CUSTOMER NOTICE: Effective Monday, April 25, 2011, the Department of Public Works will begin charging residents $45 each for new 32-gallon trash carts and 32-gallon recycling carts. The new fee is necessary to allow the Department to restock the supply of trash carts used in twice-a-week collection neighborhoods and recycling carts used citywide. Demand for the 32-gallon carts outstripped DPW’s ability to replenish its inventory and stay within the FY 2011budget. DPW will continue to charge $62.50 for Supercans, the trash containers used in once-a-week collection neighborhoods.

DPW is unable to continue providing a free Supercan to new homeowners. Seniors will be required to pay the full amount for a Supercan ($62.50). 

Requests for the containers may be made by calling 311 or placed through the DPW website, or by sending an e-mail to dpw@dc.gov. Residents may pay for their containers by check or money order, made payable to the “DC Treasurer,” and the address where the container is to be delivered should be written on the payment. Mail payment to Department of Public Works, 2750 South Capitol St SE, Washington, DC 20032. DPW advises residents that payment should be received within 10 business days of placing the request; otherwise, the request will not be filled. When that occurs, the resident should place a new request. Containers will be delivered within 10 business days after receiving payment. Once the container is delivered, residents should put their address on the side and top and record the container’s serial number to help deter theft and assist in identifying the container if it does go missing.

TRASH COLLECTION SERVICE: DPW collects trash once-a-week in Wards 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 and parts of Wards 1 and 2. These households use 96-gallon Supercans. Most, but not all trash collections in Wards 1 and 2 are twice-a-week (Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday). These households use 32-gallon mini-Supercans. Trash is collected from single-family residences and residential buildings with three or fewer living units.

Holiday collections “slide” to the next day(s) after the holiday. Example: In once-a-week collection neighborhoods when the holiday is observed on a Monday, those collections will slide be made Tuesday and so on through the week. Example: In twice-a-week collection neighborhoods, when the holiday occurs on a Tuesday, normal Monday collections will be made on Monday, while Thursday’s collections will be made Friday. In general, Monday/Thursday collections are made Tuesday and Friday; Tuesday/Friday collections are made Wednesday and Saturday.

How to dispose of prescription drugs*

• Take unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs out of their original containers
• Mix the prescription drugs with an undesirable substance, like used coffee grounds or kitty litter, and put them in impermeable, non-descript containers, such as empty cans or sealable bags, further ensuring that the drugs are not diverted or accidentally ingested by children or pets
• Throw these containers in the trash or recycling cart
• Flush prescription drugs down the toilet only if the accompanying patient information specifically instructs it is safe to do so
• Return unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs to pharmaceutical take-back locations that allow the public to bring unused drugs to a central location for safe disposal

*Based on recommendations of the FDA and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy

How You Can Help

• Visit collectionday.dcgis.dc.gov for your trash/recycling day(s).
• Place trash and recycling containers out for collection after 6:30 pm the night before collection or before 6 am on collection day. Residents are required to remove trash and recycling containers from public space by 8 pm on your collection day.
• Between collections, store trash and recycling containers on your property rather than in the alley or on the sidewalk. Otherwise, you may receive a solid waste ticket.
• Paint your address on your trash and recycling containers and record the number that appears on these containers to help prevent theft or loss.
• If your 32-gallon trash can, 96-gallon Supercan, or recycling container is missing, stolen, badly damaged, or if you need an additional trash or recycling container, call 311. Additional Supercans or replacement Supercans cost $62.50. The 32-gallon trash and recycling carts are $45 each.
• If a damaged Supercan or 32-gallon trash or recycling cart can be repaired, DPW will make the repair for free.
• Did we miss a collection or do you have another service problem? Call 311, the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center.

Just the Facts

• The Department of Public Works removes approximately 100,000 tons of trash and about 32,000 tons of recyclables from 105,000 single-family homes and small residential buildings (with no more than three living units) each year.
• All sanitation crews use a comprehensive system known as DPW Works to manage crew deployment, time reporting, truck monitoring, and other operations.
• DPW collects trash separately from recycling. The trucks used are the same for both service, but the contents are not comingled.