As recycling costs rise, Norfolk weighs increase to monthly fee

Norfolk residents could soon be paying more for city trash services. It's up to City Council members when those changes are coming.

The rising costs of curbside recycling means monthly trash collection bills could increase by $3.50 — from $28.51 to $32.01 — Norfolk Director of Public Works Richard Broad told City Council members at a Tuesday informal meeting. The amount the city is paying for recycling services has increased by $2.4 million a year.

If council approves, the rate increase would take effect Jan. 1.

But Norfolk City Manager Patrick Roberts also offered council members a second option: cover the additional costs with city revenue through June 30, and act on the fee increase decision at a later date. Mayor Kenny Alexander said at the meeting he supported the delayed option.

The impending decision comes as cities across Hampton Roads grapple with increased recycling program costs . Virginia Beach this year increased waste management fees by $3.05 to $30.55 a month to continue the curbside recycling program. Chesapeake discontinued its curbside program in 2022 and instead offers drop-off recycling. Chesapeake voters this month said no to paying a fee to restore curbside recycling.

However, Broad said Norfolk residents want to keep the program, citing a resident survey completed this year in which 85% of more than 3,000 respondents approved of a fee increase to continue curbside service. Almost 70% did not approve of moving to a drop-off system.

Broad said TFC Recycling is essentially the only option for recycling programs in the area. After a five-year contract with the city expired this year, Norfolk solicited new proposals for recycling collections and processing. TFC was the sole bidder for both programs.

TFC was awarded the $5.6 million-a-year contract Nov. 1. The cost per year is $2.4 million more than the previous contract, Broad said. City spokesperson Kelly Straub said the new contract lasts four years.

During the meeting, council member Andria McClellan wondered how much of the new expenses came from what she called wishful recyclers: residents trying to recycle items that can't actually be recycled, such as used pizza boxes. She suggested a concentrated education campaign on what can be recycled.

"We've got to do a better job," McClellan said. "We've got to get TFC involved."

Council member Tommy Smigiel said TFC must also be more prompt with picking up the recycling. He said recycling in his neighborhood was sometimes collected a full day later than trash, and some residents would give up and remove their bins beforehand.