Starting July 1, Suffolk residents will no longer need to separate recyclable items from trash.
People can place all junk in their green or blue bins for regular collection. It will all go to a new sorting plant in Portsmouth, fueled by artificial intelligence.
Suffolk contracted with Chesapeake-based TFC Recycling. The transition away from that traditional curbside program is part of a regional initiative by the Southeastern Public Service Authority, which handles trash for South Hampton Roads and western Tidewater.
Earlier this year, the authority finalized a $450 million agreement with Colorado-based AMP, which uses AI and other technology to remove recyclables such as plastics and metals from the trash stream.
Organic waste, such as food scraps, will be converted into a reusable substance called biochar.
The goal is to reduce the amount of trash going to the Regional Landfill in Suffolk, which would otherwise run out of space by 2060, according to SPSA.
The contract guarantees AMP will keep at least half of the waste SPSA collects from going to the landfill, hopefully extending its capacity through the end of the century. Authority officials also believe the AI technology will boost the amount of items being successfully recycled.
The Portsmouth plant will soon process up to 108,000 tons of waste per year – about a quarter of what SPSA collects. Another, larger facility is planned down the road on Victory Boulevard and will quadruple the project’s capacity by 2029.
Suffolk residents pay a $30 monthly fee for trash and recycling, billed twice each year on real estate tax bills. That will not change, according to a city spokesperson.
City officials expect the AI initiative to avoid higher disposal costs long-term. Current local hauling costs about $65 per ton. If the landfill ran out of space and trash had to be taken outside the region, that could surge to about $125 per ton.
Residents who prefer to separate recyclable materials can still take them to a drop-off site at the landfill.
As recycling contracts come up for renewal, more Hampton Roads localities are likely to make the switch after struggling with higher recycling costs in recent years.
Portsmouth already sends material from both household bins to AMP’s plant. Chesapeake ended curbside recycling several years ago.
