BY JANE BLOODWORTH ROWE
COURTHOUSE — Virginia Beach residents want to continue with curbside recycling and are willing to pay a little more to keep it, according to the results of a survey conducted last fall.
Of the 9,948 who responded to the survey, which was conducted online or by mail from Oct. 2 to Nov.17, about 87 percent consider curbside recycling “essential,” according to a presentation to the City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
Public Works Director L.J. Hansen discussed efforts to address issues with recycling and future approaches during the meeting at City Hall.
Overall, the cost of curbside recycling is anticipated to rise sharply when the current contract with TFC Recycling expires at the end of June – should the service continue as citizens have known it.
Currently, recycling service costs the city more than $4.6 million annually, but the bill could surpass $9 million or $10 million under a potential agreement with the companies that responded to a request for proposal to continue the service as it now exists, Hansen said.
The city’s current vendor notified the city that it will not accept a contract extension at current rates, and there have been challenges with the recycling program, including service issues that have annoyed residents and city personnel.
The monthly solid waste fee paid by residents potentially could increase from $27.50 per household to $30.55 per household, Hansen said. The portion that covers recycling could rise from $3.11 to $6.16, or about 11 percent of the overall fee to 20 percent of the overall fee.
Other options that have been proposed include an increased number of convenience centers, meaning local collection centers where residents can bring recyclable materials themselves, and a program that would allow residents to opt into recycling. Curbside might also transition into a resident-based subscription service, according to the presentation.
Currently, two vendors have expressed an interest in contracting with the city, but neither wanted to submit a bid for an opt-in program, and only 1,276 of the survey respondents indicated that this would be their first choice for recycling methods.
Hansen said a number of potential vendors expressed interest when the city issued a request for proposal this past year.
“There was initial interest in the RFP when we put it out,” he said. “There were several firms that expressed interest, but, ultimately, we did not receive a large amount of response.”
The city’s sustainability plan, “Community for a Lifetime,” lists an environmentally sound waste management program that includes recycling and reuse as a priority. A total of 23,237 tons of recyclable materials were collected in the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
“I know we’ve been wrestling with this for a while,” said Vice Mayor Rosemary Wilson, who represents District 5, “and I was hoping that the opt-in was going to come through. That way, the people who really wanted it would be willing to pay for it.”
City Councilmember Michael Berlucchi, who represents District 3, said during an interview he thought that the City Council and city staff still need more input from the citizens before they made a decision on recycling.
Increased labor, fuel, and equipment costs have driven up the costs of recycling at the same time that many households are also struggling financially because of increased expenses, he said.
“I honestly think that we need to have more of a conversation on what our next step will be,” Berlucchi said. “Obviously, environmental resiliency is a priority, but so is affordability.”
During the meeting, City Councilmember Joash Schulman, who represents District 9, also noted that there have been issues with people placing the appropriate materials into their blue recycling bins, and urged continued engagement with the public on what materials can be recycled.
City Councilmember David Hutcheson of District 1 asked about the amount of materials placed in recycling bins that shouldn’t be there. Hansen said the number, as reported through the current vendor, is roughly 45 percent that is considered “residue.”
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