SPSA asks member localities to extend agreements so private firm can build AI sorting plant; landfill expansion remains necessary

Dennis Bagley, executive director of the Southeastern Public Service Authority, told the Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors that SPSA is seeking amended user-support agreements from member localities to allow negotiations with a private contractor for a regional alternative waste disposal facility.

Bagley said the firm SPSA selected, Commonwealth Sortation, would sort mixed trash with artificial intelligence and robots, divert organics for conversion to biochar and remove recyclables so the regional landfill could last longer. "If you cut our waste stream in half, then that then makes the landfill last through the end of the century," Bagley said, describing the company’s 50% diversion guarantee.

The ask to member localities is limited: sign an amendment to extend the term of existing user-support agreements so SPSA can negotiate and, if the parties agree, enter a long-term contract. Bagley emphasized the user-support agreement extension does not obligate a locality to use an alternative disposal method: "This request does not mean that you're signing up for alternative waste disposal or you're signing up for landfill," he said.

Why it matters: SPSA projects the regional landfill’s presently permitted capacity (about 9,800,000 cubic yards) will be exhausted by about 2034 at current inflows; adding two additional permitted cells (8 and 9) would add roughly 16,000,000 cubic yards and extend capacity to about 2060. Bagley said combining the planned…