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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>86566</law_id><section_number>15.2-931</section_number><catch_line>Regulation of garbage and refuse pickup and disposal services; contracting for such services in certain localities</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><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> Localities may adopt <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> requiring the delivery of all or any portion of the garbage, trash or refuse generated or disposed of within such localities to waste disposal facilities located therein, or to waste disposal facilities located outside of such localities if the localities have contracted for capacity at or service from such facilities.
			Such <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> may not be adopted until the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span>, following one or more public <span class="dictionary">hearings</span>, has made the following <span class="dictionary">findings</span>: <a id="paragraph-310071" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-931/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> That other waste disposal facilities, including privately owned facilities and regional facilities, are: (i) unavailable; (ii) inadequate; (iii) unreliable; or (iv) not economically feasible, to meet the current and anticipated needs of the <span class="dictionary">locality</span> for waste disposal capacity; and <a id="paragraph-310072" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-931/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> That the <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> is necessary to ensure the availability of adequate financing for the construction, expansion or closing of the <span class="dictionary">locality</span>&#x2019;s facilities, and the costs incidental or related thereto.
				No <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> adopted by a <span class="dictionary">locality</span> under this subsection shall prevent or prohibit the disposal of garbage, trash or refuse at any facility: (i) which has been issued a solid waste management facility permit by an agency of the Commonwealth on or before July 1, 1991; or (ii) for which a Part A permit application for a new solid waste management facility permit, including local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> certification, was submitted to the Department of Waste Management in accordance with &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Permit required; open dumps prohibited" href="/10.1-1408.1/">10.1-1408.1</a> B on or before December 31, 1991. <a id="paragraph-310073" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-931/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Localities may provide in any <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> adopted under this section that it is unlawful for any person to dispose of his garbage, trash and refuse in or at any other place. No such <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> making it unlawful to dispose of garbage, trash and refuse in any other place shall apply to the occupants of single-family residences or family farms disposing of their own garbage, trash or refuse if such occupants have paid the fees, rates and charges of other single-family residences and family farms in the same service area.
			No <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> adopted under this section shall apply to garbage, trash and refuse generated, purchased or utilized by an entity engaged in the business of manufacturing, mining, processing, refining or conversion except for an entity engaged in the production of energy or refuse-derived fuels for sale to a person other than any entity controlling, controlled by or under the same control as the manufacturer, miner, processor, refiner or converter. Nor shall such <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> apply to (i) recyclable <span class="dictionary">materials</span>, which are those <span class="dictionary">materials</span> that have been source-separated by any person or <span class="dictionary">materials</span> that have been separated from garbage, trash and refuse by any person for utilization in both cases as a raw <span class="dictionary">material</span> to be manufactured into a product other than fuel or energy, (ii) construction debris to be disposed of in a landfill, or (iii) waste oil. Such <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> may provide penalties, fines and other punishment for violations.
			Such localities are authorized to <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with any person, whether profit or nonprofit, for garbage and refuse pickup and disposal services in their respective localities and to enter into <span class="dictionary">contracts</span> relating to waste disposal facilities which recover energy or <span class="dictionary">materials</span> from garbage, trash and refuse. Such <span class="dictionary">contracts</span> may make provision for, among other things, (i) the purchase by the localities of all or a portion of the disposal capacity of a waste disposal facility located within or outside the localities for their present or future waste disposal requirements, (ii) the operation of such facility by the localities, (iii) the delivery by or on behalf of the contracting localities of specified quantities of garbage, trash and refuse, whether or not such counties, cities, and <span class="dictionary">towns</span> collect such garbage, trash and refuse, and the making of payments in respect of such quantities of garbage, trash and refuse, whether or not such garbage, trash and refuse are delivered, including payments in respect of revenues lost if garbage, trash and refuse are not delivered, (iv) adjustments to payments made by the localities in respect of inflation, changes in energy prices or residue disposal costs, taxes imposed upon the facility owner or operator, or other events beyond the control of the facility operator or owners, (v) the fixing and collection of fees, rates or charges for use of the disposal facility and for any product or service resulting from operation of the facility, and (vi) such other provision as is necessary for the safe and effective construction, maintenance or operation of such facility, whether or not such provision displaces competition in any market. Any such <span class="dictionary">contract</span> shall not be deemed to be a debt or gift of the localities within the meaning of any <span class="dictionary">law</span>, charter provision or debt limitation. Nothing in the foregoing powers granted such localities includes the authority to pledge the full faith and credit of such localities in violation of Article X, Section 10 of the Constitution of Virginia.
			It has been and is continuing to be the policy of the Commonwealth to authorize each <span class="dictionary">locality</span> to displace or limit competition in the area of garbage, trash or refuse collection services and garbage, trash or refuse disposal services to provide for the health and safety of its citizens, to control disease, to prevent blight and other environmental degradation, to promote the generation of energy and the recovery of useful resources from garbage, trash and refuse, to protect limited natural resources for the benefit of its citizens, to limit noxious odors and unsightly garbage, trash and refuse and decay and to promote the general health and welfare by providing for adequate garbage, trash and refuse collection services and garbage, trash and refuse disposal services. Accordingly, governing bodies are directed and authorized to exercise all powers regarding garbage, trash and refuse collection and garbage, trash and refuse disposal notwithstanding any anti-competitive effect. <a id="paragraph-310074" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-931/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The following localities may by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> require the delivery of all or any portion of the garbage, trash and refuse generated or disposed of within such localities to waste disposal facilities located therein or to waste disposal facilities located outside of such localities if the localities have contracted for capacity at or service from such facilities: (i) Arlington <span class="dictionary">County</span> or the <span class="dictionary">City</span> of Alexandria, singly or jointly, two or all of such counties and cities; (ii) Fairfax <span class="dictionary">County</span>, Fauquier <span class="dictionary">County</span>, Loudoun <span class="dictionary">County</span>, Prince William <span class="dictionary">County</span>, or Stafford <span class="dictionary">County</span> and any <span class="dictionary">town</span> situated within or <span class="dictionary">city</span> wholly surrounded by any of such counties, singly or jointly, two or more of such localities, that have by resolution of the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> committed the <span class="dictionary">locality</span> to own or operate a resource recovery waste disposal facility; and (iii) localities which are members of the Richmond Regional Planning District No. 15 or Crater Planning District No. 19, singly or jointly, two or more of such localities, that by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> of the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> after a minimum of two public <span class="dictionary">hearings</span>, and after complying with applicable provisions of the Public Procurement Act (Chapter 43 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Short title; purpose; declaration of intent" href="/2.2-4300/">2.2-4300</a> et seq.) of Title 2.2), have committed the <span class="dictionary">locality</span> to own, operate or <span class="dictionary">contract</span> for the operation of a resource recovery waste disposal facility. <a id="paragraph-310075" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-931/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1984, c. 763, &#xA7; 15.1-28.01; 1987, c. 422; 1988, c. 264; 1991, cc. 521, 615; 1997, c. 587; 2007, c. 813.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
