Curbside Glass Recycling To Be Scrapped In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The City of Alexandria will halt curbside recycling of glass on Jan. 15, 2020. When that change takes effect, city customers must recycle glass containers at purple drop-off bins or throw them in the trash.

The city cited growing recycling contamination, increasing recycling costs and lack of regional glass-sorting facilities. Under the current recycling program, glass is ending up in the trash. The WasteSmart Strategic Plan adopted by City Council earlier in 2018 addressed the glass recycling change.

The city has partnered with other jurisdictions to offer purple glass recycling bins at 25 locations across the region. Five are in Alexandria:

• S. Whiting Street (At the end of S. Whiting Street, intersecting at Tower Court)
• 3224 Colvin Street
• 4251 Eisenhower Avenue
• Jones Point Park (On the left, at the end of S. Royal Street, heading south)
• MOM's Organic Market (recycling bin opening in January 2020)

The purple drop-off bins accept only glass bottles and jars of all colors. Items should be emptied and rinsed, and metal lids and caps can be kept on. Glass should not be placed in plastic bags and not contain food or liquids. Items not accepted include lamps, bulbs, glass ceramics, porcelain, mirrors, windows, Pyrex and glass sheets.