Staunton: City sets ‘Less to the Landfill’ goal to reduce trash by 5 percent

The City of Staunton has set a community-wide goal to reduce the city’s trash tonnage by 5 percent over the next year.

I can hear our local MAGAs now: “woke.”

“Every ton of waste we bury takes up expensive landfill space and drives up our shared operational costs,” said Josh Knight, the city’s engagement and communications manager, raising awareness on Monday of the upcoming launch of a “Less to the Landfill” campaign.

The city will host a public kickoff event at the Staunton Recycling Center on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 11 a.m.

Public Works staff will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate the new diversion options.

“Our goal is to shift our community mindset so that throwing something in the trash becomes the last option, rather than the default,” Knight said.

The reality check here: throwing things away is the most expensive option for the city government, and thus, you.

The City of Staunton participates in a shared regional landfill, and the city’s financial contribution is directly tied to the weight of the trash it brings in.

As local tonnage increases, so does the percentage Staunton must pay to monitor, maintain and expand the landfill, costs that ultimately impact the community.

Initiatives

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Expanded composting access

For years, local environmental advocacy group Shenandoah Green has led the charge on community composting in Staunton, voluntarily staffing collection bins at the Recycling Center for four hours each week.

To build on their foundational success, the city is partnering with Black Bear Composting to launch a one-month trial that expands composting access to be available anytime the center is open. The pilot will determine if unmonitored public composting can be sustained without cross-contamination.

“We are excited to partner directly with the City of Staunton to expand composting access,” said Cyndy Seibels, the coordinator of composting programs at Shenandoah Green. “By combining our volunteer dedication with the city’s operational support, we can make it easier than ever for residents to compost and keep even more organic waste out of the landfill.”

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The Community Scoreboard

A new, highly visible scoreboard is being installed at the Recycling Center gate. Updated monthly, the sign will track exactly how many pounds of waste the community has successfully recycled and kept out of the landfill, providing real-time feedback on the city’s 5 percent reduction goal.

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Digital resource expansion

The city’s website is receiving targeted enhancements to clearly highlight all available alternatives to the trash can, making it easier than ever for residents to recycle, compost, and divert household waste.

For more information on the city’s waste diversion efforts, visit: www.staunton.va.us/lesstrash.