The Southeastern Public Service Authority

What The Southeastern Public Service Authority does

The Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) is a regional public service authority established in 1973 and headquartered at 723 Woodlake Drive, Chesapeake, Virginia. It provides municipal solid waste disposal, recycling, household hazardous waste collection, and e-waste disposal services to eight member jurisdictions in South Hampton Roads: Chesapeake, Franklin, Isle of Wight County, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Southampton County. As a government entity rather than a private enterprise, SPSA operates the Regional Landfill and related infrastructure (transfer stations, recycling facilities, HHW collection sites) under an exclusive regional mandate. Its revenue model is based on disposal fees that are charged to member jurisdictions and residents but not publicly disclosed in detail.

SPSA is currently executing a major operational transformation centered on AI-powered waste sorting. Its flagship Alternative Waste Disposal (AWD) system, developed under contract with Commonwealth Sortation, uses computer vision and machine learning to automatically classify and sort municipal waste. The system processes over 460,000 tons of garbage annually and is delivered with guaranteed recycling and landfill-diversion performance metrics. A $200 million regional initiative funds this effort, while a separate $450 million regional agreement supports the Portsmouth facility operated in partnership with AMP (Advanced Material Processing). The Portsmouth facility, launched in April 2026, is the first of two planned AI trash sorting sites and is designed to extend the Regional Landfill's operational life by decades. The SPSA SORT transparency dashboard provides public visibility into sorting performance.

The authority is led by Executive Director Dennis Bagley. Customer and resident engagement is conducted through the official website (spsava.gov), Facebook, LinkedIn, and a YouTube channel that livestreams Board of Directors meetings, supplemented by local news coverage (WAVY, WTKR, Virginian-Pilot, WHRO, Suffolk News-Herald) and community events including HHW collection days. Headcount is reported in the 101–250 range. Notable external validation includes national coverage in the Wall Street Journal, Marketplace, and Waste360 covering the SPSA–AMP partnership as a signal for the future of regional waste management.

Name

The Southeastern Public Service Authority

Legal name

Southeastern Public Service Authority

Website

https://spsa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Southeastern Public Service Authority is a Virginia regional public service authority providing municipal solid waste, recycling, and household hazardous waste management to eight member governments in South Hampton Roads, currently deploying AI-powered sorting to extend its Regional Landfill's life.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Solid Waste Management Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Landfill (562212), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH)

Keywords

• Solid waste management
• Municipal recycling services
• AI waste sorting
• Regional landfill operations
• Hazardous waste disposal

Headquarters

HQ city

Chesapeake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) operates as a regional public service authority providing municipal solid waste disposal, recycling, and household hazardous waste management services to 8 member jurisdictions across South Hampton Roads, Virginia. Its core operations center on the Regional Landfill and an AI-powered Alternative Waste Disposal (AWD) system that processes over 460,000 tons of waste annually to maximize recycling diversion and extend landfill lifespan.

Product overview

The Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) is a regional public service authority providing comprehensive waste management services to seven member communities in South Hampton Roads, Virginia. The organization operates the Regional Landfill and has launched a major transformation initiative centered on AI-powered waste sorting. The flagship Alternative Waste Disposal (AWD) system, developed in partnership with Commonwealth Sortation, uses computer vision and automated sorting to process over 460,000 tons of waste annually. The Portsmouth AMP facility is the first of two planned AI-powered sorting facilities under a $450 million regional agreement. SPSA complements its core disposal services with Household Hazardous Waste collection events and the SPSA SORT transparency dashboard for performance monitoring.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SPSA SORT: AI-powered trash sorting transparency dashboard providing real-time performance data on waste processing and recycling operations.

Products and services

• Alternative Waste Disposal (AWD) System AI-powered waste sorting system that processes municipal solid waste using computer vision and machine learning to maximize recycling and extend Regional Landfill lifespan; processes over 460,000 tons of garbage annually for the South Hampton Roads region.
• Regional Landfill Operations

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 460,000 tons of garbage processed annually through AI-powered system
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Commonwealth SortationcoreTechnology or Integration · 3 November 2025Strategic partnership for the Alternative Waste Disposal (AWD) initiative using new technology to cut landfill waste and boost recycling. Commonwealth Sortation provides the AI-powered sorting technology as part of the $200 million regional effort to extend the Regional Landfill's operational life by decades.
• AMP (Advanced Material Processing)coreTechnology or Integration · 3 November 2025AI trash sorting technology provider operating the Portsmouth facility. First of two new AI trash sorting facilities opened in Portsmouth as part of the $450 million regional agreement. The AMP partnership signals the future of waste and recycling for the regional authority.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• GFL Environmental: GFL Environmental is a Canadian-based diversified waste services provider with U.S. operations spanning solid waste, recycling, and soil materials; it is comparable to SPSA as a broad incumbent in municipal and commercial solid waste management.
• Waste Management, Inc. WM is the largest North American solid waste hauler and landfill operator, providing collection, recycling, and disposal services across municipal and commercial segments; it is comparable to SPSA as a broad incumbent serving overlapping end markets with much greater geographic scale.
• Republic Services: Republic Services is a major U.S. solid waste and recycling company operating landfills, transfer stations, and recycling facilities for municipal and commercial customers; it is comparable to SPSA as a broad incumbent with municipal contracts and integrated landfill/recycling operations.
• Waste Connections: Waste Connections is a major North American solid waste services company operating in underserved secondary markets with collection, transfer, recycling, and landfill operations; it is comparable to SPSA as a broad incumbent focused on non-metro and regional municipal customers.

Direct peers

• Casella Waste Systems: Casella Waste Systems operates solid waste, recycling, and resource management services primarily in the Northeast U.S.; it is comparable to SPSA as a regional operator with municipal/government contracts and integrated landfill/recycling operations.
• Clean Harbors: Clean Harbors is the leading North American provider of environmental and industrial services including hazardous waste management and disposal; it is comparable to SPSA on its Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection and regulated waste handling functions.
• Peninsula Public Service Authority: The Virginia Peninsula Public Service Authority is a regional solid waste authority serving localities on the Virginia Peninsula; it is comparable to SPSA as a directly analogous regional public service authority providing municipal solid waste management services to member localities.
• Stericycle: Stericycle specializes in regulated waste management including medical waste and specialized recycling services; it is comparable to SPSA in the hazardous/regulated waste and specialized recycling service lines for government and commercial customers.

Emerging players

• AMP Robotics (now part of others): AMP Robotics developed AI and computer vision systems for sorting recyclable materials and is one of the technology providers SPSA partners with; it is comparable as an emerging player whose AI sorting platform is integral to SPSA's AWD initiative.

Regional players

• Hampton Roads Sanitation District: HRSD is a regional public service authority serving the same South Hampton Roads region with wastewater treatment and conveyance; it is comparable to SPSA as a regional public authority in adjacent environmental utility operations sharing the same member jurisdictions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SPSAWasteSolutions
• Facebookfacebook.com/spsawastesolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southeastern-public-service-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Southeastern Public Service Authority