PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) has approved a transformative 20-year contract with Commonwealth Sortation LLC (an affiliate of AMP Robotics Corporation) to deploy advanced waste-management technologies across its eight member communities, marking a major step forward in regional sustainability and landfill extension initiatives. The areas the authority serves are all location in Hampton Roads: Chesapeake, Franklin, Isle of Wight County, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Southampton County, Suffolk and Virginia Beach.
A new paradigm for waste in Hampton Roads
At its November 3 meeting, the SPSA Board of Directors unanimously approved the contract, which invests $200 million in waste-sorting services and infrastructure.
Under the agreement, half of all waste SPSA delivers to the AMP facilities must be diverted from the landfill: 20% through recyclables (plastics and metals) and 30% through organics (food and yard waste).
The goal is to more than double the region’s recycling rate (currently about 7%) to a guaranteed minimum of 20%.
Without this, the region’s main landfill was projected to reach capacity around 2060. With this new approach, SPSA anticipates extending the life of its “Regional Landfill” until the end of the century, which is considered a generational benefit for Southside Hampton Roads.
Technology & process: How the system works
In our previous reporting, the new process, called an Alternative Waste Disposal (AWD) model, will integrate AI-enabled camera systems, robotics, and real-time machine learning to sort mixed waste streams.
For example, AMP’s founder observed that the AI “pulls out all these correlations … what are the logos, shapes, textures… at this point it’s kind of superhuman in terms of what the algorithm can identify.”
In practice, municipal solid waste (MSW) flows onto conveyor belts, moving through cascades of optical sensors and air-jet sorters, which extract targeted recyclable and organic material.
In a pilot facility operated by AMP/partner in Portsmouth, the system ran at 150 tons/day with more than 90% uptime.
That pilot work underpinned the broader contract: since 2024, AMP has processed 30,000-40,000 tons annually in the region, diverting roughly half from the landfill.
Why this matters for the region
1. Landfill relief: The AWD approach allows the landfill’s lifespan to be significantly extended, saving costs and avoiding the need to export trash at a higher expense.
2. Higher recovery, less waste: By extracting recyclables and organics directly from the waste stream, the region can capture value previously lost—and lower its environmental footprint.
3. Operational cost stability: SPSA’s Executive Director noted that this contract reflects “almost two years of deliberate work … so we can deliver real improvements to residents now and for years to come.”
4. Future-proofing: Beyond today’s recyclables, the system is designed to adapt to evolving waste streams (plastics of new resin types, organics, etc.) and likely serve as a model for other municipalities.
What’s next & what residents can expect
Over the next five years, the modular sortation system will scale up within existing infrastructure. During this rollout, residents may not see drastic changes in curbside bins initially, but the backend processing will shift significantly.
Over time, there could be changes in how curbside recycling is collected, and how organics are handled.
While the system handles mixed waste streams more intelligently, contamination (non-recyclables mixed with recyclables) still poses challenges. The success of the system depends not only on the robotics, but on consistent input quality and alignment from local collection programs.
Residents will want to keep an eye on how the rollout goes, stay informed about changes to curbside or drop-off programs, and participate actively in ensuring the success of this major investment.
The city of Portsmouth posted the following statement for residents:
"The City of Portsmouth will be transitioning to Alternative Waste Disposal (AWD). Using the AWD approach will prevent a large amount of the City of Portsmouth’s waste from reaching the landfill. Plastics and metals will be removed and recycled. Organic items like food waste and yard clippings will be converted to a material called biochar. This will extend the life of the landfill, decrease long-term costs, and improve sustainability.
What Does This Mean for Residents and Businesses Who Currently Pay the City of Portsmouth for Trash Collection?
Your current refuse services and bill will not change during this transition. Residents and businesses who currently pay for collection with the City of Portsmouth will continue to put their bins out for collection as normal. One truck will be collecting all trash and recycling from your existing black or blue bins.
Please visit https://www.spsava.gov/249/Alternative-Waste-Disposal to learn more about the Alternative Waste Disposal system."
