County moving away from plastic bags for yard waste
Fairfax County is asking residents to stop using plastic bags for yard waste collection and begin moving to compostable paper bags or reusable containers.
The county had already encouraged residents to not use plastic bags for yard waste, but last week the Board of Supervisors voted to begin transitioning away from plastic bags completely. A formal code change will be voted on by the BOS at a later time, according to a county press release.
Plastic isn’t compostable, which is why the county is making the transition.
“When yard waste – brush, leaves, and grass – is processed into compost, small pieces of shredded plastic end up in the organic material applied in gardens, yards, and capital improvement projects,” the county said in its press release. “Even the best screening systems don’t remove all the plastic shreds.”
For now plastic bags will still be accepted if you leave them at the curb, and the county did not specifically say when they will stop accepting yard waste in plastic bags. However it will not be before next year, according to a county press release.
“This change will help eliminate a known source of plastic from entering our environment,” Eric Forbes, director of engineering and environmental compliance for the Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program, said in the county press release. “By next winter we think everyone will have learned of the change and joined the many residents who have already switched to more environmentally friendly paper bags or reusable containers.”
The change will apply to all county residents regardless of whether the county picks up their yard waste or if private companies do so. The county website now has a Frequently Asked Questions page for residents on other questions they might have regarding the transition (no, you cannot blow your leaves into the street).
A number of other jurisdictions in the area already forbid plastic bags for yard waste, including Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, Prince George’s County, Montgomery County and the City of Falls Church.
This is more money the county wants residents to pay in addition to the HUGE real estate assessment increases we just received, which will result in MORE taxes to be paid by the taxpayers. The county SHOULD subsidize the residents for the high cost of mandating paper bags for leaves. These bags are not CHEAP!!!
Eleanor, you can also use a reusable container such as a trash can. You can get one of those fairly cheap and in the long run will cost less than the plastic bags you currently buy.