For calendar
year 2009, 57.6% of the City’s total waste stream was recycled compared to the statewide rate of 38.6%.
The report compares recycling rates of 324 Virginia cities, counties, towns, and solid waste planning areas.
The 7,183 tons of materials recycled in Falls Church in 2009 included paper, cardboard, glass, plastics,
metals, yard debris and leaves.
While Falls Church’s recycling rate is highest in the state, the City has a more ambitious goal. The
City of Falls Church Solid Waste Management Plan, a 20-year plan adopted by the City Council in June
2004, sets a recycling rate goal of 65%.
Environmental experts note there are many reasons to recycle:
- Recycling reduces dependency on raw materials like oil, ore and wood.
- Recycled products are generally far less energy consuming to produce than the equivalent product
made from virgin materials.
- Diverting recyclable items from the waste stream to the recycling stream saves taxpayer money by
keeping disposal costs down while preserving valuable landfill space.
For more information contact Kathy Allan, Environmental Programs Specialist, 703-248-5176 or
kallan@fallschurchva.gov or visit http://www.fallschurchva.gov/Content/Recyle.aspx .
For view the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s annual recycling report visit
