The Virginia Peninsulas Public Service Authority (VPPSA) Board of Directors has decided to end its curbside recycling contract with Tidewater Fibre Corporation (TFC), effective September 30, 2025. The decision was made following significant performance deficiencies identified in TFC’s service.
This action means that TFC will no longer provide curbside recycling for James City County, York County, the City of Williamsburg, and the City of Poquoson. VPPSA sent a formal notice of termination to TFC on September 24, citing noncompliance with the agreement and TFC’s lack of response to efforts aimed at resolving these issues.
According to VPPSA, repeated requests for records to verify billing accuracy were not met with satisfactory documentation from TFC. Although VPPSA continued paying for reported household collections, it withheld payment on disputed invoice portions. Since February 2025, VPPSA offered recommendations and proposed amendments intended to help TFC meet compliance standards. However, the authority states that these corrective actions were not sufficiently addressed by the provider.
VPPSA outlined several key areas where TFC failed to comply:
– Inaccurate procedures and records related to weight tracking
– Missing or incomplete records required to be maintained for five years
– Mixing collection routes in ways that prevented accurate allocation of weights
– Providing inaccurate reports along with invoices, leading to billing discrepancies
– Not meeting customer service standards due to frequent missed collections and inadequate special service pickups
– Frequent delays causing routes to run past normal hours or require next-day completion without proper notification
– Increased incidents involving spilled recyclables and vehicle fluids attributed to poor vehicle maintenance
– Inadequate cleanup after spills of recyclables and hazardous materials
– Insufficient documentation regarding route sheets, cart counts, or address lists
– Property damage incidents without notifying affected residents
– Failure to conduct required route audits and waste composition studies
The original contract between VPPSA and TFC was signed in December 2018 and last amended in December 2023. VPPSA is a regional waste authority serving additional member jurisdictions including the City of Hampton as well as Mathews, Middlesex, Essex, King and Queen, and King William counties.
“Waste diversion is important for reducing landfill waste and promoting environmental sustainability,” said Jennifer Wheeler, Executive Director of VPPSA. “However, it is imperative that we conduct this work responsibly. We recognize that terminating our contract with TFC may cause an inconvenience for residents of James City County, York County, Williamsburg, and Poquoson, and we appreciate your patience in this transition. VPPSA is committed to finding recycling solutions that fit the needs of each community and ensure proper compliance and accountability as quickly as possible.”
While seeking long-term options for waste diversion services across its region, local governments are developing interim recycling plans tailored for their communities. Residents can find more information about local recycling programs through their respective municipal websites: James City County at jamescitycountyva.gov; York County at www.yorkcounty.gov/recycle; City of Poquoson at www.poquoson-va.gov/214/recycling; City of Williamsburg at williamsburgva.gov.
