Post written by the Fairfax County’s Solid Waste Management Team
Fairfax County is developing key strategies to help meet its Zero Waste goal of diverting 90 percent of all waste from landfills or incineration. But it will take everyone doing their part to help keep Fairfax County clean, healthy, and sustainable! Learn more about the Zero Waste plan and read on for further updates from the county’s Solid Waste Management program.
Celebrate Fairfax Recycles Day 2024
Fairfax Recycles Day is Friday, Nov. 15, the same day as America Recycles Day, as proclaimed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
To celebrate, the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is having a recycling drop-off and touch-a-truck event on Saturday, Nov. 16, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine, at the Gerry Hyland Government Center. Bring your family and join in the recycling fun with the county’s Solid Waste Management team, where you can drop off recyclables, check out the county’s cool trucks, and enjoy some snacks too.
Participate in Pumpkin Palooza! 
While you’re putting away all those spooky Halloween decorations, you can also do something great for your yard: compost your carved or uncarved pumpkin. It’s easy to do and fun! Simply place your jack-o’-lantern in a garden area over winter, or cut your gourd into pieces and bury them under some dirt and leaves. It won’t be long before bacteria and fungi naturally break it down. As the pumpkin decomposes, the rotting gourd will provide nutrients for the soil. Who knows – you might see a surprise pumpkin vine sprouting in the spring.
If home composting isn’t an option, take part in Fairfax County’s Pumpkin Palooza! This year, the Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program will turn your post-Halloween pumpkins into compost gold.
From now until November 15, bring your pumpkins and gourds (minus the paint, glitter, and candles) to the I-66 Transfer Station or I-95 Landfill Complex. Keep an eye on our social media for the official dates and let's make this the biggest Pumpkin Palooza yet!
Fairfax County Recycling Milestones
- Glass Recycling: Purple Can Club Five-Year Birthday. The county has recycled 23 million tons of glass since the program began in 2019. Join the club and drop off your glass bottles and jars to a Purple Can receptacle at a county property near you, or at the I-66 Transfer Station in Fairfax, or the I-95 Landfill Complex in Lorton. Listen to the latest EnviroPod with Catie Torgersen from the Solid Waste Division to learn more about the Purple Can Club. Or watch this video!
- Batteries: New Collection Boxes are Placed. As part of the Battery Recycling Pilot Program, implemented earlier this year using plastic bag tax funds, you may notice collection boxes for household batteries springing up in various county locations and facilities. The program aims to reduce the toxic chemicals from batteries out of our collection trucks, landfills and the environment. Read more about battery recycling and thank you for doing your part in recycling your expired batteries.
- Progress: Steady Track Record of Recycling in the County. Fairfax County residents have consistently recycled around 45 percent of their waste year-to-year. Give yourself a pat on the back…and keep striving to find more ways to reduce, reuse and recycle your waste!
Want to know more? Visit the county’s Recycling and Trash page or follow DPWES on Facebook at @ffxpublicworks and X at @ffxpublicworks.
Climate Matters is the blog of Fairfax County’s Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination, where we share stories, insights and information related to climate change and environmental sustainability. Posts are written by knowledgeable and passionate OEEC staff members and guest authors. To read all blog posts, visit Climate Matters.