A growing environmental concern in Chesterfield County could have consequences far beyond the county line.
The Shoosmith Landfill, located in Chesterfield County near Iron Bridge Road, stopped accepting waste on December 30, 2022. More than three years later, the site continues to generate tens of thousands of gallons of leachate every day. Since then, the privately owned landfill has entered bankruptcy proceedings, leaving state officials, environmental groups, and local residents increasingly concerned about how the site will be managed in the years ahead.
The issue centers on a substance called leachate, a contaminated liquid produced as water moves through decades of buried waste. That liquid must be continuously collected, stored, transported, and treated to prevent it from reaching nearby waterways.
What Is Leachate?
Think of a landfill as a giant sponge filled with decades of discarded material. As rainwater filters through layers of household trash, construction debris, industrial waste, and organic material, it picks up whatever chemicals and compounds it encounters. The resulting liquid is called leachate.
Depending on what has been disposed of over the years, leachate can contain heavy metals, ammonia, salts, organic compounds, bacteria, and other contaminants. Modern landfills are designed with liners, pumps, collection systems, and treatment infrastructure specifically to keep this liquid from entering groundwater, streams, and rivers.
The challenge is that these systems must continue operating long after a landfill stops accepting waste. Decomposition can continue for decades, meaning leachate generation does not simply stop when the gates close. Every landfill produces leachate. What makes Shoosmith different is the uncertainty surrounding who will be responsible for managing it and paying for it in the future.
Why Officials Are Concerned
According to a February 2026 Notice of Violation from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, inspectors observed dark liquid with the appearance of leachate entering a conveyance leading to Swift Creek and Piney Branch. Testing also documented elevated levels of suspended solids, ammonia, and zinc.
Those waterways ultimately connect to the Appomattox River and eventually the James River.
The court-appointed bankruptcy trustee overseeing the landfill has warned that years of financial neglect, combined with damaged pumps, power systems, and other infrastructure, have created serious challenges at the site. In court filings, trustee Lynn Tavenner described the situation as a potential environmental catastrophe and stated that ongoing landfill issues “literally keep” her “awake most nights.”
An engineering report prepared during the bankruptcy proceedings estimates that remediation, closure, and long-term monitoring could cost approximately $173 million over the next 30 years. Available financial assurance funds total only about $19 million.
The trustee has warned that those funds could eventually run out, raising questions about who would assume responsibility for managing the landfill and preventing future contamination.
How Did We Get Here?
According to Chesterfield County, the landfill bypassed portions of its pretreatment system, failed to properly maintain treatment infrastructure, and submitted falsified records that concealed improper discharges. County officials say they terminated the landfill’s permit to send leachate to the county wastewater system after discovering the violations.
The county further alleges that ownership failed to address known environmental concerns while extracting company resources. The landfill’s former owners deny wrongdoing and have disputed allegations made in court filings.
Meanwhile, state lawmakers have begun publicly raising concerns about the scale of the problem and the possibility that taxpayers could ultimately be left paying for remediation efforts. Public discussions are now underway about potential state involvement in managing the site and funding additional treatment infrastructure.
Why This Matters to Richmond
This is not simply a Chesterfield issue. Swift Creek flows into the Appomattox River, which joins the James River at Hopewell. The James River watershed supports recreation, fishing, wildlife habitat, tourism, and drinking water supplies for communities throughout Central Virginia. Approximately 9,300 residential, commercial, and industrial users rely on a drinking water intake downstream from the landfill’s watershed.
The James River Association has called for immediate state action, warning that delays could increase both environmental risks and future costs. The organization estimates roughly $50 million may be needed over the next two years to construct an onsite treatment facility capable of managing the landfill’s ongoing leachate production.
“Without immediate action, this situation could escalate into a major environmental disaster with lasting consequences for communities and waterways across the region,” said Jamie Brunkow, Director of Advocacy and River Ecology at the James River Association.
“Virginia must respond decisively by funding emergency actions to protect public health and prevent a larger environmental crisis from developing at Shoosmith Landfill. State officials must investigate how this situation was allowed to escalate, pursue every avenue to secure the resources needed for cleanup, and ensure that polluters are held accountable.”
What You Can Do
If you believe state action is needed, consider contacting:
Governor Abigail Spanberger
Email: abigail.spanberger@governor.virginia.gov
Phone: (804) 786-2211
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones
Email: mailoag@oag.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 786-2071
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Public Affairs: DEQPublicAffairs@deq.virginia.gov
Main Line: (804) 698-4000
David Bulova, Virginia Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources
Email: naturalresources@governor.virginia.gov
EPA Region 3 Administrator Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey
Region 3 Public Affairs: R3Press@epa.gov
Also, there is a change.org petition titled “Hold Shoosmith’s Operators Accountable & Demand Federal Action to Protect Our Water” HERE.
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