According to numbers out on Monday, there's less trash and more items being recycled in central Virginia.
The change means the air we breathe and water we drink could be a little cleaner. What's also interesting is while the amount of stuff getting recycled has gone up, state requirements have been relaxed.
Back in 2006, the Virginia General Assembly relaxed the standards, requiring localities to recycle 15 percent of all waste instead of 25 percent. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) says in 2011, 33.8 percent of all waste collected was recycled in Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, and Greene. That's up 4.6 percent from 2010.
The DEQ says the recycling of paper, metal, electronics, and antifreeze, drove the increase. Responding to these numbers, the Thomas Jefferson Area Planning District said even though state standards are relaxed, they are committed to maintain a rate of at least 25 percent.
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