The Virginia Peninsulas Public Service Authority has cancelled its contract with the curbside recycling provider that serves the Greater Williamsburg area, leaving localities scrambling for new recycling solutions.
The authority voted Tuesday to terminate the nearly 7-year-old contract with Tidewater Fibre Corp. due to “significant performance deficiencies,” the authority said Wednesday in a news release. The authority cited the company’s noncompliance with their agreement and “unwillingness to remedy the compliance issues,” the release said.
Noncompliance issues ranged from missing records, and inaccurate reports that resulted in inaccurate billing to failure to meet customer service performance standards, the authority said. Spilled recyclables, oil and vehicle fluids on roadways and failure to clean up after spills were also listed as problems.
Tidewater Fibre Corp., which is based in Chesapeake, did not immediately return a call seeking comment. TFC Recycling describes itself on its website as “one of Virginia’s largest residential curbside recyclers,” serving more than 600,000 households and more than 4,000 commercial customers throughout Virginia and North Carolina.
“Waste diversion is important for reducing landfill waste and promoting environmental sustainability,” VPPSA Executive Director Jennifer Wheeler said in the release. “However, it is imperative that we conduct this work responsibly. We recognize that terminating our contract with TFC may cause an inconvenience for residents of James City County, York County, Williamsburg, and Poquoson, and we appreciate your patience in this transition. VPPSA is committed to finding recycling solutions that fit the needs of each community and ensure proper compliance and accountability as quickly as possible.”
The recycling contract will end Sept. 30, leaving the cities of Williamsburg and Poquoson as well as James City and York counties without a recycling provider. Williamsburg, however, announced Wednesday that it plans to use Republic Services to begin new curbside recycling services on Oct. 1. Collections will follow the same “Monday/Tuesday, every other week schedule,” the city said.
James City County said it is currently exploring alternative curbside recycling solutions and is asking residents to hold on to their carts until more information is given. Current county curbside recycling customers will continue to receive their service until Sept. 30. Residents are encouraged to stop using recyclable items and use convenience centers as the county looks for a new provider. The centers will accept drop-off recycling at no cost.
York County residents will have the Recycling Convenience Center at York County Waste Management, located at 145 Goodwin Neck Road, available to them. York residents will also be able to use James City County’s Jolly Pond and Toano convenience centers. Williamsburg residents will be able to use James City County’s Jolly Pond and Tewning Road convenience centers.
Poquoson will provide residents a recycling-only drop-off location at the Public Works Compound, located at 12 Municipal Dr., on two weekends: Sept. 26-27 and Oct. 3-4. Public works will provide pick-up service to citizens enrolled in back door pickup.
For more information, visit williamsburgva.gov, jamescitycountyva.gov, yorkcounty.gov/recycle and poquoson-va.gov/214/recycling.
James W. Robinson, 757-799-0621, james.robinson@virginiamedia.com
