WasteSmart

The City has developed a strategic plan for managing the City of Alexandria’s solid waste for the next twenty years. The goal of this plan is to achieve environmental benefits, to be financially prudent, and incorporate the values of our community.
Page updated on March 28, 2023 at 8:47 AM

WasteSmart: Alexandria’s 20-Year Strategic Plan to Sustainably Recover Resources

Cover image for the WasteSmart report (Text WasteSmart, plus city seal, and an aerial photo of the Alexandria skyline at dusk.)

The Resource Recovery Division has prepared a strategic plan that will guide the City’s solid waste management for the next 20 years. On January 12, 2019, City Council unanimously voted to adopt the WasteSmart Strategic Plan.   

The WasteSmart Strategic Plan will ensure that Alexandria continues to be a good steward of its waste by both preparing for emerging environmental concerns and taking advantage of technological advances that are coming.

WasteSmart Highlights and Achievements

  • City launches Curbside Food Waste Composting Collection Pilot
    The City of Alexandria launched a new curbside food waste composting collection pilot for residents receiving City trash and recycling services. 
  • City selected for USDA Composting and Food Waste Reduction Cooperative Agreement
    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) selected the City of Alexandria as one of the 2023 Composting and Food Waste Reduction Cooperative Agreement recipients. With USDA's support, the City will launch a pilot curbside food waste composting program for selected residents receiving City trash and recycling services. 
  • Low NOx Technology Installation
    COVANTA Alexandria Waste-to-Energy facility recently completed planned enhancements to its state-of-the-art pollution control technology to further reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. 
  • Food Waste Composting Services at Old Town North Farmers' Market
    On July 17, the City launched a new, year-round food waste composting drop-off location at the Old Town North Farmers’ Market.
  • Plastic Bag Tax
    The City has adopted an ordinance to impose a five-cent tax for disposable plastic bags offered at grocery stores, convenience stores, and drug stores. This tax would be charged for every bag provided at checkout. The tax effective date is January 1, 2022. 
  • What Goes Where Sorting Tool 
    The City of Alexandria has launched a new resource that makes sorting items for recycling and trash collection easier. “What Goes Where” is a new web application that enables residents to find information on which items–such as rechargeable batteries, plastic bags, clothing and glass bottles–can be donated, repaired, recycled, composted, disposed of, and more.
  • City Joins Region in Removing Glass from Curbside Collection to Ensure Recyclability
    Effective January 15, 2020, customers who receive City recycling service must bring glass containers to one of the region’s “purple bin” drop-off locations to ensure the glass will be recycled. Glass collected at the purple bins are hauled to a processing plant in Fairfax County and recycled into new glass bottles or crushed into gravel and sand that can be used in local public works projects. 
  • Recycle Right Alexandria Sorting Game
    The Resource Recovery Division received the Virginia Recycling Association's "Show Me the Way Award" for the Recycle Right sorting game. The award recognizes organizations that have taken actions to have a positive impact on people's understanding of how to recycle. The City's new sorting game teaches children age 7 and up to properly sort recyclables, yard waste, and trash. Visit alexandriava.recycle.game to play!  

  • City of Alexandria's Reuse Directory
    Reduce and Reuse comes before Recycle. Reducing waste and reusing is the most effective way to save natural resources, protect the environment, and reduce costs. The City of Alexandria launched an online Reuse Map & Directory. This directory allows the user to find locations to donate, repair, and consign materials through local vendors and businesses. The creation of this Reuse Directory was identified as a short-term action item for the City’s WasteSmart Strategic Plan.

Relevant Documents

Technical Papers

In July 2017, the City retained an independent firm to complete a series of seven memorandums to evaluate the City’s current waste management programs and provide recommendations for future long-term management strategies. The final draft memorandums were completed in July 2018 with a series of recommendations for the City to evaluate. These technical papers were utilized in the development of the strategic plan.