FAQ

Residential recycling collection is determined by many factors, including the population of an area and cost to provide service to those residents.  Eligibility requirements apply.  To determine if your single family address is included in the program, please try our address search feature, or contact CVWMA at (804)340-0900

CVWMA drop-off recycling sites provide convenient recycling opportunities to homes not included in the residential (curbside) collection program.  The same material is collected in this program as in the residential (curbside) program.  For more information about the drop-off recycling program, click here.

Residential recycling collection through the CVWMA program is only available to single family residences at this time in 9 localities. Please try our address search feature or contact CVWMA at (804)340-0900 to see if your new address has residential (curbside) recycling service. If you are moving from a home that has residential (curbside) recycling collection, remember to leave your CVWMA bin/cart at your old house.  The bin/cart belongs to the house, not to you!  If your new address is eligible for residential (curbside) recycling collection and you don’t have a container there, we will be glad to help you with different container options.

Please click here for the recycling container options where you live. Some of our residential (curbside) recycling local governments let you use personal containers such as paper grocery bags, cardboard boxes, or sturdy plastic totes, small trash cans purchased at a local store.  (No commercial containers). We ask that  your personal container is LARGER THAN 40 gallons that it have a steel bar for easy tipping.  Request stickers to identify your personal container as recycling.

Call CVWMA at at 804-340-0900 or click here for recycling container options where you live. Deliveries can take up to 3 weeks after the request is made.

Yes. Empty, rinse to recycle. This prevents your recyclables from smelling or attracting rodents and insects.  Rinsing also maintains the value of the recyclable material.

Curbside recyclers living in Henrico County can call CVWMA at 804-340-0900 or complete online request for an additional bin. Chesterfield curbside program participants must purchase either CVWMA containers online or their own personal containers at local retail store. (No commercial containers.)  All pre-approved Goochland and Hanover curbside program participants must purchase either CVWMA containers online or their own personal containers at local retail store. No commercial containers.

If your CVWMA green bin is damaged please contact us at 804-340-0900 to see if the local government where you live will provide you with a replacement.

All homes eligible for residential (curbside) recycling service receive our annual mailing of the CVWMA  Recycling Collection Schedule in January.  This generally prompts many non-recyclers who want to begin recycling to call us.

If your community publishes a newsletter or holds community meetings, contact CVWMA Public Information staff to inquire how we may be of assistance.  We can supply an article for your newsletter or give a presentation on the benefits of recycling.

Residential (Curbside) recycling collection through the CVWMA program is only available to residences at this time. To coordinate recycling service to your school/university or business, you will need to contact a private company. Types of materials accepted varies by company. You may wish to contact several companies to determine the best service for your needs.

Residential (Curbside) service is generally provided to single family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and quadraplexes. Townhome complexes are considered private property, so permission must be granted by the association before our Recycling Contractors can authorize their drivers enter parking lots. The size and layout of the parking lots can also make collection difficult for the drivers and access by recycling trucks. Parked cars in front of homes decreases ability of the drivers to see containers for collection.

CVWMA accepts the following items at this time in its residential (aka curbside) recycling program. Accepted items include aluminum and steel cans, food and beverage cartons (empty, rinse and replace cap), glass bottles and jars (no metal lids or caps, no plastic caps attached to glass jars), office paper, mixed paper, newspaper, magazines, flattened cardboard, and kitchen, laundry, and bath plastics bottles, jugs and tubs (empty, rinse, and replace plastic cap to recycle).

No. CVWMA does not accept shredded paper. The paper shreds clog the machinery at the material recovery facility (or MRF) that processes recyclable materials in Chester, contaminates the glass processing and ends up as litter inside the MRF.   Consider contacting a local animal shelter to see if they can use, composting it, or participate in a local document shredding event.

We do not  accept plastic bags, Styrofoam carryout packaging or packing materials, or food contaminated  items such as greasy pizza boxes. Plastic bags can be recycled at local grocery and retail stores.

For more information about recycling or reusing items not accepted in the residential (curbside) or drop-off programs, please visit our online Recycling Wizard.

To find out the collection day at your home, check the back of the collection schedule that was mailed to you by CVWMA (click here to find it).  You may also call CVWMA at (804) 340-0900 to speak with one of our customer service representatives.

On certain holidays observed by local, state, and federal offices the CVWMA curbside recycling and trash collection programs may be delayed one day for the remainder of the week. Click here for the 2020 Holiday Collection Schedule

Sign up to receive an Email Reminder the day before your curbside recycling collection.  To subscribe, click here to find your address in our database of eligible homes.

Over 270,000 homes are provided with curbside recycling collection through CVWMA. Your recycling containers must be out for service by 7 am on your normal collection day. Collection begins at 7:00 am and may continue until 7:00 pm. Please be patient if the drivers drive past your home (or alley). Collection often occurs at different times on each side of the street.

If you are missed, leave your container(s) at the curb. Report the missed collection to CVWMA at (804)340-0900. Please do not email or post on social media a missed collection. If you are calling after business hours, leave a message and your request will be processed the next business day.