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Solid waste: outreach funding for multifamily/commercial recycling and expansion of on-street composting
Summary
DES proposed $130,000 in one-time funding for outreach to improve recycling and waste diversion in multifamily and commercial sectors, and announced plans to add 10 on-street compost containers as the city expands a popular program.
At the March work session, DES staff outlined solid-waste and recycling highlights included in the FY26 proposal: the department continues to track recycling diversion rates (estimated at 54% for the current year and 56% for FY26) and recommended $130,000 in one-time funds to support outreach targeted to multifamily and commercial property managers to improve diversion and reduce contamination.
Nut graf: DES officials said that while nearly all multifamily properties have recycling systems in place (staff cited about 98% compliance with having a system), contamination rates in recycling streams remain a challenge and outreach and marketing are needed to change behavior. The $130,000 was described as funding to support targeted marketing and outreach campaigns rather than financing new permanent staffing.
DES also said it will expand the on-street compost ("on-street organics") pilot by adding 10 containers in FY26: six in the National Landing area, three in Rosslyn and one at Clarendon Metro; staff reported the program had collected about 66,000 pounds of food scraps and counted roughly 880 unique users to date.
Board members and staff discussed how county and school facilities compare on diversion; staff said county facilities are generally performing well and that APS (Arlington Public Schools) remains a target for partnership on food-waste programs. Officials said a contractor-based study of construction and demolition (C&D) debris is underway and will be delivered by June 30 to inform C&D practices.
Ending: DES said the outreach funding is intended to support behavior-change marketing and that further operational and partnership steps will follow as the county scales diversion programs.
