Inclement Weather Policy

Weather Service Alerts–Winter Storm Fern

Wednesday, January 28, 2026–No Collection

Due to continued hazardous weather and road-related conditions, the Prince George's County Department of the Environment has suspended all curbside bulky trash, regular trash, and recycling collections for Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

As a result of Wednesday's suspension, the County will move to a two-day slide schedule for the remainder of the week, pending any further delays due to weather or road conditions, in accordance with the County's inclement weather policy. All scheduled bulky collections are suspended and will be rescheduled.

• Regularly scheduled Tuesday collections move to Thursday
• Regularly scheduled Wednesday collections move to Friday
• Regularly scheduled Thursday collections move to Saturday
• Regularly scheduled Friday collections move to *Monday. 
  (*This schedule moves Monday's regular food scraps and yard trim collection to the following week, with a pickup date of Monday, February 9, 2026.)

Collection Facilities Open on Time

• Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill (Upper Marlboro)
• Prince George's County Materials Recycling Facility (Upper Marlboro),
• Prince George's County Organics Composting Facility (Upper Marlboro)
• Missouri Avenue Solid Waste Acceptance and Drop-Off Recycling Center (Brandywine)
• Early Closure (4 p.m.) Brown Station Road Public Drop-off Convenience Center (Upper Marlboro)

Read the full update

Do Not Place Carts at the Curb

Residents receiving this County-contracted waste collection service are advised not to place collection carts or bulky trash items at the curb to allow snowplows to safely operate and clear roadways.

Private and Municipal Waste Collection

If you reside in a municipality or have a private waste contractor service, please contact their offices for guidance on winter weather collection.

Inclement Weather

In inclement weather, residents are advised that bulky trash, trash, recycling, and yard trim/organics collections may be delayed or suspended due to road or weather-related conditions.

In all cases, residents are reminded to adhere to their current HOA or civic association rules and regulations regarding trash and recycling placed in public areas during severe weather incidents.

Residents are reminded that waste collections may experience slight delays or additional suspensions due to road or weather-related conditions within specific neighborhoods once collections resume. 

If a collection did not occur by 8 p.m., it may have been due to weather or road-related conditions. In such cases, collections will be made in accordance with the collection schedule below. As a reminder, pickups can occur anytime from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

The County will make every effort to post any information regarding delayed or suspended collections. You may also contact PGC311.

Service Suspension Policy

The inclement weather policy was last updated in November 2021. 

Food Scraps and Yard Trim

In the event of a one-day inclement weather event suspending food scraps and yard trim collection services, collection will resume the following Monday. 

Scheduled Bulky Trash Collections

All scheduled bulky trash collections made online or by contacting PGC311 that are canceled due to severe weather conditions will be rescheduled within seven (7) days.

1 Day of Inclement Weather

In the event of a one-day inclement-weather suspension of bulky trash, trash, and recycling collection services, all services will be shifted by one day through the end of the week. 

For example, if services are suspended on a Tuesday, those collections will be picked up on Wednesday. Wednesday collections will be picked up on Thursday. Thursday collections will be picked up on Friday, and Friday collections will be picked up on Saturday. 

2 Days of Inclement Weather

If trash and recycling collections need to be suspended for two consecutive days due to inclement weather, the collection schedule will be as follows:

• Monday yard trim and compost collections will be picked up the following Monday.
• Tuesday collections will be picked up on Thursday.
• Wednesday collections will be picked up on Friday.
• Thursday collections will be picked up on Saturday.
• Friday collections will be picked up on the following Monday*.
• *In the event a Friday to Monday collection occurs, the regular Monday yard trim and food compost collection will move to the following Monday*

Safety First

If road or weather conditions remain hazardous, collections may be postponed to protect residents and crews. Residents are asked to remain patient and check for official updates.

For more information on the County's inclement weather policy for trash and recycling collections, please contact PGC311.

Facilities

All waste collection facilities may also experience suspension in services due to severe weather, including:

• Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill (Upper Marlboro)
• Brown Station Road Public Convenience Center (Upper Marlboro)
• Missouri Avenue Solid Waste Acceptance and Recycling Center (in Brandywine)
• Prince George's County Organics Composting Facility ( Upper Marlboro)
• Prince George's County Materials Recycling Facility (Upper Marlboro)

Waste Collection Safety Tips for Children

 Parents, please share these safety reminders with your children:

• Large vehicles have blind spots – children should never assume a driver can see them. Stay a safe distance away from a garbage truck at all times.
• Don't play on or around garbage trucks. Trucks are interesting, but they have many moving parts that children need to keep away from.
• Listen for beeping – beeping means the truck is reversing, and you must be clear.
• Garbage trucks stop frequently. Children should never follow a car, a bike, or any other vehicle for any reason.
• In the winter, never build snow huts or play in the snow near garbage trucks or collection containers.

Windy Day Strategies to Help Reduce Litter 

When high winds are forecast, residents are reminded to secure their recycling and trash wheeled carts and bins to prevent litter and possible container damage. Residents may need to pull their containers into the garage or move them to the side or rear of the house to prevent items from blowing out of the receptacles.

Other tips to reduce wind-blown trash and recycling:

• Secure recycling and trash bins, as well as wheeled carts, to prevent litter and potential damage to containers.
• Place lighter items at the bottom of your wheeled cart and heavier items on top to prevent them from blowing out.
• If your wheeled cart is only half-full, consider waiting until your next collection day to place it at the curb.
• If necessary, place a heavy object on the lid to keep items from blowing out.
• Turn your container parallel to the curb, with the wind blowing toward the back of the bin.
• Place all your trash in the wheeled container marked for trash. This is especially important for small, lightweight items. Remember, plastic bags are not allowed in recycling containers.
• Compact the trash – if you have loose items, place bagged trash on top of them to prevent them from blowing out of the cart.
• Be sure your lid can close. Trash and recycling items are more likely to blow out of the cart when the lid is not fully shut.
• Bring your cart in as soon as possible after collection to minimize the risk of it blowing down the street.
• If you are home, keep an eye on neighborhood carts. Secure them if it looks like the cart or its contents are blowing away.
• Once collections are completed, check your area for any materials that may have been left behind and dispose of them in the appropriate waste receptacle for the next collection cycle.

Waste Collection Tips During Snowy Weather 

Before Collection Day

• Clear a path from your home to the curb and around your carts so crews can safely access them.
• Shovel and salt a flat, stable spot at the curb to prevent carts from tipping or sliding.
• Face carts correctly (handles toward your home) and keep lids fully closed.

Placement Tips

• Do not place carts in the street or behind snowbanks—keep them on cleared curbside areas.
• Leave space between carts (at least 3 feet) and away from mailboxes, parked cars, and fire hydrants.
• Avoid blocking sidewalks or plowed snow routes.

What Goes Inside

• Bag loose items to keep recyclables from blowing away.
• Keep snow and ice out of carts—wet materials can freeze and may not empty properly, and can be heavy-lifting for the hauler.
• Break down cardboard and keep it dry when possible.

If Collection Is Delayed

• Crews may experience delays or route changes due to weather and road conditions.
• Leave carts out until collection is completed unless notified otherwise.

Winter Roadway Safety Tips

Winter residential trash and recycling collection presents unique challenges for sanitation truck drivers. Routes can be obstructed by snow, vehicles may block roadways, and driving conditions may be poor or, even worse, treacherous.

• When sharing the road with a garbage truck, don't treat it like any other vehicle. Take special precautions around collection vehicles—they're big, stop frequently, and may have blind spots.
• A garbage truck weighs between 20 and 32 tons and takes about twice as long to come to a stop compared to the average family vehicle, so don't quickly change lanes in front of a truck as you might with another car.
• Slow down and use extra caution around garbage trucks. An extra minute or two of safely navigating around a truck could prevent an accident or injury.
• Winter roads make turning and stopping more complex, so allow adequate cushion between your vehicle and a garbage truck so that, if necessary, you and the truck driver have time to react.

Other Winter Safety Collection Reminders

• Ashes, hot or cold, are not allowed in any County waste container.
• Please shovel snow as necessary, especially around your trash and recycling carts, so your drivers can safely and efficiently collect trash and recycling at your residence.

Holiday Collection Schedule

If the holiday falls during the week of regular food scraps, yard trim, trash, and recycling collection on Monday through Friday, all collections scheduled on or after the holiday will be made one day later that week. County residents receiving County-contracted trash and recycling collection services will NOT receive pick-ups on the holidays listed on the Waste Collection Schedule unless otherwise noted. For more information on holiday collection services, contact PGC311.

Click here to view a copy of the schedule.

Get More Information

• Check the Prince George's County and Department of the Environment websites for updated information regarding waste collection services. Announcements will be posted on the main pages of each site.
• Follow us on social media @PGCSprout for updates.
• Call PGC311 by dialing 3-1-1 (out of county: 301-883-4748).
• Subscribe to receive County government news and updates at alerts.mypgc.us.