Recycling at Condos, Apartments & HOAs

General Information

Condominiums, apartments, and Homeowners Association's (HOAs) are required to provide recycling to residents beginning July 1, 2006. These entities are subject to the requirements described under Article H of Title 5, which was unanimously approved by City Council in February 2006.

Acceptable Materials

Generally accepted recyclable materials include:

• All plastic bottles and jugs
• All glass bottles and jars
• All metal beverage and food cans
• Newspaper with inserts
• Magazines, catalogs, and phone books
• Junk mail including envelops with windows
• Paperboard (cereal & cracker boxes, paper towel rolls, egg cartons)
• Brown paper bags
• Cardboard boxes (flattened).

Remember to rinse containers. No need to remove labels.

Please view the City's "Yes/No List" for more information on what is recyclable in the general recycling collection programs.

Please contact your HOA, property manager or owner to find out what is specifically acceptable and how to recycle at your home.

Unacceptable Materials

• Non-food & beverage metal containers (i.e. metal blinds, pots & pans, etc.)  These items can be recycled weekly at Covanta:
  • Address: 5301 Eisenhower Avenue Alexandria, VA
  • Phone Number: 703-370-7722 
  • Hours: Monday-Friday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.
  • Alexandria residents only, valid City sticker on your car required.  Learn more how to recycle your small metal items at Covanta. 
• Waxed covered paper (i.e. frozen food boxes, political signs, wax paper, etc.)
• Ceramic Cups and Glasses
• Styrofoam and Packing Peanuts 
• Pizza boxes: Pizza boxes are typically contaminated by oils and food leftover from the pizza and cannot be cleaned from the cardboard.
• Plastic Garbage bags: Plastic garbage bags should not be used or placed in Alexandria's curbside recycling program. These bags become tangled in the recycling processing machines causing damage and higher costs to recycling.
• Small/large propane tanks (i.e. camping propane tanks).
• Non-accept plastic containers and bags: Plastic containers are made with different types of plastic and are formed differently. This causes these containers to melt at a different temperature. To know which plastic containers your recycling program accepts, contact your property manager or owner. Plastic grocery bags/film are collected at most neighborhood grocery stores.
  
  For more information on recycling plastics, please read the following article "Recycling Plastic: Complications and Limitations."

As the markets change and develop, what is and is not recyclable may change. The City of Alexandria's Recycling Program will work to keep you informed about what is and is not recyclable.

Request More Information

Please contact the Recycling Coordinator at 703-746-4410 *Please Note the New Number* or commercialrecycling@alexandriava.gov.