Fairfax County supervisors to consider banning plastic bags for yard waste
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is holding a hearing Feb. 23, 4 p.m., on a proposed ordinance to ban the use of plastic bags for yard waste collections.
The proposed change is aimed at reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in streams and soil, contaminating the environment.
Environmental groups urge residents to speak out in support of the plastic bag ban.
Instead of plastic, residents are asked to put brush, leaves, and grass left on the curb for pickup in paper bags or reusable containers. The ordinance would cover private, as well as county, waste collections.
To prepare for this change, Fairfax County began encouraging people to voluntarily phase out plastic bags for yard waste a year ago.
Related story: Fairfax County phasing out plastic bags for yard waste
Currently, the collected yard waste and the plastic bags holding them go to a composting facility where the bags get shredded and mixed into the compost.
“Through this process, plastic makes its way into our soils, water supply, and eventually to us.” the Audubon Naturalist Society notes. Prohibiting plastic bags would create “a safer and healthier compost product.”
Supervisor Pat Herrity (Springfield) opposes the ban, citing inconvenience, cost, and the potential for increased illegal dumping.
12 responses to “Fairfax County supervisors to consider banning plastic bags for yard waste”
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How about we ban some of the renters who don't know what disposal of waste and recyclable mean? Like not throwing their crap on one's front yard or leaving it at curbside. I say fine them or make them go into a work program picking up all the plastic crap thrown out of cars or left on our public ways for someone else to pick up. Now that would be a job for Zoning Compliance that they are too impotent to implement.
For this to work the trash companies have got to get better about garden pickups. Paper bags are not going to hold up if they have to sit in the weather for weeks because your stuff wasn't picked up.
Yea, and if they put out tree limps or brush unattended or untwined, no one picks it up. Zoning says its tree and brush waste at the curb and is not their problem and to call VDOT. Call VDOT, they say its not their problem and they say call zoning. Call Penny Gross's office and they say to call VDOT. The County is run by a bunch of pointing finger, pass the buck dingbats. It is no wonder people on this blog call Mason a dump.
Do you mean the people who don't pick up the trash that is strewn all over their lawns or the ones that don't know the difference between recyclable and regular waste? My neighbors have thrown out anything and everything that has even an eraser size amount of plastic in the recycle bin which is of course not in line with the regulations. Zoning does not want to do anything to help keep the county clean. Plastic bags shouldn't be allowed for the brush.
Zoning Compliance is a complete and utter charade in Fairfax County. If you think it is bad now, just wait until you have two home based businesses with 12 foot signage and related vehicles at your neighbors house everyday… not to mention your right to have a say on that little issue prior to it happening. Let's just give the staff all the power. After all, who needs a voice in a democracy anymore. Thanks zMOD!
Glad to see the Board of Supervisors is focusing on really important issues like plastic bags instead of inconsequential stuff like the budget, overcrowding, taxes, land use, etc etc etc.
We should wrap the BoS (Bag of S–t) in a plastic bag and leave it on the curb before the law goes into effect. I bet no one will pick it up!
In the realm of the problems in the County, the plastic surrounding the leaves is infinitesimal! Paper bags, even those sold for recycling, will not stand up to the elements if not picked up immediately. They are also an unacceptable cost – this is how recycling kills itself! Too expensive, too difficult means people find other ways to stuff the leaves in plastic bags and include them in the trash bins! But maybe this is the level of the problems they can focus on!
Can we clone Pat Herrity and make up the entire Board of Supervisors with them? That would solve a lot of our (citizens of FxCo) problems.
The most environmentally protective and cost-effective solution for yard waste is to put out yard waste in reusable containers. Single-use plastic trash bags should not be used if they are indeed being shredded into compost – because that's truly damaging to local waterways and wildlife. Single-use paper bags also are an environmental problem — their manufacture uses more water and natural resources than plastic bags. That said, paper bags ARE compostable, so in the case of yard waste, in particular, they are a practical option when it is not possible to use re-usable containers.
Not sure if the county still offer this for those of us who receive Fairfax County trash collection, but several years ago I requested and received (free of charge) a yard debris bin in addition to my regular trash and recycle bins. If they don't offer the free bins any more, fairly inexpensive reusable bins/cans are available at any Home Depot or Lowe's.
In a county led by retards, i would expect nothing less.
Keep up the good job city officials.
Can't wait for your fight to ban salting the roads on the next winter storm!