Natural Resources

Solid Waste and Recycling

Solid Waste and Recycling

Virginia's solid waste stream has grown over time. Although potential landfill space is available in Virginia, the transportation and disposal of solid waste remain a concern.

Why is This Important?

Landfills are associated with pollution risks to soil, air and water; odors; and increased traffic from heavy trucks loaded with landfill-bound waste. Unless properly constructed, maintained and monitored over a long period of time, landfills can leak highly contaminated leachate into the groundwater and emit numerous and sometimes dangerous air pollutants.

The availability of properly constructed and maintained landfills is an important public policy issue. To protect the environment and public health, proposed landfills are subject to significant licensing requirements, including site and design review by the Department of Environmental Quality. Expanding landfill capacity requires substantial startup time. Landfill standards are set according to the level of environmental hazard.

One way to reduce the amount of solid waste accumulating in landfills is to recycle that waste, which has the added benefit of saving energy compared to producing the same material from scratch.

How is Virginia Doing?

Virginia's solid waste stream has grown over time, largely in line with the growth in economic activity. In 2007, Virginia solid waste management facilities received and managed a little over 16 million tons of solid waste. Other states send an additional 7+ million tons, bringing Virginia's solid waste total to more than 23 million tons.

Virginia's base recycling rate decreased from 35.2 percent in 2006 to 33.0 percent in 2007. In 2006, localities for the first time could receive up to five additional credits for solid waste reused, non-municipal solid waste recycled, recycling residues, and source reduction programs. When these credits are included, the recycling rate improved slightly from 38.4 to 38.5 percent. The Central region recycling rate (47.3 percent) led the state in 2007, followed by the Eastern region at 39.8 percent. The Southside region (22.7 percent) had the lowest rate in the state.

What Influences Waste and Recycling?

Reducing solid waste levels requires commitment from individuals, corporations and the government. In the last few decades, greater emphasis has been placed on protecting the sustainability of natural resources, preventing contamination of the environment, and reducing excess garbage.

What is the State's Role?

States are limited in how much they can influence the amount of waste deposited in landfills. Under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Virginia cannot prevent the importation of waste from other states for deposit in commercial landfills within the state. One result is that waste imports have grown in recent years, as northeastern states have found the cost of transport and disposal in Virginia cheaper than landfill space on their own turf.

Localities are responsible for determining when and where new landfill capacity is needed. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is responsible for regulating the management and disposal of that waste. DEQ determines whether the new landfill is properly built and monitored; inspects it to prevent unauthorized waste (esp. hazardous waste) from being added; sets requirements that must be met when the landfill is closed; and works with localities to promote and establish recycling programs.

What Can Citizens Do?

Individuals and groups are strongly encouraged to be active participants in resource management. Most municipalities in Virginia offer recycling programs; many even offer convenient curbside pick up for residential waste. Numerous businesses promote recycling on-site as well. Many public schools teach students about the benefits of recycling and offer voluntary programs for collecting recyclable waste.

To learn more about recycling in Virginia and the state's efforts, please visit DEQ's recycling pages.