Litter Prevention

The majority of the city's solid waste and recyclables are collected by the Solid Waste Management Division (SWM).  For specific information on collection schedules, fees and damaged or broken receptacles, please visit Solid Waste Management or call (540) 853-2000, Option #1.

Littering is a crime in the City of Roanoke and is punishable by a fine of up to $2,500 per violation per day and confinement in jail for up to 12 months, in addition to the violator being billed for the cost of clean up plus a $100 service charge (Sec. 14.1-3, Roanoke City Code).

Help prevent litter:
  • Bag your trash securely before placing it in your "Big Blue" container, and keeping the lid closed.
  • Keep the lid closed on your recyclable container.
  • Keep a litter bag in your vehicle to prevent loose trash from blowing out of windows and doors.
  • Extinguish cigarette butts in ashcans and ashtrays.  A cigarette butt can take up to 20 years to decompose.  Additionally, cigarette butts on the ground often wash into our waterways, polluting streams and harming stream life.
  • Adopt a city park, greenway or street to help keep public property free of litter.  To become a volunteer in any of these programs, call (540) 853-1801 or send an email to [email protected].
  • Visit Keep America Beautiful by clicking here.

The Sheriff's Office Inmate Work Crew Program provides litter clean-up services on public property or in the public right of way.  Anyone in the city can request inmate work crew help with litter clean-up by calling (540) 853-2941 or sending an email to [email protected] with the location.