Hampton Roads, Virginia tests AI waste sorting to cut landfill use by 50%

The Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) in Hampton Roads is implementing an AI and robotics-powered waste sorting facility in Portsmouth that could cut landfill waste by 50%. The facility represents a major pivot for SPSA after losing its primary revenue source when the Navy stopped purchasing steam in 2023 and a catastrophic fire destroyed the Wheelabrator facility.

What you should know: The new mixed-waste sorting system uses artificial intelligence and image recognition to identify and remove recyclable and organic materials before they reach landfills.

• The technology can pull out approximately 50% of materials from the waste stream, extending landfill life well into 2060.
• Commonwealth Sortation Technologies operates the facility, which is already running a pilot program processing about 25 tons of waste per hour on Victory Boulevard in Portsmouth.
• The full-scale site will handle 350,000 tons of waste annually once the contract is finalized.

Why this matters: Hampton Roads communities currently recycle only 6.8% of their waste on average, leaving significant room for improvement in waste diversion.

• SPSA expects the new process to raise recycling rates to 20% by capturing materials that residents often miss, including 26% of the waste stream that still contains recyclables even after blue bin collection.
• The remaining organic waste will be converted into biochar, a carbon-rich material that can be sold to other businesses.

The big picture: This technology shift addresses both environmental responsibility and economic necessity for the region’s waste management system.

• “We got six proposals back and we decided to elect two of those to move forward with negotiations, so we’re very close to finalizing a contract to do mixed waste sorting,” said SPSA Executive Director Dennis Bagley.
• The AI-driven approach eliminates the need for human workers to manually sort through trash, addressing both safety and labor concerns.

What they’re saying: SPSA leadership emphasizes that technology alone won’t solve the waste crisis without community participation.

• “We gotta begin to look at what citizens can do to help themselves, and although it appears to be a small amount to a big problem, but when you combine everything together, it makes a big difference,” Bagley said.
• “People get used to us just taking the waste and doing something with it; they don’t know where it goes,” he added. “We’re not stopping at 50%. Our next step is to look at the other 50% and find out how we’re going to reduce that even lower.”

Looking ahead: SPSA advocates for extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation that would require manufacturers to reduce packaging waste and design more recyclable products.

• “It takes a lot of support in order to make that happen; extended producer responsibility is a big deal,” Bagley noted.
• While EPR policies are gaining traction in northern and western states, Virginia has not yet adopted such legislation.