Land
DEQ ensures compliance with waste management regulations and the key practices of pollution prevention, such as reuse and recycling. This also includes proper storage, treatment and disposal of solid waste and hazardous waste in Virginia.
Older landfills and former industrial sites in some cases have contributed to contamination of land and water. In the past 20 years, landfill standards have been strengthened and designs have been improved, making waste management facilities safer for people and the environment. In addition, contaminated portions of hazardous waste facilities now meet all human health standards and the number of sites that have completed corrective action has steadily increased since 2008. Also, the number of acres voluntarily cleaned up;(or remediated) and brought back into productive use has dramatically increased since 1996. Leaking petroleum tanks are the focus of another statewide cleanup effort. DEQ’s tank inspection program promotes the cleanup of leaking storage tanks, thereby revitalizing contaminated land. Since the early 1990s, more than 30,000 leaking petroleum sites have been cleaned up.
Virginia’s recycling rate has consistently risen in the past two decades, and as of 2015 it stood at 44.2 percent – exceeding the mandated statewide recycling rate of 25 percent for most areas – as reported by local and regional authorities.
Additional program information is available from the Division of Land Protection and Revitalization.
Voluntary Remediation Program
The number of acres that have been cleaned up voluntarily and brought back into productive use has increased steadily.
Contaminated portions of hazardous waste facilities now meet all human health standards and the number of sites that have completed corrective action has steadily increased since 2008.
Petroleum clean-ups
The rate of leaking petroleum tanks is slowing over time.
Recycling rate
Virginia law requires Solid Waste Planning Units (SWPUs) with a population of more than 100,000 to report annually; those with fewer than 100,000 report once every four years. This chart is based only on data from the 17 SWPUs that report annually. The calendar year 2015 Annual Recycling Rate (44.2%) includes credits for solid waste reused, non-municipal solid waste recycled and recycling residues.
