Glass Recycling

Glass Recycling Program Update

Beginning April 1, 2022, residents who receive City recycling services are no longer allowed to place glass in curbside recycling. Residents should reuse glass containers or bring them to one of the Purple Can Club glass-only drop-off containers located throughout the region (see map below), or dispose of glass in the trash.

Glass Recycling Challenges

Glass creates many problems for single-stream recycling. Glass containers break during collection and processing; liquids in the glass bottles and jars negatively impact paper and cardboard; and broken glass pieces can collect in other processed materials, which is hazardous to machinery and workers. Much of the recycling infrastructure in the region is not equipped to source separate glass at a high enough quality when comingled in a single-stream recycling system. Debris and grit from other materials contaminate the glass that could be made into new bottles, but is instead discarded into the landfill. Glass is also the heaviest material collected in the recycling stream, creating additional costs for a material that is ultimately landfilled instead of recycled.

Removing glass from the City’s single-stream curbside collection, and collecting glass independently through the region's Purple Can Club will generate a higher quantity and quality of source-separated material that can be made into new glass bottles and jars. To ensure glass is recycled, residents are encouraged to use the Purple Can Club glass-only drop-off containers.

Purple Can Club Program

The City of Fairfax has joined other Northern Virginia jurisdictions in the "Purple Can Club," a recycling program for residents to recycle their glass waste. The Purple Can Club consists of over 40 purple, glass-only drop-off containers located throughout the region.

The majority of the glass collected in these containers will be sent to a glass processing facility where it will be recycled into new glass containers. A portion of the glass will be crushed into sand and gravel for use in a variety of local construction projects, such as paving, pipe bedding, and backfill.

Free glass-recycling tote bags are available to residents thanks to the Glass Recycling Foundation to use as a dedicated receptacle to take their glass products to be recycled at one of the Purple Cans!

Residents can pick up the tote bag at Fairfax City Hall Atrium, 10455 Armstrong St., weekdays between 8:30 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. (excluding holidays). While supplies last.

Glass Drop-off Locations

City residents can use any of the Purple Can Club glass-only drop-off containers in the region (see map below). The City of Fairfax has a purple glass-only drop-off container at 10700 Page Avenue, Fairfax, VA 22030. Visible from Judicial Drive, the container is across the street from the Page Avenue Post Office, in the Burkeholder Administrative Building parking lot. There are currently over 40 glass drop-off containers that residents are encouraged to use.

The drop-off centers are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Glass jars and bottles must be clean. Labels and lids are accepted in the bins.

Map of Glass-only Recycling Drop-off Centers

Recycling Guide

Materials We Accept

• Glass bottles and jars only
• Any colors, shapes and sizes of glass bottles and jars
• Lids and labels can be left on
• Empty and rinse all materials

Materials We Don't Accept

• Do not bag glass (No plastic of any kind)
• No lamps or bulbs (Drop off at I-66 transfer station)
• No miscellaneous glass items, such as: ceramics, porcelain, windows, Pyrex, mirrors or glass sheets

Glass Recycling for Multi-family Units

If you receive refuse and recycling services from a provider other than the City of Fairfax Public Works Department, please check with your provider regarding glass collection. You also are welcome to use the Purple Can Club glass-only drop-off containers.