The governor’s executive order also seeks to increase awareness about the value of recycling and find ways to reduce food waste.
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Gov. Glenn Youngkin has signed an executive order that aims to raise awareness of the importance of recycling and lure clean energy businesses to Virginia. But a prominent environmental group has criticized the directive for ending a ban on single-use plastics from state agencies and institutions.
Youngkin’s executive order rescinds and replaces a previous order from former Gov. Ralph Northam that directed state agencies, colleges and universities to stop buying, selling or distributing single-use plastics, disposable plastic bags, polystyrene food containers and similar items by July 2021.
The new order establishes a “State Agency Recycling Initiative” that will encourage state agencies to use biodegradable materials and post-consumer recycled products instead. The governor’s directive also calls for the state to begin discussing efforts to bring recycling-related businesses to the commonwealth.
“Americans today recycle less than they did a generation ago, yet there are more opportunities for post-consumer recycled products than ever before,” the order reads. “Recycling and reuse activities account for over 750,000 jobs nationwide.”
The Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club, an national environmental group with chapters across the country, denounced Youngkin over his order. Kate West, the Virginia chapter’s director, said in a statement that positioning recycling as “a sustainable solution is a false promise promoted by polluters.”
“Youngkin’s decision to reverse the state’s plan to phase out single-use plastics is a clear step in the wrong direction that will result in irreversible damage,” West said. “Only a tiny fraction of the plastic created is recycled, with most becoming litter and plastic pollution in our waterways and landfills that disproportionately impact the health of vulnerable communities.”
Northam’s order also called for state agencies and universities to phase out all non-medical single-use plastic and expanded polystyrene items that can be reused, composted, or recycled. West accused Youngkin of caring “more about lining the pockets of polluters than protecting the health of our communities.”
Within a year, the Department of Environmental Quality, along with the Department of Commerce and other stakeholders, is expected to outline the possible business opportunities in a report. Youngkin’s order says the report should identify:
- The waste-stream requirements for PCR companies to locate within the Commonwealth
- Identify incentives offered to PCR companies in other states and identify feasible options in the Commonwealth
- Identify potential geographic areas within the Commonwealth to focus on new clean technology business development, with particular emphasis in rural areas
The order issued by Youngkin also directs the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation to produce an assessment plan to determine the resources needed to “increase the capacity to capture recyclable materials,” including adding receptacles, in Virginia’s State Parks.
Youngkin’s directive calls for the state to work with large-scale food suppliers in an effort to reduce food waste “by encouraging donations to needy individuals, food for animals or for composting purposes.” The Department of General Services must submit an annual report tracking the metric tonnage of the recycling program and setting goals by Dec. 31, 2022, for each succeeding year through 2025.
