It is the policy of the Virginia Waste Management Board to require all designated regions, as well as each city, county and town not part of such a region, to develop comprehensive and integrated solid waste management plans (SWMP) that, at a minimum, consider and address all components of the following hierarchy: source reduction, reuse, recycling, resource recovery (waste-to-energy), incineration and landfilling.

Virginia has currently 71 solid waste planning units (SWPUs). These planning units must meet the requirements established in the Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Regulations. All planning units are required to maintain an approved solid waste management plan and also meet the mandatory recycling rate.

Solid waste planning units are also required to maintain current solid waste management plans containing a 20-year planning window. On or before each five-year anniversary of the SWMP’s approval date, the planning unit is required to submit a letter to DEQ certifying that the plan elements listed in 9VAC20-130-120.C have been maintained and updated.

The Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Regulations can be located here.