CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The Chesapeake recycling drop-off locations have exceeded expectations, according to city leaders.
Last July, the city canceled their curbside subscription and many in the city voiced their disappointment. Now, some residents seem to have embraced the new system.
Over the last year, residents have dropped more than 3,000 tons of recyclables in the green containers. City leaders say they've saved millions.
Khiaira Johnson said losing curbside recycling last July was disappointing.
"I understand money is kind of tight, but that discourages people from recycling," she said as she dropped off bags of recyclables Wednesday morning.
However, she said she’s made great use of the containers at the Russell Library.
"I see a lot of people here and it’s kind of packed and I kind of have to wait my turn, so I see that there is more of a demand for it, so I’m like, 'yay, let’s save the planet!'"
During Chesapeake City Council’s Tuesday work session, Public Works Director Earl Sorey said the eight drop-off sites have outperformed what they initially expected.
"When we were setting these up, there were a lot of naysayers out there. A lot of people said nobody would use these sites. Others said they would just turn into trash heaps," he said.
Sorey said by canceling curbside contracts and opening these sites, the city has saved $2.2 million.
The Municipal Center location alone took in almost 850 tons of recyclables in the last year, the city's most popular site ahead of Russell Library, which took in almost 730 tons.
Compared to the 3,000 tons collected this past year at the sites, the last year of curbside collected more than 7,000 net tons.
Sorey said there is also far less contamination compared to curbside recycling.
"We have been able to satisfy that goal of a cleaner recycling stream."
Sorey also said they’ve realized the alternative curbside subscription services were not effective.
"That’s largely because of the success of the drop-off sites," he said.
There were previously three different subscription companies in the city, but now, residents are left with only one: Recyclops.
Robert Picone rode his bike to Russell Library to drop off his recycling Wednesday.
He said because he lives in a condo, he never had the curbside recycling option, so he praises the convenience.
"With these close by, I go to the library a couple of times a week. I just save up my aluminum cans and cardboard and dump them off when I come here," Picone said.
Chesapeake leaders are also considering expanding the drop-off sites, particularly in the Airline Boulevard corridor.
Something Johnson thinks is a great idea.
"The Lord has given us this Earth and I believe that we have to take care of it," she said.
As for what’s next in the city, leaders are moving toward creating an Integrated Material Recovery Facility. That would mean curbside could return with no need to separate trash from recyclables. They say that would not require a real estate tax increase or new fee and would promote recycling-based business growth in Chesapeake.
The city is also on schedule to open the Total Fiber Recovery plant in Chesapeake by the end of 2023. It's an $80 million recycling paper/cardboard plant located off Bainbridge Boulevard. It's capable of processing up to 450,000 tons of mixed paper and cardboard annually.