About Us
Litter Free Virginia (LFVA) is a gathering place for organizations and individuals that are interested in decreasing litter in the Commonwealth, whether that be through legislation, policy or community engagement. Litter Free Virginia is a collaboration between dozens of organizations (listed below) that care deeply about plastic pollution. Please note that this site and initiative is maintained by Clean Fairfax, and that not every view expressed on this website will necessarily be shared by our wonderful partners! Email us if you’d like to sign on to the initiative!
Why does Litter Free Virginia exist? Frankly, the zero waste movement in Virginia needs a little structure. There are so many organizations, legislators and citizens that are fed up with litter in their respective communities, but they’re having trouble talking to each other (it’s a big state!) It’s likely that a handful of similar litter prevention bills will be independently introduced at the next legislative session. Our mission is to keep you informed of these bills, and when the time comes, we want to let you know if and when these bills will be voted on so you can contact local legislators.
The last few years have been full of big wins for LFVA, though not without a few setbacks. Through the collective effort of the environmental community, the Virginia litter tax was raised in 2020–for the first time in 43 years–and localities within the Commonwealth were granted the authority to institute a $0.05 fee for single use plastic bags. To date, nine localities have instituted bag fees and several others are discussing and considering adopting ordinances. In 2021, intentional balloon releases were made illegal for corporations and individuals ages 13 and older (you can read more about balloons here). That year also saw a significant increase in the penalties for littering, though we also experienced a significant setback when a petrochemical industry-backed bill to reclassify “advanced recycling” as a manufacturing process was signed into law in Virginia. Environmental legislation lulled in 2022; multiple bills were introduced and have been tabled for later discussion, including multiple moves for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging regulations in the Commonwealth. Additionally, the 2020 vote to phase out all expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam containers from food vendors was amended and delayed another five years. The ban was originally set to go into effect by July 1, 2023 but is now pushed until at least 2028.
To read about all of the bills that have passed, be sure to check out our Legislation Tracker. These were huge wins for Virginia, but the work is not over. Our focus for 2023 remains on upholding the current progress we’ve achieved and pushing back against chemical recycling operations encroaching on the Commonwealth. Don’t worry – we haven’t forgotten about bottles, cigarette butts, food waste, etc. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about new challenges for waste reduction, but the scientific community overwhelmingly supports policies that limit the spread of single use plastics. The litter problems in Virginia aren’t slowing down and neither are we!
Partner organizations of the Litter Free Virginia initiative:
Alice Ferguson Foundation
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Clean Fairfax
EcoAction Arlington
Environment Virginia
Fairfax 350
Faith Alliance For Climate Solutions
Friends of Accotink Creek
Friends of the Rappahannock
Greater Prince William Climate Action Network
Izaak Walton League of America – Virginia Division
Lynnhaven River NOW
MOM’s Organic Market
Our Last Straw
Potomac Conservancy
Prince William Conservation Alliance
Sierra Club – Virginia Chapter
Surfrider Foundation – Virginia Chapter
