• Construction Debris & Waste
• Plastic Bag Recycling
• Household Hazardous Waste
• Fluorescent Bulbs

Construction Debris & Waste

The Town of Leesburg does not provide removal for any waste generated by home construction or remodeling services that are performed by contractors. Residents performing their own remodeling may dispose of three (3) 55-gallon bags of construction debris - maximum weight 50 lbs. per bag.  Resident generated construction debris and waste must be called in to Patriot to schedule a bulk pickup.  Construction debris includes, but is not limited to, the following materials: 

• Bricks
• Large Wood Beams
• Fence Posts with or without Concrete Attached at Base
• Asphalt
• Shingles
• Insulation
• Tile - ceramic, porcelain, glass, etc.
• Grout, joint compound, thin-set, mortar, concrete (mixed or dry)
• Stone products including granite, marble, quartz, etc. - regardless of size
• Counter-tops
• No wood will be collected
• Cabinets 
• Carpet and/or carpet padding
• Siding
• Mulch

Before beginning a major home improvement project, please be sure to plan for the removal of such debris by making an arrangement with your contractor. Residents may also take items to the landfill. You will also need to make arrangements for removal of yard waste generated by landscape services, as the Town will not collect debris generated by contracted landscape services.

Please contact Patriot Disposal Services at 703.771.6677 if you have any questions. 

Plastic Bag Recycling

While recyclers accept plastic bags in some areas, the opportunities are limited due to the large quantities needed to make this recyclable material a viable resource.  According to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, it takes roughly 40,000 lbs. of plastic bags to make recycling an option for the bags - thus making it very difficult for recyclers to offer a workable program to the average residential community.

How can residents help reduce the litter and waste created from these bags? One option is to recycle plastic bags.  The website plasticbagrecycling.org offers an interactive locator for obtaining a list of stores that offer plastic bag recycling as well as what types of bags can be recycled.  Many of our local grocery and discount stores accept plastic bags from any store for recycling.

Another option is to use reusable shopping bags.  Often crafted from recycled material, these tote bags can be used over and over again at the grocery store, running errands, bringing lunch to work - a multitude of uses - and won't end up adding plastic bags to the landfill or litter to local waterways and natural habitats.

Whichever method you choose, please help keep Leesburg a beautiful place to live, work and visit by keeping plastic bags from becoming litter or adding to the landfill.  For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Public Works at 703-771-2790 or e-mail trash@leesburgva.gov.

Household Hazardous Waste

Household Hazardous Waste is defined as items containing ingredients that could be harmful to humans, pets or the environment. These include common items found in many households, such as cleaning products, paint, and garden chemicals. Many of these products have warning labels indicating the product is hazardous and requires special disposal. These items should not be disposed of with regular household waste or recyclables. Special collection centers and events have been established to handle the safe disposal of these items. The Town of Leesburg does not collect Hazardous Household Waste items; however, Loudoun County’s Department of General Services, Waste Management Division, sponsors local events for this purpose. 

The Loudoun County Department of General Services, Waste Management Division, hosts several events per year throughout the County to help residents safely dispose of unwanted hazardous materials. Please visit the Loudoun County Department of General Services, Waste Management Division  or phone 703-777-0187 for more information on a complete list of items that are acceptable and unacceptable at the landfill.

Fluorescent Bulbs

Safe Disposal

To safely dispose of these bulbs, and other specialty products containing Neon, etc., wrap them securely to prevent breakage and take them to a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection event in your community. Loudoun County’s Office of Solid Waste Management hosts several events around the County throughout the year. Please visit Loudoun County’s website for the latest HHW event schedule or they can be directly taken to the Loudoun County Landfill. Patriot Disposal does not collect these.

Bulb Damage or Breakage

If a bulb breaks, close off the room to other parts of the building. Open a window to disperse any vapor that may escape, and leave the room for at least 15 minutes. Carefully scoop up the fragments with a stiff paper (do not use your hands) and wipe the area with a disposable paper towel to remove all glass fragments. Do not use a vacuum as this disperses the mercury over a wider area. All fragments should be placed in a sealed plastic bag, labeled and properly disposed of as household hazardous waste. No adverse effects are expected from occasional exposure to broken lamps.

If a lamp breaks on carpet, first remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner, following the instructions above. Sticky tape (i.e. duct tape) can pick up small pieces and powder. If you must vacuum, after doing so, remove vacuum bag or wipe out the canister, and put bag or vacuum debris in two sealed plastic bags in an outdoor trash container or a protected outdoor location. Wash your hands. (Source: EnergyStar, USEPA)

For more information on recycling in Loudoun County, please call the Waste Management Division at 703-771-5552. You may also visit Know Toxics for more information on safe disposal of various hazardous materials.