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TextTrash and Debris Clean-Up Continues
Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
703-324-3187, TTY 703-324-2935, FAX 703-324-2010
Oct. 1, 2003
Trash and Debris Clean-Up Continues
Even though Hurricane Isabel has left the area, local residents are still raking, pruning and cleaning up debris left by the storm. The following information will help Fairfax County residents know what they can do with their trash and debris, regardless of who their hauler is.
Trash and Debris Pick-Up Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the status of trash collection?
County residents are encouraged to begin cleanup as soon as possible.
Follow the normal guidelines provided by your trash hauler and prepare
any tree limbs and debris according to their standards for collection.
Who do I call to get my storm debris picked up?
If you use a private trash collection service you should contact them
directly for information on schedules and special instructions about
pick-ups.
If the county is your trash hauler, bundle large limbs (6-foot lengths or less, and 6 inches in diameter or less) and other yard debris at the curbside, being cautious to place it on the curb and not block the roadway with large debris. Any brush that is bagged or placed in a container will be collected on your next regularly-scheduled collection day. Leaves must be bagged and placed on the curb as well. Please make sure that you place materials in an accessible location away from parked cars. Avoid placing materials under overhead wires that may prevent equipment and staff from accessing your trash.
What about appliances and other large items damaged by the
storm?
If you use a private trash collection service you should contact them
directly for information on schedules and special instructions about
pick-ups.
If the county is your trash hauler and you have large appliances damaged
by the storm, please call 703-802-3322, TTY 711 to arrange a bulk
pick-up. Please remove any food from no-longer-wanted freezers
and refrigerators and place spoiled food in your regular trash. The
county cannot collect these appliances with food in them.
Can private haulers add extra charges for pickup of large items
and storm debris?
Yes. If you think the charges are unreasonable you may want to consider
making arrangements for alternate services to remove the large items. A
good place to start is the phone book. Look under the headings of
Garbage, Rubbish, Trucking-Heavy Hauling or Trucking-Light Hauling for
listings of these services. Before you sign on the dotted line, consider
the following:
- Never let anyone into your home without proper identification.
- Make sure the operator has the appropriate licenses and insurance for the job. To check local licenses, call the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services at 703-324-1540, TTY 711.
- Check the operator’s complaint history with the Consumer Protection Division at 703-222-8435, TTY 711. You can also check the Consumer Protection Division's complaint history information online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dtcs/consserv/complaint_history_welcome.htm.
- If you believe you were defrauded by the operator, contact the Fairfax County Police Criminal Investigations Bureau at 703-246-7800, TTY 711.
- Request references and check them.
- Get written estimates from at least 3 companies.
- Make sure the contract is specific and includes a completion date with a penalty clause.
- If the contract was signed in your home, make sure it includes a notice of your right to cancel within 3 days.
- Never sign a certificate of completion before the job is done to your satisfaction.
Is there anywhere I can take my trash and storm debris
myself?
Residents can self-haul trash, debris and recyclables to the facilities
at the I-66 Transfer Station, 4618 West Ox Road, Fairfax or the I-95
Landfill, 9850 Furnace Road, Lorton. Please visit the county’s Web site
at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes or call 703-324-5230,
TTY 711 to check dates and times for service.
I have private trash service but I also pay the county a special
fee for leaf collection. Do I call the county or my private hauler to get
my leaves and debris picked up?
Call your private trash collection service. The fee you pay is for
vacuum leaf service which begins in mid-October and is not being done
now. Your private hauler must pick up storm debris.
When will the normal trash collection schedule
resume?
If you use a private trash collection service you should contact them
directly for information on schedules and special instructions about
pick-ups.
If the county is your trash hauler, normal trash and recycling service has already begun. Yard debris collection and bulk pick-ups for large household items may be delayed due to the heavy volume of materials placed out for pick-up.
What is happening with brush pick-ups in areas served by county
collection?
Scheduling of brush pick-ups has been suspended in order to give county
collection crews a chance to clean up collection areas after Hurricane
Isabel. County crews will be collecting brush from households located in
county sanitary districts neighborhood by neighborhood; street by street
for the next two weeks. If you have already scheduled a brush pick-up,
that date is no longer valid. If brush is still at the curb as of Oct.
14, 2003, you may call back to schedule a brush pick-up at that time.
How do I know if I get trash collection from the
county?
If you have questions about trash collection, would like to schedule a
special pick-up or need to know if you are in a Fairfax County Sanitary
District, visit our Web site at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/recycling/curbside.htm
or call 703-802-3322, TTY 711.
If you use a private hauler but aren’t sure how to contact them, a list of approximately 30 permitted haulers that are licensed for residential trash and recycling collection in Fairfax County is available on the county Web site at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/trash/dishaulers.htm. If you’re not sure who your hauler is, call your Homeowner Association or property management company.
Where can I take hazardous
waste?
Hazardous waste can be taken to the Citizens Disposal Facility at 4618
West Ox Road, Fairfax or to the I-95 disposal complex, at 9850 Furnace
Road, Lorton.
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