Most Reston homes use a private hauler, often through the HOA; Fairfax County serves about 10% of homes. County customers call 703-802-3322.
Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Facts on this page come from Fairfax County’s Recycling and Trash pages.
Reston is not a town. It has no city hall and no town trash service, so who collects your trash depends on where you live. Fairfax County says about 90% of residents and businesses countywide get trash and recycling pickup from a private collection company, billed directly by the company or paid through homeowners association fees. The other 10% or so live in county Solid Waste Collection Areas (sanitary districts) and are county collection customers, billed on the annual tax assessment.
Who to call
- Not sure who collects your trash, or a county customer with a missed pickup: Fairfax County Solid Waste customer service, 703-802-3322 (TTY 711), or DPWESSWMPTrashCS@fairfaxcounty.gov
- Private service (most Reston homes): your hauler, or your cluster or HOA manager if the HOA holds the contract. The county keeps a list of permitted collection companies.
- Drop-off: I-66 Transfer Station, 703-631-1179
- Official page: Does Fairfax County Pick Up My Trash?
Step 1: find out who your hauler is
Put your full street address into the county’s collection area map. If your home is in the highlighted area, Fairfax County picks up your trash. If you live on a boundary or the map is unclear, call 703-802-3322.
If you are outside the county area, your pickup day, holiday schedule and bulk-item rules come from your private hauler, not the county. In Reston that contract is often held by the cluster or condominium association, so the association manager is the first call.
County collection customers
The county gives each home one 95-gallon trash cart and one 95-gallon recycling cart, according to its County Collection Customers page.
- Set-out time: carts at the curb by 6 a.m. on your collection day. Crews work between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- Trash: all trash bagged inside the county cart.
- Yard waste: from March 1 to Dec. 24, grass, leaves and brush go at the curb separately from trash.
- Missed pickup: wait until late in the day, then report it by 4:30 p.m. the next business day at 703-802-3322 or on the missed pickup form. If you set out after 6 a.m. and were missed, hold the trash until your next day.
- Recycling carts: as of Oct. 5, the county said it was out of 95-gallon recycling carts while it waits for a new shipment. Customers without a cart may set recyclables out clean, loose and dry in a box on collection day.
- Email alerts: sign up for Trash and Recycling Collection E-Updates.
Holiday schedule
For county customers, the county’s holiday hours page says regular trash, recycling, yard waste and special collections run on every holiday except Christmas Day. Christmas falls on Friday, Dec. 25 this year; watch the county collection notices for the make-up day. Private haulers set their own holiday schedules.
The I-66 Transfer Station closes on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day and keeps regular hours on other holidays, according to the same page.
Bulk items and special pickups
County customers can schedule a special pickup for bulk items, brush, metal, appliances with refrigerant and electronics such as computers and TVs, for loads under 2 cubic yards. Five collections per commodity each fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) are included in the service. Book at 703-802-3322 or with the special pickup form. The county warned on Sept. 14 that special pickups were running behind; leave items at the curb until they are collected.
Private customers should ask their hauler about bulk pickup.
Drop it off yourself
Every Fairfax County resident can use the I-66 Transfer Station, the nearest county disposal center to Reston, at 4618 West Ox Road in Fairfax. Proof of county residency, such as a driver’s license or utility bill, may be required.
| Service at I-66 | Hours for residents |
|---|---|
| Trash and recycling, food scraps | 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday |
| Household hazardous waste and electronics | Monday and Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Wednesday |
The recycling area takes cans, plastic bottles and jugs, glass bottles, mixed paper, cardboard, cartons, metals, car batteries, used motor oil, antifreeze and cooking oil. Fees apply to some trash loads; see the county’s residential disposal fees.
Not sure where something goes? The county’s What Goes Where tool covers most household items.
Leaves
Some Fairfax County neighborhoods pay a leaf collection service charge on the tax bill and get vacuum leaf pickup in the fall. Check the vacuum leaf service area map and the leaf collection status page.
Related guides
- Fairfax County property taxes, including the county refuse fee on the tax bill
- Who to call in Reston
- Moving to Reston
Frequently asked questions
Who picks up trash in Reston?
Reston has no town government, so there is no town trash service. Fairfax County says about 90% of homes countywide use a private collection company, billed by the company or through homeowners association fees; about 10% are county collection customers.
How do I find out if Fairfax County collects my trash?
Enter your address on the county’s collection area map, or call 703-802-3322 (TTY 711). If you are not in a county collection area, your HOA or a private hauler handles pickup.
Is trash pickup delayed for holidays in Fairfax County?
For county collection customers, trash, recycling, yard waste and special pickups run on every holiday except Christmas Day. Private haulers set their own holiday schedules.
Where can Reston residents take trash and recycling themselves?
Any Fairfax County resident can use the I-66 Transfer Station at 4618 West Ox Road in Fairfax, open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Call 703-631-1179.
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