Additional CVWMA Programs

Assorted scrap metal and used appliances are collected by participating jurisdictions at their public use areas, solis waste convenience centers or transfer stations. Residents that  receive weekly trash collection through the CVWMA Residential Trash Collection programs can place items at the curb for pick-up.  Curbside pickup has certain guidelines. The items are then transported to metal processors in the area for recycling.The freon recovery program enables participating jurisdictions to comply with state and federal regulations which ban the atmospheric release of Chloroflourocarbons (CFCs) and Hydrochloroflourocarbons (HCFCs).   Many used and discarded appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers contain these ozone-depleting gases. A fee may be charged for the disposal of freon-containing appliances. Check the Recycling Wizard to see what products you can dispose of where you live.

CVWMA has programs that provide residents with the means to recycle rechargeable and lead
acid batteries.  Button batteries and alkaline battieries, the common household variety, can be
thrown in the trash.Check the Recycling Wizard to see what products you can dispose of where you live.

The CVWMA Safe Garage program was established to help residents properly and safely dispose of household hazardous materials and liquids (HHW) from the home.  Residents can properly dispose of a number of chemicals including automotive fluids and paint-related waste in the Category 1 labeled containers located at designated collection sites within CVWMA member localities. Locality on-site personnel are available to provide assistance if needed.  Not all sites accept all materials. Check the Recycling Wizard to see what products you can dispose of where you live.

This program was created in response to a change in regulations regarding propane tanks that went into effect in 2002.   Safety standards for tanks now require a new valve style to help prevent the accidental overfilling of tanks.  Tanks without the overfill protection device cannot be legally refilled. Tanks sized from 4 to 40-pounds capacity were affected by the regulation.  This includes the 20-pound tanks commonly used for gas grills. Aware that this change could result in a large number of unwanted or unfillable tanks, CVWMA took steps to create a recycling and disposal program to meet this need. Even supposedly empty tanks contain residual amounts of propane, a hazardous material that should be handled with care.  Tanks collected from citizens in the CVWMA program are either retrofitted and placed back into service, or sold for scrap metal. Check the Recycling Wizard to see if you can dispose of propane tanks where you live.

CVWMA has partnered with Goodwill of Central Virginia to promote textile recycling.  Large blue collection bins or a Good will trailer have been placed at several area convenience centers making it easy for residents to donate their unwanted textiles for reuse instead of tossing them in the trash.  Goodwill sells donated items in their retail stores, whose revenue supports their mission of assisting individuals with obstacles to employment. Materials collected include clothing, shoes, belts, purses, and any other textiles. Check the Recycling Wizard to see what products you can dispose of where you live.

Through the CVWMA Waste Tire Program, residents in participating jurisdictions can take used tires to designated public use areas, solid waste convenience centers, and transfer stations year-round. Depending upon the location, residents may pay a nominal fee for disposal of used tires. Check the Recycling Wizard for locations to dispose of tires where you live. Collected tires may be burned for fuel or shredded into a mulch-like product.  This rubber “mulch” is suitable for use as a permanent groundcover for landscaping, playgrounds and horse arenas.  Unlike organic mulch made from chipped wood, this material never decomposes and requires minimal maintenance.  The rubber also possesses shock absorbing capabilities, making it a safer surface for playgrounds and arenas.

Many localities have yard-waste collection points at local public use areas, solid waste convenience centers and transfer stations. Check the Recycling Wizard for options available to you where you live. The collected material is ground into mulch, which the locality may provide to residents free of charge or for a small fee or use the material for civic landscaping projects. CVWMA also recommends Composting as an option. Use the links below to get started:

• Learn about composting
• Composting at home

Looking for ways to recycle at special events? Some of our member localities offer this program. Click here to learn more  Special Event Recycling Program  

  CVWMA also provides debris management and monitoring service contracts on behalf of all 13 localities.  These contracts can be activated before, during or after an event, such as a hurricane, tornado etc where a significant amount of vegetative debris is generated.  Annually, CVWMA holds a workshop for local and state personnel that serves as both a refresher of services available as well as provides information on new topics and updates on any new guidance from FEMA, VDEM or other regulatory agencies.  The 2020 Disaster Preparedness Workshop was held this year by Webinar due to Covid-19 meeting restrictions.

The webinar can be found here:  Disaster Preparedness Webinar