Virginia's Solid Waste Management Regulations require that all jurisdictions in the commonwealth submit a new Solid Waste Management Plan to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for review and approval. The intent of this requirement is to ensure adequate provisions are made throughout the commonwealth for the proper management of the solid waste generated by Virginia's citizens.
About the Solid Waste Management Plan
At the direction of the Board of Supervisors, and in accordance with the aforementioned Regulations, a Solid Waste Management Plan for Fairfax County was prepared and submitted to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality on June 22, 2004. This plan was approved by the commonwealth in early 2005.
The Solid Waste Management Plan describes the integrated management system used by the county, and presents the long-range plan for managing the waste and recyclables to be generated by Fairfax residents during the years 2004-2024.
It is important to note that, during the plan development process, the Board of Supervisors appointed the Solid Waste Task Force, comprised of representatives of small and large collection companies, consumers, the environmental and business communities and county staff. The task force's mission was to resolve issues raised during the plan development, largely related to service quality, competition, air emissions from trucks, safety, disaster and emergency response, and recycling activities.
Integrated Management
Solid waste includes almost everything we throw away or recycle, including yard waste, brush, household trash, recyclables, commercial trash, industrial waste, and construction debris. An integrated management system controls everything that happens to solid waste: collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal. The Solid Waste Management Plan identifies and plans for all aspects of a high-quality integrated solid waste management system for Fairfax County.
Long-Range Planning
The Solid Waste Management Plan considers the county's waste management needs through 2024, consistent with anticipated growth in our population and local economy, including anticipated regulatory and technological developments over the planning period. This long-range view will help us identify sound strategies to manage our waste in a safe, reliable and cost-effective manner, while holding negative environmental impacts to a minimum. We are confident that the approved Plan will meet this goal.
For more information, contact:
- Phone: 703-324-5230, TTY 711
- Fax: 703-324-3950