Arlington County picks up trash, recycling and food scraps weekly at single-family homes. Set carts out by 6 a.m. Fall leaf vacuuming starts Nov. 9.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Facts on this page come from Arlington County’s Recycling, Trash and Related Services, Curbside Recycling and Trash, Leaf Collection, Year-Round Yard Waste and Household Hazardous Materials pages.

Arlington County collects trash, recycling and organics once a week at single-family homes, duplexes and some town houses. All three carts go out on the same day. Find yours on the county’s collection day map. Arlington has no city government, so the county’s Department of Environmental Services runs the service. Questions go to the DES Customer Contact Center at 703-228-5000, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Apartment and condo buildings, and many town house communities, use private haulers hired by the property. Ask your building manager.

Who to call

  • Missed pickup, broken cart, new cart size, brush or appliance pickup: DES Customer Contact Center, 703-228-5000, or the county’s online service request form
  • Household hazardous materials and electronics drop-off: 565 31st St. S., 703-228-5000
  • Report someone dumping chemicals or paint into a storm drain: 703-558-2222
  • Your water-sewer-refuse bill: the county’s utility account page

The three carts

Cart What goes in it
Black (trash) Bagged household trash, glass not taken to a drop-off bin, foam packing and food containers, shredded paper in a bag
Blue (recycling) Loose, not bagged: aluminum and metal cans, cardboard, mixed paper, plastics. Empty and rinse containers.
Green (organics) Food scraps and food-soiled paper, grass, leaves, small branches, garden debris

Set carts at the curb by 6 a.m. on collection day, and no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before. Take them back within 24 hours. Recycling in plastic bags is treated as trash, and a blue cart with foam or trash in it can be tagged and left behind. Not sure about an item? Use the county’s Where Does It Go? lookup.

Glass is not curbside recycling. Take bottles and jars to a purple drop-off bin at the Quincy Park or Trades Center recycling drop-off centers, the Aurora Hills Community Center, the Lee Community Center or the Madison Community Center, listed on the county’s drop-off sites page.

Missed pickup

Report a missed collection by 5 p.m. on the first business day after your trash day, online or at 703-228-5000. The county collects it by the end of the next business day. Reports after that deadline wait for your next weekly pickup.

Residents who cannot get carts to the curb can apply for backdoor collection.

Holidays

County offices close on federal holidays except Columbus Day. Curbside routes are listed as “regular collection” on the county’s Holiday Schedule page, which also lists the drop-off sites that close for each holiday. Check it the week of any holiday. The hazardous materials center closes the Saturdays nearest Memorial Day, Juneteenth, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Fall leaf collection

The county vacuums leaves from the curb in two passes by civic association, the first in November and the second in December. Routes run Monday through Saturday, including holidays except Thanksgiving Day. The 2026 schedule starts Monday, Nov. 9, with Alcova Heights, Ballston-Virginia Square, Clarendon-Courthouse, Columbia Heights, Glencarlyn, North Rosslyn and other neighborhoods first. Start dates are tentative and depend on the weather; follow the live progress map.

  • Yellow signs go up three to seven days before your pass.
  • Rake leaves to the curb the weekend before the posted start, not more than seven days early.
  • Keep piles away from storm drains, water meter covers, low wires and parked cars. Never park on a pile.
  • No plastic bags. Leaves in paper bags or the green cart go out with your regular weekly pickup all year.

Free paper yard waste bags, up to 15 per home, are available from Oct. 26 while supplies last.

Bulky items, brush, metal and electronics

  • Furniture and mattresses: no request needed. Put sofas, mattresses, box springs and futons at the curb on trash day. They must fit in the back of a trash truck. Items over 500 pounds need a private hauler.
  • Brush: schedule a free pickup with your utility account or call 703-228-5000. Loose brush only, up to 18 inches across and 10 feet long, at the curb by 6 a.m. The county takes 150 appointments a day and none during Christmas tree collection, the first two weeks of January.
  • Appliances and metal: schedule a pickup. Refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, water heaters and air conditioners carry a charge added to your quarterly utility bill; other metal items are free.
  • Electronics: schedule a curbside pickup, or drop off free at the hazardous materials center. Old tube TVs cost $20 and tube computer monitors $15.

Paint, chemicals and batteries

The Household Hazardous Materials and Electronics Center at 565 31st St. S. takes paint, motor oil, pesticides, fluorescent tubes and similar items from Arlington residents for free. It is open Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with no appointment, and Monday through Thursday by appointment at 703-228-5000. It does not take ammunition, explosives, crumbly asbestos or medical waste.

Latex paint less than a quarter full can be dried with cat litter and put in the trash. Rechargeable and lithium batteries go to a county fire station or the center; ordinary alkaline batteries go in the trash. Free paper shredding runs the first Saturday of most months at the Earth Products Yard, 4300 29th St. S.; the next is Saturday, Nov. 7.

What this means for you

  • Leaf season starts Nov. 9. Watch for the yellow sign on your street.
  • Glass never goes in the blue cart.
  • Report a missed pickup by 5 p.m. the next business day.

Related guides: property taxes in Arlington County, moving to Arlington and who to call at the county government.

Frequently asked questions

What day is trash pickup in Arlington, Virginia?

It depends on your address. Arlington County’s online collection-day map shows the day for each home; trash, recycling and the green organics cart are all picked up on that same weekly day.

What time should I put my trash cart out in Arlington?

By 6 a.m. on collection day and no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before. Carts must come back off the curb within 24 hours.

When does Arlington vacuum leaves in 2026?

The county’s fall vacuum leaf collection makes two passes by civic association, the first in November starting Nov. 9 and the second in December. Yellow signs go up three to seven days before each pass.

Can I put glass in my blue recycling cart in Arlington?

No. Glass bottles and jars go to the county’s purple glass drop-off bins or in the black trash cart, not the blue cart.

How do I get rid of a couch or mattress in Arlington?

Set it at the curb on your regular trash day; the county no longer requires a pickup request for bulky furniture that fits in the back of a trash truck. Items over 500 pounds need a private hauler.