Torn United States flags are being disposed of properly.
Between 4,500 and 5,000 flags were retired at the Prince William County Landfill and Balls Ford Road Yard Waste Compost Facility in Manassas on September 11.
They were collected by a Boy Scouts troop, according to a release from the Prince William County Solid Waste Division.
Former Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Occoquan District Chair David Byrne and his sons, Jake and Thomas, brought more than 1,200 pounds of flags to the Fairfax County Energy Resource Recovery Facility in Lorton.
“I would like to personally thank Mr. Lorenzo Irving and the staff at the Covanta facility for their help in making this possible,” Byrne said in a release. “The gentlemen that assist loading the flags are always respectful and professional in their efforts to maintain a dignified process for retiring the flags.”
More than 20,000 flags have been retired through the Prince William County American Flag Collection Program, which Byrne established six years ago.
It’s run by the Prince William District Boy Scouts, the Prince William County Solid Waste Division, and Keep Prince William Beautiful (KPWB).
Community members who would like to retire flags may drop them off at Prince William County Landfill, 14811 Dumfries Road, and Balls Ford Road Yard Waste Compost Facility, 13000 Balls Ford Road, during operating hours.
