City of Staunton

July 27, 2026 – The City of Staunton is launching a new phase of sustainability initiatives this August, anchored by the “Less to the Landfill” campaign, a community-wide goal to reduce the city’s trash tonnage by 5 percent over the next year.

To introduce these new resources and initiatives, the city will host a public kickoff event at the Staunton Recycling Center on Thursday, August 6 at 11 a.m. Residents and members of the media are invited to attend, and Public Works staff will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate the new diversion options.

The “Less to the Landfill” initiative addresses a pressing economic reality: throwing things away is the most expensive option for the city. Staunton participates in a shared regional landfill, and the city's financial contribution is directly tied to the weight of the trash it brings in. As local tonnage increases, so does the percentage Staunton must pay to monitor, maintain, and expand the landfill, costs that ultimately impact the community.

"Every ton of waste we bury takes up expensive landfill space and drives up our shared operational costs," said Josh Knight, Engagement & Communications Manager. "Our goal is to shift our community mindset so that throwing something in the trash becomes the last option, rather than the default."

To help residents find alternatives to the landfill, the city is rolling out several new tools and pilot programs:

• Expanded Composting Access: For years, local environmental advocacy group Shenandoah Green has led the charge on community composting in Staunton, voluntarily staffing collection bins at the Recycling Center for four hours each week. To build on their foundational success, the city is partnering with Black Bear Composting to launch a one-month trial that expands composting access to be available anytime the center is open. The pilot will determine if unmonitored public composting can be sustained without cross-contamination.
  
  
• The Community Scoreboard: A new, highly visible scoreboard is being installed at the Recycling Center gate. Updated monthly, the sign will track exactly how many pounds of waste the community has successfully recycled and kept out of the landfill, providing real-time feedback on the city's 5 percent reduction goal.
  
  
• Digital Resource Expansion: The city's website is receiving targeted enhancements to clearly highlight all available alternatives to the trash can, making it easier than ever for residents to recycle, compost, and divert household waste.

By combining municipal resources with existing community passion, the city hopes to drastically increase the amount of organic material diverted from the landfill.

“We are excited to partner directly with the City of Staunton to expand composting access,” said Cyndy Seibels, Vice President and Coordinator of Composting Programs with Shenandoah Green. “By combining our volunteer dedication with the city's operational support, we can make it easier than ever for residents to compost and keep even more organic waste out of the landfill.”

If the August composting trial is successful and contamination is kept to a minimum, the city hopes to make the expanded Black Bear Composting bins a permanent fixture at the Recycling Center.

For more information on the city's waste diversion efforts, visit: www.staunton.va.us/lesstrash.

More information about the Staunton Recycling Center.