Virginia lawmakers could order the state government to take a closer look at the litter tax this year. House Joint Resolution 35, sponsored by Del. Paul Krizek (D–Fairfax), would order the departments of Taxation and Environmental Quality to lead a study on solid waste and recycling streams, market conditions and economic opportunities for recycling, and the potential effects of adjusting the tax for inflation.
The resolution references a 2023 study by Clean Virginia Waterways, a statewide nonprofit based at Longwood University, which found that Virginia localities bring in the least revenue from the litter tax than any other state with a similar policy. The litter tax is a yearly flat fee that producers, distributors and retailers of commonly littered items have been required to pay since it was approved by the General Assembly in 1976. Companies selling groceries, soft drinks, carbonated waters, beer and other malt beverages are charged an additional fee.
It’s only been adjusted once — through a 2020 bill by Del. Alfonso Lopez (D–Arlington) that doubled the base and additional fees to $20 and $30, respectively. CVW executive director Zach Huntington said that increase lags far behind rates of inflation since ’76. “Had those rates been automatically adjusted to tie with inflation, they would be $37 and $73 right now,” Huntington said.