Highland County, Virginia’s regulatory framework for solid waste is governed by Chapter 10 of the Highland County Code of Ordinances, alongside enabling legislation under the Code of Virginia (§ 15.2-2159).
Because Highland County does not operate an active, county-owned landfill, its ordinance focuses heavily on funding out-of-state export operations, preventing unlawful out-of-county dumping, and managing localized green box/convenience sites.
1. Statutory Funding: The Solid Waste Enterprise Fee
Highland County operates its solid waste disposal via a dedicated Enterprise Fund, meaning the program is legally required to be self-sustaining through targeted citizen user fees rather than broad property tax revenue.
The Fee Mandate: Under the authority granted specifically to a small subset of Virginia counties (including Augusta, Bath, and Highland), the Board of Supervisors levies a mandatory annual Solid Waste Disposal/Enterprise Fee (currently set at $150.00 per year per household or active business).
The "Opt-Out" Limitation: Virginia law enforces a strict provision regarding who can be billed. The county can only levy this fee on residents whose waste actually enters the county disposal stream. Under Va. Code § 15.2-2159(A)(ii), if a Highland County landowner can provide verifiable documentation that they utilize a private commercial hauler (who pays independent tipping fees at a regional facility), the county cannot assess the annual household solid waste fee against that property.
Collection Penalties: The ordinance mirrors state tax code collection methods. The county is authorized to apply late payment penalties and interest, and can withhold approvals for local zoning permits, variances, or land-use applications if a property owner’s solid waste account is delinquent.
2. Mandatory Origin and Out-of-County Dumping Bans
To protect the county’s budget from paying to process outside trash, the ordinance establishes clear rules regarding where waste must originate:
The Origin Restriction: In accordance with Va. Code § 15.2-928(B), Highland County’s local ordinance restricts the use of county-maintained solid waste depositories, "green boxes," or convenience sites strictly to waste that physically originates within the geographic borders of Highland County.
The Penalty: Dumping commercial, industrial, or residential waste generated in another county or state into Highland's collection system constitutes a code violation. Local enforcement treats unauthorized out-of-county dumping as a civil penalty, which can escalate to a Class 3 misdemeanor if an offender is repeatedly cited for the same infraction within a 24-month period.
3. Regulatory Controls on Commercial and Private Haulers
Highland County does not provide public curbside garbage collection; the county’s operations are confined to maintaining public drop-off sites and executing bulk transportation contracts.
Commercial Exclusivity: Residents who choose not to transport their own trash to county drop-off sites must contract independently with private commercial haulers.
The Export Framework: Because the county lacks a local landfill, the ordinance allows contracted waste management entities to consolidate and export local household waste to designated regional transfer facilities or out-of-state destinations (such as processing facilities across the West Virginia border).
4. Prohibited Materials and Site Restrictions
The county ordinance regulates the types of refuse that may be legally abandoned at public collection stations:
Household Waste Only: Public container sites are strictly designated for standard municipal solid waste (MSW) and household garbage.
Banned Streams: Commercial construction debris, industrial manufacturing waste, automotive fluids, and large-scale agricultural waste are barred from standard collection boxes. Materials that fall under hazardous waste parameters or require distinct environmental handling must be diverted by the generator to specialized regional processing facilities at their own expense.
| Ordinance Provision | Local Legal/Financial Rule | Virginia Code Authority |
| Annual Disposal Fee | $150.00/year assessed to households using county facilities; completely waivable with proof of private commercial hauler service. | § 15.2-2159 |
| Origin Compliance | Restricts all green box/convenience sites to trash generated inside Highland County borders. | § 15.2-928(B) |
| Enforcement Penalty | Civil fines escalating to a Class 3 misdemeanor for repeated unauthorized or out-of-county dumping. | § 15.2-928 / § 15.2-927 |
| Collection Model | Public un-curbside convenience sites only; curbside collection left entirely to private commercial markets. | § 15.2-927 |
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