Collection begins Monday, November 2nd, 2026, and will run through February 2027 for DPW-serviced households. 

The first pass for Leaf Collection in Section A will begin on Monday, November 2, 2026.

If you live in Section A, have your leaves raked to the tree box or curbside by Sunday, November 1, 2026.

DPW's New Collection Status Map

We’ve launched a new Collection Status Map on our website, giving residents an easier way to stay informed about their trash and recycling services. Your collection schedule and real-time route status are now just one quick search away.

With the new Collection Status Map, you can stay updated throughout your collection day. By visiting dpw.dc.gov and entering your address, you can quickly view your collection days and check whether your route is running on time. Route statuses are updated and time-stamped on the map throughout the day.

Just follow these three simple steps:

1️. Enter your address
2️. Review your collection schedule
3️. Check your route status

To learn more and check your collection status, visit dpw.dc.gov/collection-status-map. We also encourage you to review the Collection Status Map FAQ section to get familiar with how it works.

Safe Battery Disposal
Now through December 2026, DC residents can find battery drop-off boxes available at eight farmers’ markets and community sites every weekend across DC.

In addition to accepting food waste and food-soiled paper for composting, the drop-off tents at select farmers' markets will accept single-use (primary) and rechargeable household batteries under 11 lbs.

DC residents are encouraged to bring their old small-format batteries to one of these convenient public locations for safe disposal.

Drop-off locations (look for the blue Zero Waste DC tent):

SATURDAYS (9 am-1 pm)

- Mount Pleasant Farmers Market, 3200 Mt Pleasant Street NW (Ward 1)
- Uptown Farmers Market, 14th Street NW & Kennedy Street NW (Ward 4)
- Monroe Street Farmers Market in Brookland, 716 Monroe Street NE (Ward 5)
- Eastern Market, 635 North Carolina Ave SE (Ward 6)
- Lederer Gardens, 4801 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave (Ward 7, starting Aug 22)
- Marion Barry Avenue Market in Historic Anacostia, 1303 Marion Barry Ave SE (Ward 8)

SUNDAYS:

- Dupont Circle Farmers Market, 8:30 am-1:30 pm, Hillyer Pl NW & Connecticut Ave NW (Ward 2)
- Palisades Farmers Market, 9 am to 1 pm, U Street NW & MacArthur Blvd NW (Ward 3)

Important Notes: Batteries and food waste should be kept separate for drop-off. DPW’s What Goes Where Tool, available at DPW.dc.gov, has been updated with this information.

To learn more about battery stewardship in DC, please visit: doee.dc.gov/page/batteryrecycling

Mulch is back at the Fort Totten Transfer Station!

District residents can grab up to five 32‑gallon bags for free. Please bring your own bags and a shovel.

Here’s where to go:
4900 John McCormack Rd. NE

Hours:
• Tuesday–Friday: 10 AM–2 PM
• Saturday: 7 AM–2 PM

Mechanical Street Sweeping

Residents must relocate their vehicles on blocks scheduled for mechanical street sweeping during the posted hours to ensure our crews can thoroughly and efficiently sweep to the curb. Vehicles parked during posted Street Sweeping hours will be subject to ticketing and/or relocation.

Helping Hand Program

DPW offers assistance to community groups that organize Saturday neighborhood clean-up projects through the Helping Hand Program. The program runs seasonally from March 1st to November 1st. Applications must be submitted 2 weeks prior to the event. For more information, visit: dpw.dc.gov/page/dpw-helping-hand-neighborhood-cleanup-0

Roll Off Days in DC 2026!

Roll Off Days are organized by the Mayor's Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS) and supported by DPW.

It's time to de-clutter, DC! Here is your opportunity to bring certain large, non-hazardous materials for disposal to the next Roll Off Day near you. Roll Off Days take place in all 8 wards at locations convenient to you.

Find the complete list of events and RSVP at tinyurl.com/RollOffDC. While registration is not required, it is appreciated so that we can anticipate attendance: tinyurl.com/RollOffDC.

Questions? Call the organizing team at 202-442-8150, 10 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday.

Note: Roll Off Days occur in all eight wards and each is open to all DC residents (no matter your ward). Find one happening near you at tinyurl.com/RollOffDC

What is accepted at Roll Off Days? (including but not limited to)

• Household furniture
• Old Clothing (that cannot be donated)
• Small and large toys that cannot be donated (broken kiddie pools, playhouses, disassembled swing sets)
• Mattresses and box springs (MUST be wrapped in plastic)
• Bed frames
• Old rugs and carpets

What is not accepted?

Please see the complete list of what cannot be accepted here: communityaffairs.dc.gov/page/items-not-accepted-roll-events

Food Waste Collection Program & Food Waste Drop-Off Sites

All of DC DPW's Weekend Food Waste Drop-offs citywide will operate as normal this weekend, October 24th – October 25th, 2026.

For the latest information about DC DPW’s food waste drop-offs citywide, visit zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff.

• All food waste smart bins are operating as normal
• Before you leave home with your food waste towards a smart bin, please check its fullness level on the MetroKEY app before leaving home to ensure there is capacity in the bin.
• If you arrive at a DPW food waste smart bin and find it is too full, please do not drop off materials at a full bin; instead, please find the next closest food waste drop-off bin or store them in your fridge or freezer until the smart bin is serviced, which you can observe on the MetroKEY app (the fullness level (%) will drop). Collection crews service the smart bins daily.

DC DPW’s Special Waste Collection Events

DPW Special Waste Collection Events for safe disposal of household hazardous waste, recycling of electronics, and secure document shredding will be conducted twice quarterly. Register for them at tinyurl.com/hhw-register. 

For more information on residential special waste, visit the District's Zero Waste

For more information about the District’s battery stewardship program, visit batterynetwork.org/stewarts, or find a drop-off location near you at batterynetwork.org/locator.

Additional information about battery recycling can also be found on DOEE’s website: DOEE Battery Recycling Program | doee

DC DPW’s Special Waste Collection Event has been moved slightly to RFK Stadium’s Lot 3, the entrance is off of East Capitol Street NE. Registrations as well as proof of DC residency will be required to enter the event.

REGISTER IN ADVANCE TO PARTICIPATE:

Eventbrite registration are now open for the following events:

• Saturday, November 14, 2026, 8 AM – 2 PM, at RFK Parking Lot 3 (2400 E. Capitol Street NE)
• Saturday, December 12, 2026, 8 AM – 2 PM at RFK Parking Lot 3 (2400 E. Capitol Street NE)

To accommodate everyone in a safe and timely manner, DPW is now requiring registration to participate in the Special Waste Collection Events District residents can sign up for a 30-minute arrival period, arrive anytime during the period, and a DPW staff member will be there is assist you. There are also walk-up and bike-up tickets available for attendees without vehicles. The nearest metro station is the Stadium-Armory Metro Station.

*Please note that the time selected is the arrival window, not necessarily the time of service. Open to DC residents only. Only one ticket is required per vehicle. No entry will be allowed after 2:00 pm. Please bring proof of residency (e.g., driver's license, utility bill, lease agreement) and Eventbrite registration. No bulk trash, construction & demolition waste, or commercial waste will be allowed.*

Unified Communication Center UCC

DPW is committed to delivering efficient and effective services to our residents and quickly resolving issues. As our partner in providing streamlined and effective resolutions, we want to share the best channels for residents to utilize. 

To ensure smooth communication for everyone, we kindly request that you share the contact details of the UCC with all members in your office and constituents who reach out to you. This will make the service resolution process quicker for residents and raise awareness about DPW's communication center. DPW’s leadership team is here to address continual issues or problems that have not been satisfactorily addressed by the UCC.  

UCC Phone: (202) 673-6833 (Mon – Fri) 8:30 am – 4:30 pm  

Central Email: dpw@dc.gov. 

The initial step in requesting rodent abatement services is to submit a 311 request via the app, online, or by dialing 311. Once the request is submitted, it will be routed to DC Health's Rodent and Vector Control team. The inspectors for each Ward will then go to the property to inspect, and if necessary, treat the property. Based on the conditions of the property, our inspectors may issue a Notice of Abatement (NOA) to the property owner to which the owner has 14 days to take the appropriate abatement measures. After 14 days, our inspectors will re-inspect the property to ensure the treated burrows remain inactive, and if the property was abated. If conditions remain the same, DC Health will issue a Notice of Infraction (NOI).

If there are multiple residences on neighboring blocks that are requesting rodent abatement services, DC Health requests that residents submit a rodent petition, found on our website, here. Once a petition is submitted, the Rodent and Vector Control Division will coordinate the appropriate inspectors and reach out to the resident to inform them of the date and time inspectors will arrive to treat the properties. After two weeks, the inspectors will return to each property to ensure that the treated burrows are still inactive. Commissioners are welcome to escalate any 311 tickets or petitions to the Office of Government Relations. The OGR team will work with the Rodent and Vector Control Division to ensure the ticket or petitions are addressed. Once the ticket has been closed out, the OGR team will follow-up with the findings and any next steps. 

DC Health is aware of the Coordinated Rat Abatement platform created by concerned residents to try to streamline the rodent petition process, which the Department appreciates. However, there seems to be some confusion with this platform. Please be advised that this tool is not affiliated with DC Health nor is it a part of our process, which means that the petitions are not getting to the appropriate folks. To avoid delays in scheduling, DC Health is requesting that residents follow the steps to submit a rodent petition that are outlined above. 

The Rodent and Vector Control Division currently treats burrows by putting rodenticide directly in the burrow and covering it up. During the follow-up inspections, if the burrow remains covered the burrow is considered inactive. On the other hand, if the burrows are uncovered, the team will treat the burrow again to ensure it does not remain active. Please be advised that DC Health does not use bait boxes as a form of treatment. As you all may be aware, DC Health launched a rodent abatement pilot program early this Spring. For this pilot, the Division chose three locations (Adams Morgan, Gallery Place, and Eastern Market) and used a combination of a second-generation anticoagulant bait, a first-generation anticoagulant tracking powder, and then a non-lethal rodent fertility control bait. Once the program has concluded, DC Health will evaluate expanding use of the treatments, including the rodent fertility, in other parts of the District.

DC Health has recently published a rodent control dashboard which includes information on burrows treated, 311 complaints, and other community resources. The dashboard is periodically updated and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let me know.