Episode 39: Where does Virginia’s trash come from and who does it get dumped on?

Virginia is a bona fide trash capital. For decades, Virginia has been the second biggest importer of trash from other states. We even accept trash from other countries. About a quarter of all the trash dumped in Virginia originates from outside the state -- nearly 6 million tons of trash per year.

One state’s trash must be our state’s treasure... at least for the owners. Waste management is a surprisingly profitable enterprise, and Virginia charges no fees for out-of-state trash imports. You can thank the state’s pro-business ideology and some well-placed corporate campaign donations.

So where does that trash land in Virginia? And who does it get dumped on?