Recycling is way up in Henrico, Hanover and Goochland counties
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Residents of Henrico, Hanover and Goochland counties are recycling more than ever, according to the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority.
Why it matters: Recycling is good for the environment.
Driving the news: Curbside recycling in those three counties rose by 34% in the last fiscal year, according to CVWMA.
- The recycling agency credits the surge to the 95,000 95-gallon recycling carts it dropped in those localities last year.
- The cart drop came just as Chesterfield — the area's largest county — dropped out of the regional recycling collective altogether.
Zoom in: Henrico led the recycling surge, setting out more than 14.5 thousand tons of recyclables in the last fiscal year, compared to 10.5 thousand tons the previous year.
- Overall, the Richmond region recycled more than 26,000 tons of trash in the last fiscal year, up from 23,000.
- Be smart: CVWMA coordinates curbside recycling for Richmond, Henrico, Ashland, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, and parts of Hanover and Goochland.
What's next: Now CVWMA wants to keep the momentum going with a "Bucks for Boxes" cardboard box recycling contest running now through Jan. 10.
How it works: Simply recycle those boxes the proper way (which is apparently broken down and inside the bin) and CVWMA workers will be spot-checking along routes.
- Each week, the organization will pick one proper box recycler at random at residential homes to win $100.
Karri's thought bubble: Fine, CVWMA, I'll stop leaning my boxes against the bin. I see your evil ploy to make me do it properly.
Editor's note: This story was corrected to note Henrico recycled 14.5 thousand tons of recyclables in the last fiscal year and 10.5 thousand tons the year before that, not 14.5 tons and 10.5 tons respectively.