Are all nonresidential properties located in Fairfax County required to recycle?
Is recycling required in multifamily residential properties such as apartments and condominiums?
What is a principal recyclable material?
What is waste reduction? Is it something I should be concerned about?
How do I set up a recycling program for glass or plastic bottles?
How do I recycle materials such as batteries, fluorescent lamps and computers?
What about home-based businesses?
Who can I call for more information?
Are all nonresidential properties located in Fairfax County required to recycle?
Yes. All nonresidential properties are required to recycle mixed paper and cardboard. Some properties, depending on their size and amount of total annual waste, are required to identify and recycle their principal recyclable material in addition to mixed paper and cardboard. Home-based businesses are also required to recycle and can place recyclables at the curb for collection or use one of the county’s recycling drop-off centers.
Is recycling required in multifamily residential properties such as apartments and condominiums?
Yes. Existing multifamily residential properties in Fairfax County must provide a recycling system for their tenants for mixed paper and cardboard. Any multifamily residential properties constructed after July 2007 must provide their tenants with a recycling system for mixed paper and cardboard as well as cans and bottles (plastic, metal and glass) and scrap metal, which most likely will be appliances.
What is a principal recyclable material?
The principal recyclable material varies according to business type. By definition, it is the recyclable material that occurs in the highest quantity by weight in the waste stream. Usually, the principal recyclable material for an office building is mixed paper. For retail stores, warehouses or food service operations, it tends to be corrugated cardboard and/or mixed paper; for auto repair and maintenance, it may be scrap metal or used oil; and for landscapers, it is usually leaves, brush and other yard waste.
If you are unsure of the correct principal recyclable material for your building or complex, you should analyze the waste stream. This can be as simple as taking a visual survey of your trash, or can be as involved as sorting, weighing and measuring the volume of all the materials in your waste stream.
My business is located in a shopping center. In calculating my principal recyclable, do I count the waste from all adjoining businesses or just mine?
It is the responsibility of the property owner or manager of the shopping center to determine the principal recyclable material. If you own a business space that is part of a conjoined building, you are responsible for establishing a recycling procedure for your own business -- including the identification and recycling of a principal material in addition to mixed paper and cardboard (if applicable). If you lease a business space that is part of a shopping center, your property owner is responsible for identifying the principal recyclable for the entire property and for implementing the necessary procedure for collecting mixed paper, cardboard, and the additional principal recyclable material (if applicable).
I own several small businesses. In calculating the principal recyclable, do I consider the locations together or separately?
You calculate each principal recyclable separately unless the businesses are located alongside one another such as in a shopping center.
What is waste reduction? Is it something I should be concerned about?
Waste reduction is simply eliminating waste before it is created. It involves the design, manufacture, purchase or use of materials and products that reduce the amount or toxicity of what is thrown away. Best of all, practicing waste reduction can save you money!
How do I set up a recycling program for glass or plastic bottles?
If your office is ready to move beyond paper to recycling other materials, you can apply the concepts in "How to Start an Office Recycling Program." In addition, Fairfax County can provide you additional technical assistance and information about setting up an internal system, arranging for collection, etc. Just ask the Recycle Guy.
How do I recycle materials such as batteries, fluorescent lamps and computers?
Visit the following pages to learn more:
- Batteries
- Business hazardous waste (fluorescent lamps, paint, some chemicals, and more)
- Computers
What about home-based businesses?
The county has both residential and nonresidential recycling requirements. Home-based businesses must follow residential requirements.
Who can I call for more information?
You may contact the Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program at 703-324-5230, TTY 711 or see our Business Recycling Overview section to learn more.
See also, information for:
Employees
Business Tenants
Property Owners and Managers