Policy Update

Beginning Friday, December 6, 2024, Waste Management will no longer allow trailers hauling landscaping equipment (lawnmowers, blowers, weed eaters, etc.) access to the City’s Landfill.

Service Delayed

Due to an unexpected equipment shortage, services at the Landfill and Resource Recovery Center may be delayed.

The City’s Landfill & Resource Recovery Center is open to all Virginia Beach residents and offers a wide variety of disposal options for everything from household waste to household hazardous waste. 

This facility houses the landfill, which is used to dispose of household waste, and the Resource and Recovery Center (which includes the household hazardous waste disposal program) which is used for traditional recycling (like cardboard, plastics, and glass), alternative recycling (electronics, metals, tires, concrete), and safe disposal of household hazardous waste (batteries, appliances with freon/refrigerant, paint, aerosols).

Landfill & Resource Recovery Center Policies

In order to provide a safe environment for residents and Landfill and Resource Recovery Center operators and staff, the following rules and regulations are in effect. In addition, the City of Virginia Beach Code of Ordinances Chapter 31 is applicable to all Landfill and Resource Recovery Center guests and employees.

  • Proof of Virginia Beach residency is required for entry. Acceptable proof of residency would include a valid Virginia driver’s license showing the resident’s primary Virginia Beach address. 
    • Residents without a local driver’s license must provide a Photo ID and a recent utility bill, rent receipt, or check draft with the name matching the Photo ID. Digital identification is not acceptable. The Virginia Beach resident on the driver’s license or Photo ID must be present.
  • Only residential vehicles are permitted to enter the landfill for disposal purposes. Residential vehicles are defined as privately owned, non-commercial automobiles, station wagons, passenger vans, minivans, or unmodified low-sided pick-up trucks. 
    • Vehicles with ladder racks, commercial signage, work equipment, cargo vans, or panel vans are considered non-residential vehicles and are not permitted in the Landfill and Resource Recovery Center regardless of whether the materials being disposed of are from a residents primary Virginia Beach residence. Trailers hauling landscaping equipment (lawnmowers, blowers, weed eaters, etc.) are prohibited.
  • Trailers more than 10’ (feet) in length or with a dump bed are prohibited. Trailers less than 10’ (feet) are authorized, but restricted from bringing in brush or tree branches due to the potential fire concern.
  • Waste being brought into the Landfill and Resource Recovery Center, including Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) must be generated from the primary residence of a Virginia Beach resident.
  • Items to be deposited in the landfill must be placed inside of the convenience center containers. Items cannot be left outside of the containers. The containers do not have an open end and are not below ground level, requiring all items to be lifted of pushed over the container’s side. Please bring someone to help lift items, as needed.
  • Residents should advise the gate attendant of any brush, tree branches, items for the Resource Recovery Center, or items for the Household Hazardous Waste facility in order to be directed to the correct area.
  • Residents are not allowed inside the landfill’s internal operating area. Residents should follow directions from staff members and signage.
  • The City reserves the right to refuse access to the Landfill and Resource Recovery Center when: there is unsafe weather (high winds, lightning, icy roads, snow, of other unsafe conditions), lack of storage capacity, mechanical breakdowns, or if specific types of materials are not needed at the time.
  • Authorization from the on-duty Virginia Department of Professional and Occupations Regulation (DPOR) licensed waste management facility operator is required for exceptions to these policies unless otherwise stated in City Code.

Unacceptable Items

The following items are not accepted at the landfill:

  • All waste materials generated from commercial operations
  • ​Animal carcasses
  • Animal manure
  • Bagged yard debris
  • Boats
  • Commercial tires, agricultural equipment, and industrial tires
  • Dust or severely dust-laden waste
  • Hazardous waste
  • Heavy construction and demolition rubble
  • Large quantities of cable, wire rope, and similar materials
  • Large tree trunk stumps and timber over 6 inches in diameter, unless cut to firewood length (18 inches)
  • Loose and bagged leaves
  • Materials containing friable asbestos
  • Medical waste
  • Oil drums (unless both ends are cut out and rinsed)
  • PCB (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) waste
  • Radioactive waste
  • Railroad ties and creosote-treated materials
  • Special waste - including contaminated soil, pesticide containers, sandblasting wastes, sludge, etc.
  • Engine blocks, transmissions, and axles, unless disassembled and drained of free liquids
  • Waste deemed unacceptable by the landfill superintendent or designee or prohibited by the City’s operating permit.