DEQ launches Shoosmith landfill webpage for Chesterfield residents

TL;DR: The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has launched a dedicated webpage providing Chesterfield residents with updates and reports on the closure and remediation of the bankrupt Shoosmith landfill.

The story

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality launched a dedicated webpage on July 29 providing Chesterfield residents with updates and reports on the closure and remediation of the Shoosmith Bros, Inc. sanitary landfill, located at 11520 Iron Bridge Road in Chester.

The webpage consolidates technical data and testing results for the bankrupt private landfill, which ceased accepting waste and is preparing for closure. The facility generates approximately 50,000 to 65,000 gallons of leachate daily - toxic wastewater from decomposing garbage - requiring expensive off-site treatment and disposal since the county prohibited direct sewer discharge in July 2024.

The landfill's owners filed for bankruptcy in June 2025, leaving remediation and closure costs uncertain. State and county officials estimate the full closure and post-closure care could cost more than $170 million over up to 30 years. The Virginia General Assembly allocated $10.6 million in fiscal year 2027 funding, with additional emergency appropriations expected to cover operating costs through June 30, 2027, including rapid capping of the facility. Final landfill capping is scheduled to begin in August 2026, with closure targeted for November 2026.

State and county officials are collaborating on a long-term strategy to manage the landfill's closure. As part of that effort, a trustee's consultant is testing whether certain leachate could meet county standards for discharge into the public wastewater system with minimal or no pre-treatment. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is also pursuing stronger regulations and financial assurance requirements to prevent similar situations at future landfill operations.

The Attorney General's office is investigating the actions of the landfill's owners, according to DEQ.

Key players

• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ): State agency overseeing landfill closure and remediation
• Shoosmith Bros, Inc.: Private landfill operator; filed for bankruptcy June 2025
• Chesterfield County: Collaborating on remediation and long-term closure planning

Key dates

• 2026-08-01: Final landfill capping begins
• 2026-11-30: Targeted completion of landfill closure
• 2027-06-30: State emergency funding for operations expected to end

Why it matters: The webpage gives Chesterfield residents transparent access to official data and progress on closure of a facility that has posed environmental risks to the county for years. The cleanup effort will extend decades and consume substantial state resources, making regular updates a critical tool for monitoring this major remediation project.

Places

• Iron Bridge Road
• Chester
• Chesterfield County

Related links

• Shoosmith Landfill information page on Virginia DEQ website
• Chesterfield County private landfills page
• State and County Collaboration announcement

Read the original at WRIC 8News Local →

Sources

• DEQ releases webpage on Shoosmith landfill
• State, County Collaborating on Long-Term Remediation Plan for Shoosmith Landfill
• Shoosmith Landfill - Virginia DEQ
• Bankrupt Virginia landfill poses potential environmental catastrophe
• Va. legislature grants emergency funds to help close leaking, bankrupt landfill in Chesterfield