November 24, 2008

(AP) - Virginia's recycling rate is above the national average and is growing slightly.

The state Department of Environmental Quality said Monday that 38.5 percent of solid waste was recycled in 2007. That compares with 38.4 percent in 2006, and the DEQ said recycling of plastics, metals, glass and used oil increased between the two years.

Virginia's rate is better than the national recycling rate last year of 33.4 percent, and exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's national goal of 35 percent by 2010.

The DEQ said in a news release that Virginia's rate for 2007 represents 3.6 million tons of recycled or reused material in the 74 solid waste regions representing the 325 cities, counties and towns.