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Materials for Recycling

• ALUMINUM CANS
  • Empty and rinse. Please flatten to save space.  Do not include: pie tins, foil, scrap metal, or food residue.
  • Cans are collected curbside and are accepted at all recycling drop-off centers except Baron Cameron Park. Also, some Fire and Rescue Stations, call 703-246-3801 for a station near you.
• APPLIANCES
  • LARGE:
    • Handle refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers and air conditioners carefully. Avoid damaging refrigerant tubing and releasing Freon into the air. Do not include: gas tanks, propane or Freon tanks, 55-gallon drums or ammunition. Contact your recycling collection company if you need a special collection. Note: Most companies charge a fee for this service.
    • Important:  Remove all doors from large appliances. Small children often play inside used appliances and may otherwise get trapped.
    • Large, metal appliances are accepted at the I-66 and I-95 recycling locations.  In addition, several nonprofit building supply stores accept donations of new and/or gently used appliances. (NOTE: Gas appliances must be new.)
  • SMALL (including POWER TOOLS):
    • Small, metal appliances and power tools are accepted at the I-66 and I-95 recycling locations. If the item contains a rechargeable battery, please remove it and take it to one of the collection points listed online.
• BATTERIES
• BICYCLES
• BOOKS and MEDIA: Donations of popular books are accepted during open hours at any branch of the Fairfax County Public Library.  Materials may be added to the library's collection or sold at their discretion.  In general, they will accept popular books in good condition. Some also accept new magazines. They are unable to accept: soiled or damaged materials; technical, professional or legal magazines or journals; textbooks, encyclopedias or condensed books.  For more information, see the corresponding Friends of the Library page.
• BUILDING SUPPLIES
• CARDBOARD (see MIXED PAPER)
• CELLULAR TELEPHONES (see ELECTRONICS)
• CLOTHING and HOUSEHOLD:
  • Make sure materials are clean and in good condition. Do not include dirty, unusable or broken items.
  • Consider holding a yard sale or donating to a charity or thrift shop. You may also wish to participate in a materials exchange program and Freecycle.
  • For a list of organizations accepting charitable donations of clothing, search the Human Services Resource Guide. Within the "Service Name Search" field, enter "donations-clothing".
• COMPUTERS and ELECTRONICS
• CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS - Shred first, then recycle with mixed paper.
• FLUORESCENT BULBS and TUBES
• FOOD CANS:
  • Empty and rinse. Okay to leave labels and lids attached to cans. Please flatten to save space.
  • Do not include: pie tins, foil, scrap metal, or food residue.
  • Metal food cans are collected curbside and are accepted at all recycling drop-off centers except Baron Cameron Park.
• GLASS CONTAINERS:  
  • Bottles and jars only.  Okay to leave labels on containers.  Metal lids may be recycled.  
  • Do not include: dishes, mirrors, window glass, ceramics, pottery, light bulbs or cookware.  
  • Glass containers are collected curbside and are accepted at all recycling drop-off centers except Baron Cameron Park.
• GRASS (see YARD WASTE)
• INKJET PRINTER CARTRIDGES
• JUNK MAIL (see MIXED PAPER)
• LEAVES (see YARD WASTE)
• METAL, SCRAP (see APPLIANCES)
• MISCELLANEOUS:  Before throwing something useful away, considering donating it to charity or advertising it through an online community. Go to the  Clean Fairfax Council Web site to learn more.
• MIXED PAPER = cardboard, newspaper, cereal boxes, catalogs, magazines, office paper, colored paper, junk mail, telephone books.  
  • Keep clean and dry. No need to separate.
  • Be sure to flatten all cardboard. Remove plastic linings from cereal boxes.
  • If you shred your paper first, please put it in a paper bag and tape or staple it shut to prevent litter.  
  • Do not include items with food residue (e.g., pizza boxes) or boxes with a wax coating.
  • Mixed paper is collected curbside and is accepted at all recycling drop-off centers except Baron Cameron.  (NOTE: The Town of Herndon has separate seasonal collection of telephone books at their drop-off center.)
• MOTOR OIL: 
  • Remove used motor oil from the vehicle, taking care not to spill it on the ground.  Put the motor oil in a clean, plastic container with a tight lid.  
  • Never store used oil in a container that once held chemicals, food or beverages.  Do not mix with anti-freeze, solvent, paint or other materials. Do not include any other fluid such as antifreeze or automatic transmission fluid. Do not pour these materials on the ground since they drain into storm sewers and contaminate local water supplies.
  • Some automotive service stations accept used motor oil for recycling. Check with those nearest you, or visit the City of Fairfax, I-66 or I-95 recycling locations.
• NEWSPAPER (see MIXED PAPER)
• OFFICE PAPER (see MIXED PAPER)
• PACKAGING PEANUTS:  Call the "Peanut Hotline" of the Plastic Loose Fill Council at 1-800-828-2214 for instructions.
• PLASTIC BOTTLES AND JUGS:  
  • The only types of plastics that are required to be recycled in Fairfax County are plastic bottles and jugs.  Recycling any additional plastics is entirely voluntary.  Ask your trash hauler for specific guidance.  Many of them are now collecting additional plastics such as yogurt containers, margarine tubs – even pill bottles. 
  • At this time, only plastic bottles and jugs are accepted at area recycling drop-off centers. Remember, these are the only mandated plastics at this time.
• TELEPHONE BOOKS (see MIXED PAPER)
• TELEVISIONS
• TIRES
• YARD WASTE

See Also:  Materials for Disposal