VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Public Works officials in Virginia Beach say the coronavirus outbreak has had a drastic impact on waste management.
They released an infographic that breaks down specific findings.
It shows the demand for waste collections and disposal services in the month of April, compared to the same time period last year.
For curbside collection, the city picked up 9,481 tons of trash. That’s a 19 percent increase from last April.
Recycling is up 23 percent with 2,491 tons collected.
When it comes to customer service, the department saw a 48 percent increase in calls, a 62 percent increase in emails, and a whopping 954 percent increase in social media engagement compared to April 2019.
At the Landfill, the city saw more than 24,000 visitors which is an 89 percent increase.
Those visitors contributed 2,285 tons of trash, which is a 50 percent increase.
During this time, staffing has been limited because of social distancing rules and stay-at-home orders.
Because of that, Public Works officials are asking for patience from residents.