Solid Waste Management and Recycling
The Solid Waste Division in the Department of Public Works carries out solid waste management and recycling programs.
Solid Waste
The Division collects garbage and bulk waste from single-family homes, condominiums and mobile home parks. A solid waste user fee is assessed for this service. Residential curbside and drop-off recycling also are provided. Residents are offered two sizes of trash containers, with the presumption made that those who recycle more require less volume in a trash container. In 1996, the City closed its landfill in Denbigh and entered into a 30-year agreement with Waste Management to provide landfill disposal. This freed the land for the development of Stoney Run District Park.
In 2006 and 2007, a special team was created to make garbage and bulk waste collection more efficient and reduce illegal dumping. Property owners clean up their properties on the weekend and that bulk waste, stays on the streets longer than it should. Therefore,the permitted amount of bulk waste per household was reduced in line with neighboring communities and the Thursday and Friday pick-up were moved to Wednesday and Thursday. The bulk waste issue will be monitored in future years.
Recycling
The Code of Virginia requires a minimum twenty-five percent solid waste recycling rate. The City's recycling rate was forty-six percent (46%) in 2006.
Education and advertising of the positive impacts of recycling and recycling events will continue to be important in future years. Recycling information is available on the Public Works Department website, in brochures and other forms of publication involving recycling. Outreach events and public presentations are routine assignments for staff. Several regional organizations promote commercial reuse/recycling in which the City participates, such as the Virginia Peninsula Clean Business Forum. City staff promotes the economic and environmental savings of commercial recycling with businesses and is preparing a CD/DVD on business recycling.
The City's policy on the use of recycled materials is partially addressed through a policy of the Department of Public Works that states, “The Department of Public Works Warehouse staff will investigate the availability of products made from recycled material. Purchased products must be of the same quality as non-recycled material and will not cost more than 10% of virgin products. Both post consumer and post manufacturer products will be investigated.” (PW-DEPT-0038 Buy Recycled)