Waste Management and Water Resources: A Problem That Can't be Swept Under the Rug

Abstract

Poorly planned and managed solid waste disposal, facilities have contaminated surface water and ground water in Virginia and across the nation. According to 1988 calculations, an estimated 27,000 tons per day of solid waste are produced in the Commonwealth. Virginia has designated new more stringent, solid waste management regulations, and it has adopted a resource discovery program that focuses on waste as a valuable resource. Under this innovative program, planning, source reduction, reuse and recycling have higher priority than existing programs in the state for incineration and landfilling. This publication describes Virginia's waste management plans and their potential for protecting the states water resources.