Vienna residents could once again toss glass bottles and jars into their curbside recycling bins if Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity gets his way.

Herrity, who backed the county's 2019 decision to pull glass from single-stream recycling, announced in his Aug. 12 constituent newsletter that he now wants the countywide service restored. He plans to ask the Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday, Aug. 25 meeting to direct staff to develop a transition plan, FFXnow reported.

"Not only is glass effectively and efficiently separated, but because of advances in processing the separated glass, there is now a vibrant market for recycled glass," Herrity wrote in the newsletter.

What changed his mind

Herrity said a recent tour of Waste Management's materials recovery facility in Elkridge, Maryland, and the adjacent Cap Glass transfer facility convinced him the technology has caught up. He described glass being sorted by color and recycled into beer bottles, mason jars and sand for water filters rather than heading to landfills.

Starting in January 2027, a Republic Services facility serving county residents will begin recycling glass into products instead of using it as landfill cover, according to Herrity.

What it means for Vienna households

Fairfax County eliminated curbside glass recycling in 2019, citing equipment damage and high processing costs. Since then, residents who want to recycle glass must drive to one of roughly 24 "Purple Can Club" drop-off bins scattered across the county. Glass collected at those bins goes to the I-66 Transfer Station and can return to store shelves as new products within 30 days, according to county officials.

If the board approves Herrity's request, the Purple Can Club would eventually be phased out and residents could simply put glass back in their regular recycling bins at the curb.

County says money is tight

Department of Public Works and Environmental Services spokesperson Sharon North told FFXnow there is interest in expanding glass recycling but that "current financial challenges prevent us from doing so." North said the county's ongoing Request for Expressions of Interest process could help identify new revenue to offset costs.

That RFEI, which invites industry and public ideas on modernizing the county's waste system, is open through Friday, Oct. 30. A virtual information session is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 31 at 11 a.m.; interested parties can register by emailing [email protected].

What's next

Herrity's proposal is not yet a confirmed agenda item for the Aug. 25 board meeting. The county manages roughly 1.1 million tons of trash and recyclables each year, and any policy shift would need buy-in from a board majority. Residents can submit ideas through the county's RFEI page before the Oct. 30 deadline.