Tomorrow is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup.

Please go over what can be recycled.

NOTE: CVWMA (Central Virginia Waste Management Authority) has announced that all curbside recycling must now be INSIDE the CVWMA containers with lid closed. Items beside the container or on top of it will not be collected. In fact, incorrect setouts may not be collected at all. This is new as of July 1 for all our curbside recyclers, with the exception of townhomes/condos still using small bins. (And yes, this also applies to flattened cardboard boxes.)

Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night. More CVWMA information can be found at this link:
https://cvwma.com/cvwma-locations/richmond/

In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news:

The 2026 CVWMA Curbside Recycling Calendar is here! Click to view and download.

City of Richmond residents can recycle their Christmas trees and more at the city’s Bring One for the Chipper event Saturday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., at 1710 Robin Hood Road. Real Christmas trees, personal documents and electronics can be dropped off for recycling. City of Richmond ID required. Fees apply to recycle some electronics. All trees must be free of ornaments, lights, tinsel and stands. Recycled trees are ground into a mulch-type product that can be applied to the landscape.

This past Saturday there was a fire at recycling facility on Lewis Road in Chesterfield County. Thankfully, there were no injuries.

Despite industry promises, more skepticism of advanced recycling or “chemical recycling” has emerged. An Environment Texas report states:

2025 was a year that proved once again that chemical recycling, also known as advanced recycling, is an economic and environmental dead end. Despite industry claims of a circular plastic economy, the past twelve months have exposed a reality of hazardous waste, toxic emissions, and financial instability.

Using energy-intensive processes such as pyrolysis and gasification, these facilities claim to break down plastics to make new products. In reality, they primarily produce low-grade fuel while generating massive amounts of toxic byproducts. As of June 2025, 38 proposed chemical recycling projects exist in the U.S., with an additional 3 facilities under construction. This past year has proven why these facilities should not see the light of day.

Tomorrow is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup.
However, not sure if the City trash pickup may be delayed due to the recent snow.

Please go over what can be recycled.

NOTE: CVWMA (Central Virginia Waste Management Authority) has announced that all curbside recycling must now be INSIDE the CVWMA containers with lid closed. Items beside the container or on top of it will not be collected. In fact, incorrect setouts may not be collected at all. This is new as of July 1 for all our curbside recyclers, with the exception of townhomes/condos still using small bins. (And yes, this also applies to flattened cardboard boxes.)

Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night. More CVWMA information can be found at this link:
https://cvwma.com/cvwma-locations/richmond/

In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news:

Check out CVWMA’s new Green Holiday Guide by clicking here.

A pact between the Southeastern Public Service Authority of Virginia and an AI-powered recycling company is expected to enable the technology to increase recycling and divert a significant amount of landfill waste.

In unsurprising news, a new report from Greenpeace USA reveals plastic recycling has largely failed after decades of being touted by corporations as a solution to the pollution crisis. The report uncovered that only a fifth of the 8.8 million tons of the most commonly produced types of plastics — found in items like bottles, jugs, food containers, and caps — are actually recyclable. Moreover, plastic recycling rates in the United States have been cut in half since 2014, from 9.5% to roughly 5–6% today. The report concludes that plastic recycling is no more of a viable solution now than it was in the 1950s.