Recycling Centers in Virginia: 195 Locations

Recycling in Virginia

Virginia lists 195 recycling centers across 92 cities, spanning scrap processors, electronics collectors, and municipal drop-off facilities. The state does not have a bottle-deposit law. Virginia's primary e-waste statute is the Computer Recovery and Recycling Act of 2008, which requires manufacturers of desktop computers, laptop computers, and computer monitors to register with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and provide free take-back recycling for consumers. The law does not cover televisions, printers, or other consumer electronics. The DEQ reports a statewide recycling rate of 42.5% as of 2023 — up from 19.7% in 1991 — driven in part by a statutory mandate requiring planning units serving populations of 100,000 or more to achieve a 25% recycling rate, and smaller units to reach 15%.

Recycling centers concentrate heavily in the Richmond metro and Northern Virginia corridor. Richmond dominates the directory with 28 centers, far ahead of any other city. Lynchburg, Alexandria, and Arlington each list 8 centers. Roanoke follows with 7, Fredericksburg with 6, and both Harrisonburg and Midlothian with 5 each.

Virginia residents recycle primarily through curbside programs operated by individual cities and counties, supplemented by drop-off sites and manufacturer take-back events for computers and monitors. Because televisions and printers are not covered by the Computer Recovery and Recycling Act, residents should check with their county solid waste authority for disposal options on those items. Neighboring states include Maryland and D.C. to the north and North Carolina to the south. The DEQ publishes an annual recycling rate report and maintains a list of electronics take-back sites at deq.virginia.gov.

Top Cities by Number of Centers

Richmond 28 Alexandria 8 Arlington 8 Lynchburg 8 Roanoke 7 Fredericksburg 6 Charlottesville 5 Harrisonburg 5

All Cities in Virginia

Alexandria 8 centers Amherst 1 center Appomattox 1 center Arlington 8 centers Ashland 2 centers Bedford 2 centers Bentonville 1 center Blacksburg 2 centers Brodnax 1 center Brookneal 1 center Buena Vista 2 centers Cave Spring 1 center Charles City 1 center Charlotte Court House 1 center Charlottesville 5 centers Chase City 1 center Chesapeake 1 center Chester 4 centers Christiansburg 1 center Colonial Heights 1 center Community 1 center Culpeper 3 centers Cumberland 1 center Danville 1 center Dinwiddie 1 center Edinburg 1 center Elkton 1 center Emporia 1 center Faber 1 center Fairfax 2 centers Falls Church 3 centers Farmville 2 centers Fishersville 2 centers Forest 1 center Fort Chiswell 1 center Fredericksburg 6 centers Gainesville 1 center Gladstone 1 center Greenville 1 center Hampton 2 centers Harrisonburg 5 centers Hayes 1 center Haymarket 1 center Henrico 2 centers Keene 1 center Kenbridge 2 centers King William 1 center Leesburg 1 center Lexington 1 center Lorton 1 center Lovingston 1 center Lynchburg 8 centers Madison Heights 2 centers Maidens 1 center Manassas 2 centers Martinsville 2 centers Midlothian 5 centers Mineral 2 centers Montvale 1 center Mount Jackson 1 center Mount Solon 1 center Nellysford 1 center Norfolk 1 center North Chesterfield 2 centers Orange 1 center Partlow 1 center Petersburg 3 centers Prince George 1 center Providence Forge 1 center Richmond 28 centers Roanoke 7 centers Rockville 1 center Rocky Mount 2 centers Ruckersville 1 center Salem 1 center South Boston 2 centers Springfield 1 center Stanley 1 center Staunton 1 center Sterling 1 center Stuart 1 center Suffolk 2 centers Troy 1 center Vinton 1 center Virginia Beach 2 centers Waverly 1 center Waynesboro 2 centers West Point 1 center Williamsburg 2 centers Windsor 2 centers Woodbridge 1 center Yorktown 2 centers

Recycling in Virginia — FAQ

Does Virginia have a bottle deposit law?

No. Virginia does not have a bottle bill or container-deposit system. Residents recycle beverage containers through curbside pickup and drop-off programs run by local governments. The 195 centers listed across Virginia accept aluminum, glass, and plastic containers at their respective facilities.

What electronics must be recycled under Virginia law?

Under the Virginia Computer Recovery and Recycling Act of 2008, manufacturers of desktop computers, laptop computers, and computer monitors must provide free take-back recycling for Virginia consumers. The law does not extend to televisions, printers, mobile phones, or tablets. Covered computers and monitors must not be sent to landfills; contact DEQ or check deq.virginia.gov for registered collector sites near you.

What recycling rate is Virginia required to meet?

Virginia law requires solid waste planning units serving populations of 100,000 or more to achieve a recycling rate of at least 25%, and those serving smaller populations to reach at least 15%. Statewide, Virginia achieved a 42.5% recycling rate in 2023 according to the DEQ, up significantly from 19.7% in 1991.

Where are the largest recycling hubs in Virginia?

Richmond is by far the largest hub with 28 recycling centers. Northern Virginia cities Alexandria and Arlington each list 8, matching Lynchburg. Roanoke offers 7 centers and Fredericksburg lists 6.