Curbside Recycling Program Changes in James City County, Poquoson , City of Williamsburg and York County
April 18, 2014
New changes are in store for curbside recycling!
The Virginia Peninsulas Public Service Authority (VPPSA) along with James City County, City of Poquoson, City of Williamsburg, and York County are pleased to announce the implementation of a new regional curbside recycling program. Beginning June 30, 2014, the curbside recycling service will be provided by a new contractor, County Waste.
The first change residents will notice will be a switch from an 18 gallon bin to a 65 gallon rolling cart with a lid. York County residents already have recycling carts and will not see this change. After Memorial Day and continuing through mid-June, the new recycling carts will be delivered to residents in preparation for the start of the new program. Along with the new carts, residents will receive a package of information further describing the changes to the program.
Another primary change is a switch to every other week collection frequency. The larger recycling containers allow for a decrease in frequency of service which reduces the overall cost of the recycling program. It also means less truck traffic in residential areas and throughout the service area.
Yet another change we are pleased to announce is the increase in the types of plastic materials that are accepted for recycling. The new contractor will be accepting a wider variety of plastics to include: plastic bottles and jugs, wide-mouth containers such as butter tubs and yogurt cups, clamshell containers such as salad bar containers, strawberry containers, bakery product containers, and rigid plastics such as plastic flower pots, pails and buckets.
Residents of James City County, City of Poquoson, and City of Williamsburg will receive a 65 gallon cart to initiate the start of this program. For residents who live in multi-family complexes (e.g. Townhomes, Condos), appropriately sized containers will be provided. The larger cart will facilitate putting recyclables inside the cart so the carts can be collected using automated trucks. Localities who have converted from small bins to larger carts have seen an increase in participation and likewise recycling amounts. After the initial thirty days of the new program, residents will have an opportunity to increase or decrease the size of the recycling container. If, after the first month of the new service, residents find that they are generating more material than the 65 gallon cart will hold, County Waste will swap out the cart for a larger 95 gallon cart. For residents wanting to down-size from a 65 gallon cart, County Waste will be able to replace it with a 35 gallon cart. James City County, Poquoson, and Williamsburg residents wishing to change cart sizes may do so by contacting VPPSA or their community contact after August 4.
Please check the VPPSA website, www.vppsa.org, for additional updates on the upcoming changes.
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