Removing solid waste is critical to maintaining a healthy environment.

 

The Department of Public Works removes approximately 128,000 tons of trash and more than 20,000 tons of recyclables from 110,000 single-family homes and small residential buildings (with no more than three living units) each year. Most households follow a once-a-week trash collection schedule and use the 96-gallon plastic rolling cart, or Supercan, for their trash. Homes in neighborhoods with narrow streets and alleys receive twice-weekly trash collection and use the smaller 32-gallon plastic rolling carts (mini-Supercan), or Clean City or personal trash cans.

When a holiday falls on a trash and recycling collection day, collections will “slide” to the next day for the rest of the week after the holiday through Saturday. For example, if the holiday falls on a Monday, DPW will collect Monday routes on Tuesday and so on through Saturday. In neighborhoods with twice-weekly trash collections, if the holiday occurs on a Monday, Monday and Thursday collections will be made Tuesday and Friday, and Tuesday and Friday collections will be made Wednesday and Saturday.

DPW provides a collection route map allowing you to see the trash and recycling collections schedule for your street.

DPW collects up to five bags (per week) of yard waste from residences that receive DPW trash and recycling collection services. Yard waste consists of bagged leaves, grass clippings, weeds, bulbs, twigs, pine cones, and uprooted plants, as well as bundles of branches and limbs tied into four-foot lengths.
Household trash, renovation materials, rocks, bricks and dirt are not considered yard waste. Place bagged leaves and grass clippings where your trash is collected and tie branches and limbs into four-foot lengths. Residents with once-a-week trash/recycling collections should place their bagged or bundled yard waste next to their trash and recycling containers on their collection day. Residents with twice-a-week trash/recycling collections should place their bagged and/or bundled yard waste next to their trash and recycling containers on their second collection day. Up to five bags or bundles will be collected, depending upon the trash truck’s capacity to accept these materials.

Commercial Properties Owners and managers of larger apartment buildings, condominiums, and co-ops are considered commercial properties. They must hire a private, licensed hauler to collect trash, recyclables and bulk items, e.g., appliances and mattresses, from these residences. All commercial buildings and residential buildings with four or more dwelling units must have a recycling program. If your building does not, please call the DPW Recycling Office at (202) 645-8245 to learn what you can do. Business owners and building managers may return to the DPW homepage, and click on “Recycle DC” for information about establishing a recycling plan and a list of licensed recycling haulers.