Yard Waste Drop-Off Site Opens In Alexandria Amid Service Changes

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The City of Alexandria opened a yard waste drop-off site Tuesday, April 28 amid coronavirus-related collection changes. The disposal option comes after the city's curbside collection of yard waste was suspended.

The site at 4251 Eisenhower Avenue at is open Tuesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is only open to City of Alexandria residents with proof of residency. Contractors and commercial entities are not permitted to drop off materials. An ID or utility bill with your name or address should be provided. Anyone visiting the site is asked to wear a face covering or mask.

Residents are responsible for removing materials from their vehicles and placing them in the appropriate disposal containers. Materials should be brought in biodegradable paper bags or any reusable container that can be emptied. Dirt, sod, stones, rocks and stumps are not accepted, and materials cannot be in plastic bags.

The site is only accessible from the west due to road work. Residents arriving from the east will pass the facility, turn around and join a queue to enter the site from the west.

The city made a number of changes to reduce the risk of the new coronavirus to refuse workers. As of April 13, crews were not collecting bags and bulk material outside city-provided carts. Customers without city-provided carts must put trash in sealed or tied plastic bags.

Curbside collections of yard waste, bulk material and metal are suspended until further notice, and the Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Collection Center is closed. Food waste drop-off stations at Alexandria farmers markets are also suspended. The city recommended backyard composting or throwing these items in the trash.

The impact of people staying home and cleaning during the pandemic has resulted in a regional increase of trash and safety risks to refuse workers. Northern Virginia localities have urged residents to minimize waste as regional refuse and recycling increased by 40 percent, according to the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. Disposal facilities shared between localities are "operating at close to capacity and struggling with labor shortages," the commission said in a news release.

The Northern Virginia Regional Commission shared the following tips with residents:

• Do not set extra bags outside the cart.
• Keep your spring-cleaning pile in the basement, attic or garage for now.
• Flatten cardboard boxes to create more room in the recycling cart.
• Grass cycle lawn clippings.
• Make sure all trash is in a bag and bags are securely closed.
• No plastic bags in recycling, make sure recyclables are empty, clean and dry. Check with your county, city or town for what to include in recycling.
• Dispose of used wipes, tissues, and paper towels in trash bags that are tied shut and place inside trash containers for disposal. Never dispose of disposable wipes, paper towels, rags and similar items in the toilet—these items damage sewer systems to the point of system failures and potential backups.
• Don’t litter—when outside the home, properly dispose of masks, gloves, wipes and other items in the trash.