Fairfax County's EnviroPod

Jen Cole, executive director, Clean Fairfax, talks with Scott Coco about litter caused by the pandemic and the over-use of plastic in the United States and globally.

Mike McGrath, director, Noman Cole Pollution Control Plant, talks about how the county treats wastewater, how important clean water is to life on earth, and the improvements in public health and the environment since October 1970 when the plant opened.

Curtis also talks about the Bandalong trash trap that was recently installed in Little Hunting Creek that is successfully capturing floating trash. Litter is a problem for the critters who live in the streams in Fairfax County.

The Purple Can Club (glass recycling) is suspended and the county asks residents to mulch or compost their yard waste – or don’t create yard waste. These changes are necessary to limit employees' exposure to the COVID-19 virus. Full service will be restored when this public health emergency is over. If you have an idea to be discussed on EnviroPod, email [email protected] or call 703-324-5821, TTY 711.

So called “flushable” wipes are made of polyester and cause sewer backups into homes and streets and damage wastewater pipes and pumps. Disinfectant wipes of every type should be disposed of in the trash. Other things that should not be flushed down the toilet are: dental floss, paper towels, napkins, cotton swabs, plastic of any kind, food, hair, diapers and clothing of any kind, needles or sharps of any kind and never, never flush medicine down the toilet or down any household drain. Use care and prevent sewer backups into your home. If you have an idea to be discussed on EnviroPod, email [email protected] or call 703-324-5821, TTY 711.

Dispose of household hazardous waste (HHW) like paint, chemicals, and batteries safely by bringing those items to the I-66 Transfer Station on West Ox Road or the I-95 Landfill in Lorton. If you don’t know what an item is, bring it to one of these locations and qualified employees will figure out how to dispose of it in environmentally friendly ways. It's easy and free for Fairfax County residents.

The restoration of the riparian corridor is the most common technique used in stream restorations. The loss of the vegetated riparian corridor of many streams, particularly those within urbanized watersheds, calls for riparian restoration, one of the least expensive of all stream restoration activities.

Things have changed in landscaping for residential, commercial and municipal use. Thirty years ago, there was a very limited choice of plants available for all three uses. Now it’s known that native plants are equal in beauty to non-native plants and they are readily available in nearby nurseries. The natives are hardy and can support more wildlife – like butterflies and other pollinators – than non-natives. They are adapted to the local environment and. need less water. Listeners can learn to create ‘outdoor rooms’ by using native plants. More information is available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/soil-water-conservation/nativeplants and from the National Audubon Society (www.Audubon.org) and from the Virginia Native Plant Society (https://vnps.org/).

There are purple, glass only recycling containers in multiple locations throughout the county and nearby jurisdictions. This is a regional effort with partners that include City of Alexandria, Prince William County and Arlington County with more to come. Glass is infinitely recyclable and can be used in some construction projects. For more information visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/publicworks/news/regional-approach-glass-recycling-leads-creation-purple-can-club or call 703-802-3322, TTY 711 or email [email protected]

We’ve been taught for generations to dispose of unwanted medication by flushing it down the toilet or sink. Things have changed. There are safe, easy and environmentally friendly ways to dispose of prescription and over-the-counter medications. Don’t allow drugs to fall into the wrong hands or contaminate water supplies. EnviroPod features subject matter experts from the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services talking about important environmental topics focused on what residents can do and what the county is doing to fulfill its environmental vision. If you have an idea to be discussed on EnviroPod, email [email protected] or call 324-5821, TTY 711.