November 5th, 2024 – Election Day

The referendum to bring back curbside recycling with a fee failed. Exit polling showed overwhelming support for the program, but citizens felt they should not have to endure an additional “tax” during one of the worst economies in recent history. The recycling tax of $120 / year is equivalent to 28 gallons of milk, or 48 loaves of bread, or 38 gallons of gas, or 3.5 months of insulin medication. The citizens didn’t vote against recycling. They voted against an additional tax. There is hope, however. The three elected Council Members: Debbie Ritter, Les Smith and Pat King were all endorsed by Chesapeake Recycles and have pledged to work to bring the program back. It’s our hope that the curbside recycling program will be reinstated in the next budget cycle and without a fee to the citizens.

News coverage on the referendum:
News 3 WTKR
13 News Now
WAVY TV 10
WHRO Public Media 

July 9th, 2024
City Council voted 8 to 1 to support a ballot referendum for curbside recycling. The motion was made by Council Member Amanda Newins and the second was made by Council Member Debbie Ritter. Mayor West reminded citizens that he had voted to save the program three times in the past, but is reluctant to impose a fee on citizens at this challenging economic time. In the end, he “reluctantly supported” the motion for the referendum. Council Member Don Carey, who has never supported curbside recycling, also reluctantly supported the motion. The motion passed 8 to 1 with Council Member Daniel Whitaker being the lone member opposed even though he claimed to support curbside recycling in his election campaign. He voted without explaining his position.
Click here to watch the meeting (scroll to 1:45:18).

News coverage on the vote:
Virginian Pilot
News 3 WTKR
WAVY TV 10
WHRO Public Media
Waste 360
13 News Now

What it means:  if the court approves the language of the referendum, the question will appear on the ballot for the November 5th election. The advisory referendum will give City Leaders important insight on the number of citizens in support of the program. If the referendum passes, City Council would still have to take action to bring back the program. Several Council Members believe the program is not needed because the one-bin solution proposed by SPSA will collect recyclables.  Click here to read our concerns with the SPSA one-bin collection plan.

June 11th, 2024
In the June 11th City Council Meeting, SPSA presented an update on the RFP for the regional one-bin solution. Deputy Director Robert Geis gave an update on the recycling drop-off site program.  Several Council Members asked good questions, but in the end they did not come to a conclusion and they deferred the issue to the July 9th meeting.

Take aways:
Chesapeake is sending 93,731 tons per year of recyclable material to the landfill;
Chesapeake is only collecting 4,281 tons per year at the drop-off sites at a cost of $444 / ton;
Chesapeake is only recycling 2.7%; the State of Virginia mandates that we recycle 25% and the national average is 33%;
SPSA’s main objective is landfill diversion and not recycling. Recycling is a “bi-product” of the proposed one-cart mixed waste process.

Click here to watch meeting.
Forward to 15:45 for the SPSA presentation.
Forward to 1:13 for the City’s update on the drop-off site program. 
Forward to  4:45 for the debate on returning to the curbside recycling program.

June 10th, 2024
News 3 WTKR interviews Lacy Shiry for Chesapeake Recycles and several citizens using the drop-off sites.
Click here to see the report.

May 5th, 2024
The Smithfield Times provides a thorough report on the status of the SPSA RFP.

April 9th, 2024
In the April 9th City Council Meeting, recycling was discussed at length. Council Members Amanda Newins, Ella Ward, Debbie Ritter and Mayor West weighed-in. Click here to watch the video (forward to 2:41:25 in the video).

March 27th, 2024
The Virginian Pilot reports that our regional landfill is filling up faster than planned.
Click here to download a pdf version of the report.
The city of Chesapeake collects roughly 110,000 tons of residential waste /  year. 
Of that amount, 11,000 tons are recyclable materials we previously collected in the curbside program and are now being sent to the landfill.

March 19th, 2024
Virginia Beach City Manager presents budget to City Council which includes a recommitment to curbside recycling.
Click here to learn more.
Chesapeake remains the largest city in Virginia that does not provide curbside recycling for its citizens.

March 13th, 2024
WHRO reports Hampton Roads searching for long-term waste solutions. 
Click here to read the report.

March 12th, 2024
Mayor West asks the City Manager and the City Attorney to prepare language for a referendum adding curbside recycling to the November ballot so citizens’ voices can be heard. He stipulated “by July,” as the courts must approve the referendum in August. Council Member Amanda Newins asks the City Manager to arrange a work session within the next 30 days with SPSA officials and to investigate the possibility of “piggy-backing” off another city’s curbside recycling contract.
Click here to watch the video (forward to 2:13 in the video).

March 6th, 2024
News 3 WTKR reports “The fight to bring back curbside recycling in Chesapeake is still raging almost two years after it was taken away.” City Council Member Amanda Newins calls for the city to return to curbside recycling while they consider other possible options.
Click here to see the report.

February 27th, 2024
Norfolk City Council Members consider citizen input in favor of continuing curbside recycling and cite the need for citizen education programing.
Click here to watch the Work Session (forward to 40:05 in the video).

SPSA Update: RFP responses are due May 1^st, 2024, and they won’t likely award a contract until May of 2025. They expect that each locality participating will need to commit for 20+ years, and the cost to be somewhere around $700 million. Click here to see the SPSA project plan.

February 26th, 2024
TFC Recycling (headquartered in Chesapeake) delivers the first load of paper and cardboard to Total Fiber Recovery of Chesapeake – a new $80M pulp manufacturing plan. Sadly, none of the materials delivered were from residential recycling in Chesapeake. Click here to see a picture.

February 21st, 2024
WAVY TV 10 interviews Lacy Shirey for Chesapeake Recycles and Mayor Rick West. The Mayor cites “mis-information” even though video footage was provided to City Council and city staff.
Click here to watch the report.
Related: Questions For City Council

February 20th, 2024
Virginia Beach City Council Members consider citizen input in favor of continuing curbside recycling.
Click here to see the presentation. Click here to watch the video (forward to 1:19:30). Chesapeake remains the largest city in Virginia that does not offer curbside recycling for its citizens.

February 12th, 2024
WAVY TV 10 reports Chesapeake is still weighing its options for the future; including a regional solution managed by Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA).

November 15th, 2023
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission is awarded nearly $2M for recycling education. 
Click here to read the story.

August 22nd, 2023
The Virginian Pilot reports that Chesapeake city leaders are considering the development of an advanced facility.

August 16th, 2023
13 News Now reports that the city is saving $2.2M and collecting 3,000 tons; leaders are considering an “Integrated Material Recovery Facility“; and the $80M Total Fiber Recovery plant is on track to open by the end of 2023.

August 15th, 2023
City Staff provides City Council an update on recycling. Click here to see the presentation.

May 16th, 2023
City staff reports that overall collections were about 35% of what they were with curbside recycling (about 12,389 tons in FY 21-22 vs. an estimated 2,762 for FY 22-23), but that contimination rates were also lower.

April 25th, 2023
At the April 25th City Council Meeting, City Council Members asked the City Manager to come back to them with recommended solutions. 
Click here to watch the City Council Meeting. (If the link doesn’t take you to the Citizen’s Comments on Non-Agenda Items, scroll to 2:20 in the video.)

April 8th, 2023
Chesapeake Recycles conducts a community survey. Results show overwhelming support  in restoring the curbside recycling program.
Click here to download the results of the survey.

March 31st, 2023
Happy Planet announced the cancellation of all contracts in Chesapeake. Citizens could signup under a new plan for $100 / month (previously $15.99 / month).
Citizens using Recyclopse also report rate hikes and cancelations.

October 26th, 2022
Chesapeake Recycles hosts a State of Recycling Town  featuring a panel of experts from the recycling industry. 
13 News Now covers the event. Click here to read the story.

July 1st, 2022
Curbside recycling ends.

June 15th, 2022
The City of Chesapeake announces the opening of seven recycling drop-off sites.

May 10th, 2022
Chesapeake City Council votes to eliminate the curbside recycling program. Five Members voted to end the service: Council Members Ike, Care, Best, Vitale and Parker. Four Members voted in support of the program: Mayor West, Vice Mayor de Triquet, Ritter and Ward.
Click here to read the Minutes of the meeting.

April 26th, 2022
13 News Now interviews Lacy Shirey for Chesapeake Recycles and Mayor Rick West.
“The fight to keep Chesapeake’s curbside recycling program continues.”
Click here to watch the interview.

April 26th, 2022
WAVY TV 10 reports “Chesapeake group speaks in effort to save curbside recycling.”
Click here to read / view the report.

April 26th, 2022
News 3 WTKR reports “Residents ban together to save curbside recycling.”
Click here to watch the report.

April 20th, 2022
13 News Now interviews Lacy Shirey for Chesapeake Recycles.
Click here to watch the interview.

April 12th, 2022
Chesapeake Recycles launches an online petition. More than 9,000 citizens signed the petition to save the curbside recycling program. 

March 29th, 2022
13 News Now reports free recycling pick-up ending in Chesapeake
Click here to read / watch the report.

March 9th, 2022
WAVY TV 10 reports recycling takes a backseat in Chesapeake.
Click here to watch the report.

March 8th, 2022
City Council votes to eliminate the curbside recycling program. Five members voted to end the service: Council Members Ike, Carey, Best, Vitale and Ward.
Four Members voted to continue the program: Mayor West, Vice Mayor de Triquet, Ritter and Parker.
Click here to read the Minutes of the meeting.

December 28th, 2021
The Virginian-Pilot publishes an op-ed entitled Chesapeake short-sighted to end curbside recycling by Michael Benedetto, President of TFC Recycling.
Click here to read the article.
Disclaimer:  Chesapeake Recycles in not affiliated with TFC recycling.

December 17th, 2021
News 3 WTKR reports residents of Chesapeake may soon no longer have the convenience of curbside recycling.
Click here to watch the report.

December 20th, 2021
Recycling Today reports city council votes to end curbside recycling in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Click here to read the article.

December 15th, 2021
The Virginian-Pilot reports Chesapeake’s curbside recycling program will end next summer.
Click here to read the article.the