Prince George's County Suspends Curbside Waste Pickup Tuesday; Landfill, Drop-Off Centers Closed

Curbside waste collection in Prince George's County was suspended for Tuesday, January 27, after the Department of the Environment cited hazardous winter storm conditions and unsafe roads. The county announced that collection operations would move to a slide schedule and that public access to the Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill and several county drop-off centers was closed until conditions improved.

The January 26 notice made clear that service interruptions would affect normal curbside trash, food scrap, and yard trim collections. Residents were instructed not to place carts at the curb during the suspension so snow plows and road crews could operate without obstruction. The county urged residents to monitor official communications and the Winter Weather Hub for updates on resumption of services and exact slide-schedule details.

For residents, the suspension means trash and organics scheduled for Tuesday pickup may remain curbside longer than usual, increasing the potential for overflow, odor, and pest attraction in neighborhoods. Because drop-off centers were closed, there were no immediate public alternatives for disposing of household waste or bulky items on Tuesday. Local businesses that rely on regular commercial pickup also faced delays that could affect operations through midweek.

Operationally, the Department of the Environment plans to shift to a slide schedule - moving collection as crews can safely reach routes - rather than the regular day-by-day timetable. That approach typically means collection crews work through affected areas as roads are cleared, which can change pickup days for specific neighborhoods. Residents should wait for the county to announce their new pickup day rather than placing carts curbside prematurely.

The closure of the Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill temporarily limits county waste-processing capacity, compounding logistical pressure on collection services once operations resume. County officials tied the decision to public safety priorities for both sanitation crews and road maintenance teams during active winter storm response.

As the storm moved through the region, Prince George's County emphasized that resumption of services would depend on road conditions and the ability of collection trucks to access neighborhoods safely. Residents should keep carts off the curb until the county confirms service restoration, follow county channels for neighborhood-specific updates, and be prepared for altered pickup schedules in the days after the storm. This disruption underscores the interdependence of public works, road crews, and waste services during severe weather and the need for patience as crews restore normal operations.