City of Staunton

Change is coming to your curb! This week, the City of Staunton will begin delivering new, standardized trash bins at no charge to all residential customers outside of the Central Business District.. This upgrade is more than just a new bin – it’s a step toward cleaner streets, more efficiency, and long-term environmental and financial stability that benefits our entire community. 

The Basics
Each household will receive a new city-owned bin over the next two weeks. You do not need to be home to receive your bin. Most residents will get a 95-gallon bin, unless they previously selected the smaller 45-gallon option. Trash must be bagged and placed inside the bin for collection. These bins stay with the property, so if you move, they stay put!

• Need a different bin size? At this point, it’s too late to change bin size before delivery - the master delivery list is complete. After rollout, contact Public Works at 540-332-3892 to request a change.
• What about your old trash can? You’re encouraged to repurpose it for storage, composting, recycling, sell it, etc. If you’d like it picked up for disposal, mark it clearly as “trash,” and the city will collect it with your regular trash pickup.

Trash That Won’t Fit in Your Bin
If you have more trash than your bin can hold, you have options:

• Bag Tags – Purchase $1 bag tags at City Hall or Public Works to place on extra bags. Bag tags are meant to provide an option for occasional overflow while ultimately encouraging everyone to fit their trash inside their bin the majority of the time. Keeping trash off the street and contained in the bin deters animals from spreading trash and makes collection safer and more efficient.
• Cardboard - Flattened cardboard, bundled with a string, will be collected as trash if it is placed next to your trash bin (this will not be recycled).
• Second Bin Option – If you routinely have excess trash, you can request a second 95-gallon bin for $12 per month. This charge is not for the bin itself; it is to cover the cost of disposing additional trash at the landfill. You can request an extra bin with this online form.
• Use the Augusta Regional Landfill – Staunton residents have free access.
• Can it be recycled? – Take advantage of Staunton’s Recycling Center to reduce trash volume. The city accepts cardboard, mixed paper, aluminum cans, #1 & #2 plastics, tin cans, & scrap metal.

Yard Waste Collection Starts This Spring
Later this spring, residents can opt into a monthly yard waste collection service to keep grass clippings, leaves, and small branches out of the landfill. For a refundable $50 deposit, participants will receive a designated 95-gallon yard waste bin with a beige lid that will be collected once a month. You can sign up now using this online form. The city expects to deliver bins in May, with the first collection in June.

Expanded Heavy Trash Collection
Heavy trash pickup is expanding to twice a year—once in the spring and once in the fall—instead of just once a year. The 2025 spring heavy trash pickup will start Monday, March 24. Collection dates and details are on the website and in the newsroom.

 Why Standardized Bins?
This change is about more than convenience—it’s about keeping Staunton clean. With secure lids, these bins help:

• Keep animals out of trash.
• Reduce litter blowing into streets and waterways.
• Make neighborhoods look tidier on collection day.
• Keep rainwater out of the trash – since landfill fees are based on weight, we don’t want to pay for water!
• City-owned bins eliminate the chance of crews damaging personal bins.

Need Assistance?
If you have a disability or need help with your trash bin, assistance is available. Contact Public Works at 540-332-3892 to complete a Special Placement / Assistance Application.

Staunton’s trash modernization program is an investment in a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable city—and we’re all part of making it a success! For more details, visit www.staunton.va.us/StauntonTrashTalk. On this page you can find the FAQs and the Solid Waste Policy along with an abbreviated version with the most important information.

Contact Us

• Public Works: 540.332.3892
• City Hall: 540.332.3812