Recycling

The recycling program is tasked with providing recycling collection to eligible single-family homes; encouraging recycling at home, school, and work; as well as providing education about recycling and setting up recycling collection programs.
Page updated on November 13, 2025 at 10:26 AM
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 Recycling is an everyday way to fight climate change. Recycling saves natural resources, energy and money.  

Join the City of Alexandria’s Resource Recovery Division and celebrate America Recycles Day with 

Alexandria Shreds is written in blue text across a background of shredded paper.

This free shredding event will take place Saturday, November 15 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. in the parking lot of 3831 Mt Vernon Ave. (MOM’s Organic Market). City of Alexandria residents are invited to bring accepted materials and watch the process via a monitor on the side of the shredding truck – all accepted materials will be securely recycled afterwards!

Accepted Materials:

  • Documents (with or without staples or paperclips)
  • Financial documents
  • Legal documents
  • Address books
  • Sensitive mail
  • Medical records

NOT Accepted Materials:

  • Office supplies (e.g. staple removers or hole punchers)
  • Batteries
  • Hanging folders
  • Electronics
  • Microfiche
  • 3-ring binders
  • Plastic report covers
  • Binder clips
  • Acetate covers

For additional questions about accepted materials, contact wastesmart@alexandriava.gov.  

What Goes Where

News

  • Recycling Implementation Plans (RIP Form) 
    Notifications for the annual Recycling Implementation Plan (RIP form) process will be mailed out on December 1st. This year, the City will use its new APEX permitting system to review all RIP forms submitted through the City's online CSS web portal. Instructions for how to submit your RIP forms will be available on our Recycling at Work page. 
  • Recycle Glass at the Purple Glass Recycling Bins
    Effective January 15, 2020, customers who receive City recycling service must bring glass containers to one of the region’s “purple bin” drop-off locations to ensure the glass will be recycled. Glass placed in the bins is processed at a Fairfax County facility, where it is crushed into gravel and sand or recycled into new glass products.
  • Recycle Right Alexandria Sorting Game
    The Resource Recovery Division received the Virginia Recycling Association's "Show Me the Way Award" for the Recycle Right sorting game. The award recognizes organizations that have taken actions to have a positive impact on people's understanding of how to recycle. The City's new sorting game teaches children age 7 and up to properly sort recyclables, yard waste, and trash. Visit alexandriava.recycle.game to play!  
  • No Plastic Bags in the Recycling Bin
    Alexandria's recycling processor does not accept plastic bags, wraps or film of any type in our residential recycling collections. Plastic bags get caught in the sorting machinery creating maintenance shut downs and safety problems for workers. Therefore, please return plastic bags to local grocery stores for recycling. To find the nearest plastic bag drop-off location, click here.
Photo of three blue recycling carts used in Alexandria

Recycling at Home

Information for renters and home owners about what, when, where, why and how to recycle at apartments, condos, home owner associations, and single family homes.
Logo that reads "Recycling @ Work" in blue and green font

Recycling at Work

Information for property managers, tenants and employees about recycling requirements and what, when, where, why and how to recycle at non-residential buildings.
a photo of a blue, City-issues metal recycling can in an Alexandria park. "Eco-City Alexandria" sticker affixed to the front.

Recycling on the Go

Information about recycling at public buildings and special events in the City of Alexandria.

Stay Connected

Sign Up for Solid Waste & Recycling eNews - Would you like to receive more information about recycling and solid waste programs? Need a quick reminder when service will be delayed due to a holiday? With the City of Alexandria's free eNews service, you receive updates about recycling and solid waste, in addition to more than 80 additional topics that may interest you.