Litter

What Can YOU Do to Keep Our Community Clean?

The best way to address litter is to prevent it before it happens.

• Learn how to properly dispose of materials. Visit Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle​
• Storm drains are not trash cans. They go directly into our waterways. Never put garbage or debris into them because it can cause flooding and prevent the drain from functioning properly.​ ​
• Adopt a Highway and keep it free of litter.​
• If you see overflowing trash cans and dumpsters, report them to the Solid Waste Management Program.​
• Organize or participate in neighborhood stream cleanups. See Volunteer With Us! for more opportunities.​​

Volunteer With Us!

There are many ways to get involved in our community. Below are some partner organizations who lead and organize volunteer opportunities. Volunteering for a stream clean-up is a great way to earn volunteer community service hours!

What We Are Doing!

Litter Complaints

Litter may be found in several locations, each with different ownership and enforcement responsibilities. See the descriptions and links below to help direct complaints to the appropriate agencies.

• Litter left on the side of a public roadway or the median strip​
• Unattended trash or discarded bulk items on private property​
• Litter at an active construction site​
• Litter at a county government facility​
• Stormwater Facilities
  • Our Role in Litter Management:​ ​At Fairfax County, we're committed to effective stormwater management and environmental stewardship. It's important for the public to understand our scope of service and limitations regarding litter management.
  • Our Scope: Our team diligently maintains stormwater facilities at specific locations and frequencies.
  • Our Responsibility: While we actively manage and maintain stormwater facilities, our responsibilities do not include picking up litter reported by the public.
  • Resource Constraints: We have received inquiries about litter pick-up from properties outside our regular maintenance schedules. However, we are not staffed or budgeted to accommodate such requests.​
  • Community Collaboration: We appreciate public awareness and cooperation in helping maintain cleanliness in public spaces. Your efforts alongside ours contribute to a cleaner environment. Property owners are asked to help keep their properties free of litter, regardless of whether a county easement exists or not.​ ​
• Litter at a county park​
• Litter at a facility otherwise regulated by Fairfax County (e.g., bars and restaurants, medical care facilities)​
• Missed refuse or recycling collection​
• Litter left on a sidewalk in front of residential or private property. Report to the Solid Waste Management Program, SWMP-Enforcement at 703-324-5230, TTY 711 or email trashmail@fairfaxcounty.gov.​
• Police Enforcement of Virginia Code Enforcement​