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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>79148</law_id><section_number>15.2-928</section_number><catch_line>Local recycling and waste disposal; powers; penalties</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-5114</reference><reference>15.2-5147</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="9">General Powers of Local Governments</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Waste and Recycling</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">locality</span> may (i) provide and operate, within or outside its boundaries, solid waste management facilities and appurtenances for the collection, management, recycling and disposal of solid waste, recyclable <span class="dictionary">materials</span>, and other refuse of the residents and businesses of the <span class="dictionary">locality</span>; (ii) <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with other localities to provide such services jointly; (iii) <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with others for supplying such services; (iv) <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with any <span class="dictionary">locality</span> or agency of the Commonwealth to provide such services for either entity; (v) prohibit the disposal of garbage or recyclable <span class="dictionary">materials</span> in or at any place other than that provided by the public or private sector for the purpose; (vi) charge and collect compensation for such services; (vii) regulate the times and placement of waste and waste containers set out for collection, such regulation to require notice so as to allow removal by the owner of the waste or waste containers prior to imposition of a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span>, provided that, in the <span class="dictionary">City</span> of Roanoke, provided the third notice required herein included an opportunity for the owner to be heard, the civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> may be imposed without further notice after the third notice for violation; (viii) provide penalties, including either criminal or civil penalties, for the unauthorized use of or failure to use such facilities. <span class="dictionary">Prosecution</span> of either a civil or criminal <span class="dictionary">offense</span> shall preclude <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> of the other for the same <span class="dictionary">offense</span>; and (ix) grant incentives to encourage recycling. <a id="paragraph-283450" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-928/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">locality</span> may by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> limit the use of solid waste depositories or receptacles, owned or maintained by the <span class="dictionary">locality</span>, to the disposal of garbage and other solid waste originating from within the boundaries of such <span class="dictionary">locality</span>. Any <span class="dictionary">locality</span> adopting such an <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> may provide penalties for its violation pursuant to subsection A. <a id="paragraph-283451" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-928/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> For the purposes of this section, recyclable <span class="dictionary">materials</span> shall be those <span class="dictionary">materials</span> identified in a plan adopted pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Regional and local solid waste management plans" href="/10.1-1411/">10.1-1411</a> and regulations promulgated thereunder. Nothing in this section shall invalidate the actions of any <span class="dictionary">locality</span> taken prior to enactment of this section. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting any generator of recyclable <span class="dictionary">materials</span> from selling, conveying or arranging for transportation of such <span class="dictionary">materials</span> to a recycler for reuse or reclamation, nor preventing a recycling company or nonprofit entity from collecting and transporting recyclable <span class="dictionary">materials</span> from a buy-back center, drop box or any generator of recyclable <span class="dictionary">materials</span>. <a id="paragraph-283452" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-928/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1991, c. 665, &#xA7; 15.1-11.5:3; 1997, cc. 236, 587; 2000, c. 231; 2002, cc. 161, 690; 2003, c. 518; 2006, c. 847.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
