Alexandria reported a 41.4% recycling rate to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for 2010. This figure reflects an increase of nearly 13 percentage points, the result of a more than 50% increase in both commercial and residential recycling collections, in combination with decreasing trash tonnages.
The City also earned more than $463,000 in revenue from the sale of recycled materials and saved more than $1.3 million in disposal costs by diverting materials from the waste stream. The City’s Eco-City Alexandria initiative and recycling initiatives that contributed to the City’s improved rate include:
- Furnishing residents with 35- and 64-gallon recycling carts, which are easier to use and provide increased capacity. This change in equipment increased both the level of participation in the recycling program and the volume of materials collected.
- Collecting more than 9,400 tons of seasonal leaf and yard waste from residential properties, a 46% increase.
- Improving education, outreach, and enforcement resulted in a 50% increase for the Commercial Recycling program.
The City also reported a 24% increase in collections at the Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics site, a 146% improvement in the City facilities and schools recycling program, and expanded recycling collections at more than 20 special events throughout the City. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Recycling or call 703.746.4025.
Source: City of Alexandria
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