Does the City of Norfolk take care of my recycling? Yes. The City of Norfolk picks up your recycling and deposits the materials at the TFC Recycling Material Recovery Facility. The materials are purchased by outside vendors, who then create new materials for consumer and manufacturing use.
How can I request a recycling cart? Citizens of Norfolk that live in residences with 4 units or less qualify for the curbside recycling program with a 95-gallon cart collected every other week. You may request up to one additional cart if your family regularly exceeds the capacity of one cart. Visit RecycleRightNorfolk.org to make the request. One will be delivered to your home by the City of Norfolk within 10 business days.
What can I place in my recycling cart? Newspaper, glass (clear, brown and green), plastic bottles & jugs (those with a spout), steel cans, unwanted mail, cardboard (corrugated, cardboard & chipboard), magazines, telephone books, and aluminum cans, pie plates and foil. Shredded paper can also be included; only ribbon-cut and placed in a paper bag (to prevent litter). All other materials should be placed in your green trash cart for regular trash collection.
Check out this quick video that helps answer questions about what items can (and cannot) be included in your blue recycling cart here in Norfolk.
When is my recycling picked up? Curbside collection of recyclable materials takes place every other week, on the same day as your regular trash collection. Still unsure? Call 441-5813 or visit The City of Norfolk for your correct dates.
My recycling wasn't collected. What do I do now? We apologize if your cart was missed during its regularly scheduled collection. First make sure you placed your cart out on the correct date. Visit The City of Norfolk to view your collection schedule. If your recycling was missed during collection, call 441-5813 by close of business the following day to be included in a missed collections pickup. If your collection was scheduled for Friday, call by close of business the following Monday. All reports after that time will have to wait for the next collection date.
What if I live in an apartment building or can't wait until my collection date? You can take your recyclables to any one of the two drop-off sites in Norfolk*. These sites are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and also accept flattened cardboard. Drop-off sites are located at: the corner of 17th St.& Colonial Ave.(Maury High School); Security Lane off of North Military Highway, next to Norfolk Technical Vocational School.
What can I do with used electronics? These items, may be taken to two collection sites:
1176 Pineridge Rd. (Industrial Park), Norfolk Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m..
1195 Lance Road (Division of Towing), Norfolk, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
FREE TO ALL NORFOLK RESIDENTS. Norfolk businesses on the city's trash collection system are also eligible for the drop off facility. For details, call 441-5813. Call in advance if amount is more than will fit in a pickup truck.
How can I dispose of sensitive documents safely? Any Norfolk waste customer may have their sensitive paper documents shredded by City of Norfolk staff at no cost. This service is available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, at 1195 Lance Rd. in Norfolk. While-you-wait service is available for those bringing in up to 100 sheets. Those with a shopping bag or less may drop-off documents for shredding. Click here for map and complete list of information.
How can I recycle used batteries? Batteries can be dropped at the Ernie Morgan Center 24-hours or at 1176 Pineridge Road (Division of Waste Management) Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.. There are over 20 stores and other sites in Norfolk that accept rechargeable batteries. Visit RBRC for the one nearest you.
What does the recycling symbol on containers and other items mean? The "chasing arrows", or mobius symbol, is used to represent an item that is either recyclable or has been from recycled materials. If the item is plastic, the number inside the mobius represents the type of plastic used to make the item. Many consumers get confused, feeling that the presence of the mobius indicates the item is recyclable in their city's program. Because programs vary from city to city all over the country, this is not an accurate way to gauge what is or is not acceptable in your city's recycling program. For a list of what's accepted in Norfolk, see the above question and answer.
What plastics can I recycle? Not all plastics are alike. The products and packaging for our everyday products is made up of different types of plastic. Currently, the plastics most in demand by vendors are those bottles and jugs used mostly for containing beverages or other food or mild cleaners. Most of these have and number "1" or "2" inside the recycling symbol, imprinted on the container itself. However, due to the way some packaging is manufactured, not all "1"s and "2"s are alike and compatible with current recycling markets. Therefore, we encourage our Norfolk recycling customers to recycle only those bottles and jugs that are used for pouring, have a spout, or have a screw top. The caps to these containers are made from a different type of plastic, so we ask they be removed and placed in with regular trash.
What do I do with old clothing that isn't fit for donation? Old textiles (clothing, shoes and other fabrics) can be dropped in special containers located at the Norfolk drop-off recycling centers. Centers, located at the corner of 17th St.& Colonial Ave.(Maury High School) and on Security Lane behind the Wachovia Bank (accesible from the Norfolk Vocational and Technical School parking lot) off N. Military Hwy, are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The materials are then resold or recycled into new textiles and shipped to overseas markets.
How do I recycle other stuff? Want to recycle construction debris? What about crayons? Toner and ink cartridges? We've created a Recycling Directory to help you with some of those items that can't go in your recycling cart! Know of some other recycling resources not listed? Let us know so we can add them!
What else can I do to "be green"? Head on over www.GoGreenNorfolk.org and learn about all things green with the City of Norfolk!
Citizens of Norfolk that live in residences with 4 units or less qualify for the curbside recycling program with a 95-gallon cart collected every other week. You may request up to one additional cart if your family regularly exceeds the capacity of one cart. Visit