Zero Waste in Action: Community Case Study #1

Arlington, Virginia has been long hailed as a leader in environmental initiatives and in 2015, the county became the first in Virginia to pass a Zero Waste resolution. While Arlington already recycles nearly 47% of trash, the county’s strong commitment to the environment, coupled with a looming increase in trash rates, ignited their movement toward Zero Waste. In efforts to increase recycling rates, Arlington has provided comprehensive residential recycling and waste services, required every business to provide recycling bins, and ordered building and business owners to craft and submit a detailed recycling plan to the county.