FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. – Residents may soon be able to place glass bottles and jars in their regular blue recycling bins again. County Supervisor Pat Herrity presented a proposal on Tuesday to explore restoring curbside glass recycling, seven years after the service was discontinued.
Why the change is being considered
When Fairfax County stopped collecting glass curbside in 2019, the single‑stream recycling system could not efficiently separate glass, leading to large quantities ending up in landfills. Since then, the county has relied on a network of 40 purple drop‑off bins where residents must manually transport their glass for processing.
Herrity said advances in sorting technology now allow recycled glass to be separated more effectively, and a viable market exists for the material. “I think more people will do it if they can do it curbside than are currently doing it in the bins, and it’s what I hear from our residents—they want the ability to do that,” he said.
Potential cost savings for taxpayers
The supervisor also highlighted possible savings. Transporting glass from the purple bins requires dedicated collection trucks, adding extra mileage and fuel costs. By integrating glass into the existing single‑stream curbside program, the county could use the same trucks that already service paper, plastic and metal, reducing expenses.
Implementation challenges
About 90% of Fairfax County households use private trash haulers, which adds complexity to any change in recycling operations. County officials acknowledge that adjustments will be needed to coordinate with these contractors and to ensure the new system runs smoothly.
Christopher Herrington, Director of Fairfax County Public Works, said the county is nearing a “tipping point” but is not yet ready to commit. “I think the time could be now, we have reached that tipping point, and it may be time for us to talk about putting glass back into the blue bins,” he said. “We’re not there yet.”
Next steps
Public Works and the Board of Supervisors will analyze the proposal over the coming months, looking at equipment needs, market demand for recycled glass, and the logistics of working with private haulers. The goal is to determine whether curbside glass recycling can realistically be reinstated by the start of the next fiscal year.
In the meantime, residents are encouraged to continue using the existing purple recycling bins for glass disposal.
Original reporting: Arlington County | FOX 5 DC — read the source article.
