Public Works and Environmental Services

Fairfax County, Virginia

CONTACT INFORMATION: Our administrative offices are open to the public by appointment only at this time. Please call or email 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday

703-802-3322
TTY 711

DPWESTrashCS@fairfaxcounty.gov

12000 Government Center Parkway
Suite 448, Fairfax, Va 22035

County Collection Customer,
Service Center

Department Resources

Related Resources

Special Pickup

This information applies to COUNTY collection customers who receive trash and recycling collection from Fairfax County Government, about ten percent (10%) of residents and businesses in Fairfax County. If you receive services from a PRIVATE collector, contact them directly for information.
Unsure if you are a county collection customer? Visit "Does Fairfax County Pick Up My Trash?"

Announcements

Special Pickup Service Update

Effective July 1, 2021, free special pickups will be limited to 2 cubic yards of Freon, brush, bulky waste, electronic waste, and metal. There will be a charge to remove piles greater than 2 cubic yards. Visit Special Pickup for service details.

To see all customer recycling and trash collection announcements, see Details ->

Service Updates; Take Our Survey

Instructions

Special Pickup Instructions

Effective July 1, 2021 Special Pickups will be limited to 2 cubic yards, or

6 feet long x 3 feet deep x 3 feet high

There will be a charge to remove piles greater than 2 cubic yards.

Download Special PickUp Service Changes

When

When you schedule your Special Pickup you will see a confirmation page with the scheduled date.
Set out items by 6 a.m. on the collection day.

What

Different trucks collect different types of materials. Piles should be separated by type (just brush or just metal, not mixed).
Maximum 2 cubic yards of material (a pile about 6 feet long x 3 feet deep x 3 feet high). There will be a charge for piles greater than 2 cubic yards.
See list of Accepted Materials. Any items not on this list will not be collected.
Items must be less than 6 feet long.

Where

Set your items out at the curb/street line.
If materials are placed at a location other than the curb of your address (around the corner or across the street), include instructions in the comments field of the online form.
For safety reasons, there must be a 20 ft. clearance above and on all sides of special collection materials.
Do not place items under utility wires or tree branches.

The County is not responsible for items not intended for collection that are placed near the Special Pickup pile or for damage to or loss of personal trash containers.

Accepted Materials

Freon

Appliances containing refrigerant or coolant

• Refrigerators/Freezers
• Dehumidifiers
• Air conditioners

Brush/Limbs

Brush refers to

Shrubs
Tree limbs and branches under 6 inches in diameter and under 6 feet in length.
NO LUMBER!

Bulk Material (not made of metal or glass)

• Furniture: sofas, chairs, tables, dressers
• Lumber
• Doors
• Mattress & box spring
• Roll of carpet 6 ft. or less
• Wood pallets

Items must be no longer than 6 feet in length.

Electronic Waste

Most electronic waste will be disassembled and the parts recycled. Fairfax County is not responsible for the security of data stored on electronic devices placed at the curb for pickup. Please do not include broken electronics as part of an E-waste pickup. Broken electronics should be put out with your regular trash.

• Computers & peripherals (e.g. printers, monitors, hard drives, keyboards)
• Phones
• Cameras
• Televisions
• Portable gaming devices
• Audio/Video equipment

For more information about disposal, visit Electronic Waste

Metal

Appliances and other metal items.

• Stove
• Washers/Dryers
• Metal shelves
• Bedframes
• Lawn mower (no gas/liquids)
• Metal fencing
• Grills (no propane tanks)
• Exercise equipment
• Water heater

NO cardboard, plastic bags, construction debris or other items

Any item not on the list of accepted materials will not be collected.

How To Schedule a Special Pickup

You can schedule a Special Pickup online or by phone.

Schedule Online

Schedule by phone: Call the Customer Service Center at 703-802-3322 | TTY 711.

Holiday Hours

Special collection services are provided on all holidays except Christmas Day. The Customer Service Center is closed in observance of all Fairfax County holidays.

Gallery - Set Out Examples

Watch Video

Brush

Acceptable - Proper placement and under 2 yards

Unacceptable - Brush over 2 yard max and over 6 inch diameter

Unacceptable - Brush over 2 yard max and over 6 feet long

Unacceptable - Brush over 2 yard max

Single Items

Acceptable - Proper placement of Single Item

Bulk Material

Acceptable - Proper placement and under 2 yards

Unacceptable - Over 2 yards of acceptable materials

Unacceptable materials

Unacceptable materials [cardboard]

Unacceptable - Over 2 yards

Clearance

Unacceptable - Placement Under Power Lines and Tree Branches

Unacceptable - Less than 20 foot clearance on all sides

Missed Special Pickup

Before contacting customer service about a missed Special Pickup, be sure to check the Special Pickup Instructions and Accepted Materials.

Special Pickups may be suspended in severe weather or emergency situations. For service announcements, visit this webpage or subscribe for email updates at Trash Collection Email Updates.

Report missed collections the following business day by 4:30 p.m. using the Solid Waste Feedback Form or by calling customer service at 703-802-3322 | TTY 711.

Sustainable Options

Donation

Could someone else use functional items you no longer want? Several service organizations will pick up donated goods that can be used by others.

Re-use or Repair

Before you discard, check to see if a repair is in order. Maybe it needs a good cleaning or a coat of paint.

Haul-Away Service

Many appliance dealers include haul-away service with the delivery of a new item.

Tree Mulching

When choosing a tree service, make sure you select one that will chip the wood into mulch on site, or will haul away the brush.

Department Resources

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