State, County Align on Shoosmith Landfill Remediation Plan
TL;DR: The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and Chesterfield County are executing a coordinated long-term remediation plan for the bankrupt Shoosmith Landfill, prioritizing leachate removal, temperature control, and facility closure over 30 years at an estimated cost of $173 million.
Quick facts
- Who: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors
- What: State-county collaboration on Shoosmith Landfill remediation including leachate treatment, temperature management, protective capping, and facility closure
- When: Plan presented June 22, 2026; ongoing 30-year remediation timeline
- Where: Shoosmith Landfill, Route 10 and Lewis Road, Chesterfield County
The story
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality director Mike Rolband presented a remediation strategy to the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors on June 22, 2026, outlining a coordinated state-county effort to address environmental challenges at the Shoosmith Landfill. The facility, which ceased accepting new trash in 2022 and whose owners filed for bankruptcy in 2025, currently generates approximately 50,000 gallons of leachate per day.
The immediate priorities include removing accumulated leachate, reducing elevated temperatures within the landfill, completing a protective cap to prevent water infiltration, and managing gas emissions. Rolband stated the state and county "have to treat this leachate, we have to manage it, we have to get rid of it and control the gas."
The remediation effort faces significant financial constraints. The landfill's $19.3 million in bonds are projected to be exhausted between October and November 2026. An estimated $173 million will be needed through 2056, but only $10.6 million was appropriated in the state's two-year budget. The current approach of trucking leachate off-site for treatment is prohibitively expensive, prompting state and county officials to explore a cost-effective alternative: an on-site wastewater pre-treatment facility that would allow some leachate to be treated before discharge into Chesterfield's wastewater system.
The elevated temperature conditions at the landfill stem from leachate accumulation and have altered the composition of the waste liquid, causing damage to Chesterfield's sewer infrastructure by clogging pipes and pumps and killing bacteria in wastewater treatment systems. Testing is underway to determine whether split-stream treatment, where flows receive different levels or types of treatment, could reduce costs while meeting environmental standards.
The cleanup is projected to take 30 years. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is also working with the Office of the Attorney General as investigators examine the actions of the landfill's former owners.
Key players
- Mike Rolband: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Director
- Virginia Department of Environmental Quality: State environmental agency overseeing remediation strategy
- Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors: Local government partner in remediation plan
Key dates
- June 22, 2026: DEQ director presented remediation plan to Board of Supervisors
- October/November 2026: Landfill bond funds projected to be exhausted
The case for
The state-county partnership leverages DEQ expertise and regulatory authority to develop a sustainable long-term solution, and the proposed on-site pre-treatment facility could substantially reduce operational costs compared to indefinite truck-and-haul expenses, protecting Chesterfield's budget.
The case against
The remediation timeline spans 30 years with an estimated total cost of $173 million against current appropriations of only $10.6 million, creating significant uncertainty about how the funding gap will be closed and whether residents and taxpayers will bear unforeseen costs for a crisis largely created by private operators.
Why it matters: The Shoosmith Landfill currently produces 50,000 gallons of toxic leachate daily that threatens Chesterfield's wastewater system and drinking water safety; the state-county remediation plan is critical to preventing an environmental catastrophe and determining who ultimately pays for cleanup of a bankrupt facility.
Places
Development timeline
- 2022Shoosmith Landfill ceases accepting new waste: Facility stops taking in trash after operational issues emerge [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=7412)
- Early 2023DEQ identifies elevated temperature concerns: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality notes potential elevated landfill temperatures in inspections [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/DocumentCenter/View/39050/Shoosmith-DEQ-Inspection---20250616-and-20250730-PDF)
- February 2024Landfill operators aware of elevated temperature status: Shoosmith owners had knowledge that facility exhibited characteristics of an elevated temperature landfill [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/DocumentCenter/View/39050/Shoosmith-DEQ-Inspection---20250616-and-20250730-PDF)
- 2025Shoosmith Landfill owners file for bankruptcy: Operators of the defunct facility declare bankruptcy, leaving cleanup responsibility in question [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=7412)
- June 25, 2026Virginia allocates emergency funding: State General Assembly approves $10.6 million in two-year budget for DEQ to address landfill crisis [[source]](https://virginiamercury.com/2026/06/25/va-legislature-grants-emergency-funds-to-help-close-leaking-bankrupt-landfill-in-chesterfield/)
- June 22, 2026DEQ director presents remediation plan to Board of Supervisors: Mike Rolband outlines state-county collaboration strategy for leachate treatment, temperature management, and facility closure [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=7412)
Related links
- Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors agenda and meeting materials
- Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
- Chesterfield County environmental quality page
Read the original at Chesterfield on Point →
Sources
- Chesterfield County Civic Alerts - Shoosmith Landfill remediation
- Chesterfield officials scramble for solutions to Shoosmith cleanup conundrum
- Virginia allocates $10.6 million to help clean up toxic leachate at bankrupt Shoosmith Landfill
- Va. legislature grants emergency funds to help close leaking, bankrupt landfill in Chesterfield
- Shoosmith landfill owners facing investigations by Attorney General