Effective July 1, Loudoun County residents will be required to add cardboard, paperboard and yard waste to the list of materials separated for recycling.
Cardboard, paperboard and yard waste are very bulky items that consume significant amounts of landfill space and are easily recycled into beneficial products. More than 13,000 tons of yard waste were collected last year in Loudoun County alone.
Loudoun residents will now be required to separate newspapers and magazines, container glass, metal and aluminum cans and plastic beverage and detergent containers, cardboard, and paperboard for recycling.
Yard waste must also be recycled if not left on the ground for mulch, provided the resident has contracted with a solid waste collector providing that service. The required cardboard, paperboard and yard waste recycling is part of the implementation of new recycling guidelines, which went into effect on Jan. 1.
To recycle:
* Set out cardboard/paperboard for collection in a brown kraft paper bag or in a reusable bin or container. Cardboard/paperboard should be flattened and bundled with string or twine to be no larger than 24-by-24 inches and no thicker than 6 inches.
* Set out yard waste (grass clippings, leaves and brush) intended for recycling in a brown kraft paper bag or reusable bin or container. Yard waste intended for recycling should not be put in plastic bags. No collector will be required to collect yard waste set out in plastic bags.
Residents of incorporated towns should contact their town offices for specific requirements. For more information on recycling requirements or solid waste regulations in Loudoun County, call the Recycling Hotline at 703-771-5318 or visit www.loudoun.gov/oswm/recycle.