling locations.
What is the proper method for disposing of hazardous liquids? Arlington County operates a Household Hazardous Materials (HHM) program that accepts most types of hazardous materials. Check the HHM website or call 703-228-6832 for more information.
Back to TopWhere does Arlington’s drinking water come from? The water that comes out of Arlington County’s taps originates in the Potomac River. There is an intake pipe near Great Falls on the Maryland side of the river that pulls the water from the river. It is then piped to a treatment facility, Dalecarlia, in Washington, D.C. where it is cleaned and stored. The cleaned water is then piped under Chain Bridge to Arlington residents. To find out more, read our other FAQs on drinking water, or check out our web page on drinking water.
Where should I wash my car? The best place to wash your car is a commercial car wash. All of the soapy water that goes on the ground is caught in a drain and piped to the Water Pollution Control Plant for treatment. If you cannot go to a car wash, try to wash your car in a grassy area so the soapy water can drain into the ground and use very mild dish detergent or biodegradable soap. Find out more about how you can help protect water quality and the environment in Arlington.
How much fertilizer should I put on my lawn? The best place to get information on lawn care and maintenance is the Virginia Cooperative Extension office's Master Gardener help desk, at (703) 228-6414. It is staffed from 9-12 weekdays.
Why should I pick up after my dog? The waste from the many dogs in Arlington cannot be adequately or naturally absorbed into the environment. Large, unnatural numbers of any animal can cause this problem. Bacteria in dog waste can cause serious illnesses in humans, including cholera and dysentery. Dog waste also has a large amount of nutrients similar to fertilizers. When large amounts of nutrients get into a stream or the Chesapeake Bay, they cause a huge growth of algae. When the algae decomposes it uses up oxygen in the water, suffocating and killing fish and other critters that live in the water. Find out more about how you can help protect water quality and the environment in Arlington.
What are the guidelines for drainage between my neighbor's and my house? Occasionally homeowners have questions about drainage issues between properties. Minor changes in drainage patterns such as modifying the discharge from a downspout, installing a raised planter, planting or removing vegetation, or contouring land areas less than 2,500 square feet do not usually require a plan or building permit. Read more about the County's general drainage guidelines for homeowners.
Back to TopWhat happens to the dirty water that goes down the sink and toilet in my house? The wastewater generated by Arlington residents is piped to the Water Pollution Control Plant on Glebe Road. There it is cleaned and processed before it is released into Four Mile Run. The biosolids removed from the water are then trucked to farms in rural Virginia to use as fertilizer or deposited in a landfill. Find out more about the Water Pollution Control Plant, or call Phil Loar at (703) 228-6867 for more information.
How much water is treated by the Water Pollution Control Plant? The treatment plant handles approximately 29 million gallons of raw wastewater each day. During wet weather, the flow is higher due to groundwater that leaks into the collection system of sewer pipes and manholes. In dry weather, the flow is slightly less. Find out more about our wastewater treatment plant.
What is the collection area served by the Water Pollution Control Plant? Nearly all of the water that flows to the treatment plant comes from Arlington County. A small area near Baileys Crossroads and Seven Corners is, also, a part of our collection system. That water is metered and the County is paid a fee by Fairfax County and the City of Alexandria for their portions of the flows. A small portion of the wastewater from the far northern end of the county is pumped into a collection system that flows under Chain Bridge into the District and is treated at the Blue Plains Treatment Plant in D.C. Find out more about our wastewater treatment plant.
Is the rainwater and melted snow in the storm drain system treated at the plant before it reaches the stream? The storm drain system in Arlington County is completely separate from the sanitary sewer system. Rainwater and melted snow flow directly to the nearest stream without any treatment. For this reason it is extremely important that trash, oil, chemicals, and other pollutants should be kept out of the storm drains. In fact, it is illegal to dump hazardous materials on the ground or down storm sewers. Telephone 703/558-2222 to report violations. Read about how stormwater and nonpoint source pollution affect County streams.
What is that large round building at the treatment plant near the intersection of South Glebe Road and South Fern Street? An equalization tank was built and put in service in 2000. The tank can hold 4.9 million gallons of wastewater. The volume of flows to the plant peaks each morning around 9:30 A.M. at approximately 60% more than the average daily flow. At 3:30 A.M. the flow slows to less than half of the average daily flow. This large daily fluctuation creates a higher demand for energy and chemicals and complicates the control of the treatment process.
The equalization tank begins to fill in the morning as flows increase. At night, the tank begins to empty into the plant influent as flows decrease. The daily fluctuation of the flow to the plant is minimized which helps to save energy and chemicals and makes process control a little easier. Find out more about the wastewater treatment plant's expansion.
Back to TopSewage is backing up into my basement, who should I call or what should I do? We recommend you first contact the 24-hour line at (703) 228-6555. We will flush the public sanitary sewer you are connected to at no charge. This will help determine where the blockage is. If the blockage is in your house lateral we will advise that you call a plumber.
What can I do to prevent sewer back ups? Be careful what you put down the drain. Several items that should not be put into your sewer system are fats, grease, paper towels, diapers or any item that will not dissolve. Find out more about disposing Fats, Oil and Grease and why you should keep them out of your pipes. Read some Tips for Maintaining your Garbage Disposal.
Does Arlington County have a program to spray for mosquitos or gyspy moths? In response to the increased presence of the West Nile Virus along the East coast, the Arlington County Environmental Health Bureau has implemented a proactive mosquito-borne disease prevention program. Call (703) 228-7968 to find out more about controlling mosquitoes around your home or business, or with questions about Arlington’s mosquito control program. Arlington County does periodically spray for gypsy moths, but generally during the spring months, based on the gypsy moth life cycle. For more information about gypsy moths, or to volunteer to count and destroy gypsy moths with burlap banding, call (703) 228-7744.
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