Covanta Facility in Lorton Closed 'Indefinitely' After Fire

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- Three stories worth of trash caught fire Feb. 2 at the Covanta Fairfax, Inc. waste-to-energy facility at Fairfax County’s I-95 Solid Waste Management Complex on Furnace Road in Lorton, and the facility is closed indefinitely due to damage from the two-alarm fire, the County announced Thursday morning.

The fire comes on the heels of a Covanta fire in December in Maryland.

Damage assessment and plans to restore the Fairfax County facility to operation are ongoing, the County said. Until more information about the condition of the facility is made available, it should be considered closed indefinitely, as a practical matter, the County noted. The county will be updating the community as the condition of the facility and a recovery plan and schedule are developed.

Residents should be aware that the municipal solid waste being processed at this facility is generated by residential homes and commercial establishments; no hazardous wastes are accepted at this facility, as this is prohibited by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ). The VA DEQ is aware of the fire and resulting situation.

Residents and businesses in the county should not experience interruptions in refuse collection service, as waste will be sent in the interim to other solid waste disposal facilities for proper disposal, according to the county.

Recycling collection in the county will also be unaffected, as recyclables will continue to go to regional recycling facilities for processing. Residents who typically use the I-95 complex are encouraged to continue bringing their waste and recyclables to the drop-off center at the site.

In the interim, the Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Complex will continue to provide responsible and effective solid waste management services by implementing elements of an emergency operations plan that was in place for such situations. This plan, previously demonstrated as effective, will provide waste management services until the Covanta facility returns to service and can provide waste disposal in full compliance with the applicable safety and environmental regulations.

No word from the county on the timeline for a return to service or the cost of repairing the facility after the fire.

For more information, call 703-324-5230, TTY 711 or send an email to trashmail@fairfaxcounty.gov.

PHOTO of fire courtesy of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue