Prince William County increased its recycling rate to 38.2 percent for 2019. This is almost a five percent increase from the rate in 2018.  The Virginia Department of Environment Quality (DEQ) confirmed this rate in September 2020.  The percentage increase is the highest the County has achieved since 2016.

Statutory recycling goals in the Commonwealth of Virginia are somewhat complicated.  While the state is comprised of approximately 71 solid waste planning districts, only 17 of those districts, with populations above 100,000, are required to annually report recycling information.  Based upon the criteria established by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Prince William County exceeded its mandated 25 percent recycling rate again in 2019.  The County has done this every year since mandatory recycling rates took effect in the early 1990s.

The recycling rate is a measure of the materials diverted for reuse, recycling, or composting from the waste stream compared to materials that go into to the trash.  Regular trash is buried in the County’s sanitary landfill located on Dumfries Road or combusted at the Fairfax County I-95 Energy/Resource Recovery Facility in Lorton.  Items diverted for recycling and composting are sorted, processed, and converted into materials which can be returned to commercial enterprise to produce new products.

The waste import restrictions imposed by China and other countries in early 2018 had a significant impact on the processing of recyclables worldwide.  In an effort to reduce the burden on local haulers and processors, Prince William County implemented new recycling guidelines to help reduce contamination, and limit collected material to items that are marketable.

To read the full story, visit https://princewilliamliving.com/county-recycling-rate-increases-to-38-2/.
Author: Prince William County Solid Waste Division, Price William Living
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Prince William County Solid Waste Division, Price William Living

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