There is a $5.00 fee assessed for all non-CFC appliances (microwaves, dishwashers, stoves, etc.) to cover the cost of screening for mecury switches and PCB capacitors.  There is an $11.00 fee for CFC appliances (dehumidifiers, a/c units, refrigerators, etc.) to cover the cost of having a licensed technician remove the CFCs.

Items prohibited from disposal as scrap metal include the following:

• Batteries
• Gas tanks, propane bottles, air bag canisters, or gas cylinders
• Any cans or containers holding oil, brake fluid, antifreeze, or other fluids
• Garbage, rags, paper, or other debris
• Fluorescent light ballasts, transformers, capacitors, or other materials that may contain PCBs
• Refrigerants, including but not limited to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).  Refrigerants must be properly recovered, not vented.
• Any radioactive material or radioactive containment materials
• 55 gallon drums must have one end removed and contain no residual material
• Cable
• Mercury

Everyone knows the old saying “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” That rings especially true here in our area, where garage sales are common and useful items are exchanged, not wasted.

Residents of the District’s 19 member towns may bring household goods with some potential for reuse to the Reuse It or Lose It! program, where it may find a new home. Please bring only items that are usable in their current condition. Items under 20 lbs may be dropped off for free.* Fees of $1 and $3 apply for items weighing over 20 and 50 pounds.

In addition to household goods, District residents and businesses may also bring in usable building materials free of charge.* This includes lumber, pipes, hardware, windows, doors, or any other building material that still has some useful life left.

District businesses and residents are also welcome to take any household goods or building materials for free from the Reuse It or Lose It! program. Visit Reuse It or Lose It! at the District Transfer Station at 1223 Route 7 South, in Middlebury, just south of the U.S. Forest Service Ranger Station. The Transfer Station is open Mon-Fri from 7 AM to 3 PM, and Sat from 8 AM to 1 PM.

*Some restrictions apply. You may download the list of acceptance criteria for both household goods and building materials, or call us at 388-2333 to see if we can accept your reusable items.

Also see:

• Vermont Business Materials Exchange (VBMX)
  VBMeX’s goal is to minimize waste by fostering the exchange of reusable resources
• Waste Reduction Assistance for Businesses
• Construction and Demolition Debris

Want more options for disposing of technotrash such as CDs and cassettes?

There are several other companies you can contact to help you dispose of your technotrash.

Visit Green Disk which offers “one place for you to dispose of everything from a CD to a PC and most of the technotrash in between.” Plus, they “even come and get it.”

CD Recycling Center is another great resource for individuals, small companies and large companies wanting to set up an on-site CD recycling program.

MRC Polymers is another company that accepts CDs and recycles them at no cost. The only cost involved is shipping the boxes.

Small, 1 lb “camp stove size” propane tanks

Do NOT place in your blue bin. Bring to the District Transfer Station during all regular hours of operation for recycling . Recycling of 1-lb tanks is free for residents and $1 each for businesses.

Standard, 20 lb ”grill size” propane tanks

• Option 1: Take your old 20-lb tank to a store that offers an exchange program (such as Blue Rhino). They will accept your old tank and give you a full tank in exchange (with the new-style valve).  You will be charged for the service, but you will leave with a new tank.
• Option 2: Take your old tank to the District Transfer Station during all regular hours of operation and we will recycle it.  Recycling of 20-lb tanks is $4 each for residents and businesses. 

Large propane tanks and cylinders (over 20 lb.)

Call the District at 802-388-2333 for details on recycling propane tanks larger than 20 lbs.

Fire Extinguishers

Click here for information on recycling fire extinguishers.

Helium Tanks

The small “Balloon Time” helium tanks can be recycled as scrap metal at the District Transfer Station once all pressure has been released (i.e., tank emptied) and the valve has been removed.

Freon Tanks

Freon tanks and other tanks containing refrigerants may be recycled at the District Transfer Station for a fee of $11 per tank.

Other Compressed Gases

PLEASE NOTE: With the exception of those listed above, tnaks and cylinders of OTHER COMPRESSED GASES are NOT ACCEPTED at the District Transfer Station. Such tanks should be brought back to the distributor (name is usually on the label). Distributors can be found in the Yellow Pages under Gas-Industrial & Medical – Cylinder and Bulk.

Unusable building materials are accepted as construction and demolition waste at the District Transfer Station. The fee is based on weight.   Building materials that are reusable may be brought to the Reuse It or Lose it program at the Transfer Station at no charge.  Some criteria do apply.

The materials listed below can be reused or recycled for less than the cost of landfilling. Some items are accepted for FREE! Please call in advance for prices, specifications, and locations.

Clean Wood Lumber

• District Transfer Station Clean Wood Program
• Recycle North Building Materials Center, Burlington (846-4015)
• ReNew Building Materials & Salvage, Inc., Brattleboro (246-2400)

Asphalt, Pavement, Concrete, & Bricks

• Markowski Excavating, Brandon (483-6469)
• Pike Industries, New Haven (453-2459)
• Ranger Asphalt & Concrete, Colchester (655-2005)
• A. Marcelino & Co., South Burlington (862-6383)

Also see:

• Vermont Construction Reuse Network (VCRN)
• Construction and Demolition Debris
• Construction Industry Compliance Assistance Center

Electronics may be recycled at the District Transfer Station.  Nominal fees apply.

Why is there a fee?

• Time and skilled labor are required to collect, transport, sort, and repair equipment.
• The reuse value of the equipment may be less than the cost of handling and repairing.
• Some parts (esp. older monitors) have an associated cost for dismantling and recycling.

Larger Loads of Electronics

If you have a large load of electronics, please call us first (388-2333) to schedule an appointment.  Fees for large loads or large individual items will be based on weight.

Other Recycling Options

• Retroworks & Marion Munford Memorial Thrift Shop in Middlebury accepts computers that are less than 3 years old and in good working condition.  A recycling fee applies.  Call 388-3608 for details.
• Recycle North in Burlington accepts computers for recycling.  A fee applies for older machines.  Call 658-4143 for details.
• LG Electronics has a national take-back and electronics recycling program, offering free recycling of LG electronics and appliances. They will take back LG brands, as well as Zenith and Goldstar. Consumers can drop off up to 5 items for free.
• Dell, HP, and Apple also have their own computer takeback programs.
• Also see this consolidated list of electronics recycling programs nationwide.

News Update!

Vermont recently became the 21st state to pass an electronic waste (E-waste) recycling law, which establishes producer responsibility for collecting and recycling E-waste from households, charities, schools and businesses. The law will ban disposal of E-waste on January 1, 2011, and will provide convenient and free collection of certain electronics beginning on July 1, 2011. The District Transfer Station will remain a collection point under this new system, so stay tuned for more information!

For more on the new E-waste law, click here to visit the State of Vermont E-Waste Recycling Program web site.

RetroWorks Reuse Shop

282 Boardman Street, Middlebury
Accepts clothing, textiles, and household goods.
Donations accepted Tues-Sat, 10 AM to 3 PM
Call 388-3608 for details.

Round Robin Upscale Resale Shop

Marbleworks, Maple Street, Middlebury
Accepts clothing and smaller household goods.
Donations accepted Mon-Sat, 9:30 AM to 5 PM
Call 388-6396 for details.

Neat Repeats

3 Bakery Lane, Middlebury
Accepts seasonal clothing and smaller household goods.
Donations accepted Mon-Sat, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Call 388-4488 for details.

Urban Exchange

73 Main Street, Suite 2, Middlebury
Purchases higher-end seasonal clothing for local resale.
Clothing accepted Mon-Sat, 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Call 388-7058 for details.

Sweet Charity

141 Main Street, Vergennes
Accepts housewares, furniture, and books (they do not accept clothing, mattresses, appliances, encyclopedias, or sporting goods).
Donations accepted Mon-Sat, 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Call 877-6200 for details.

Your Turn Consignment Shop

151 Main Street, Vergennes
Accepts clothing and household goods.
Donations accepted Mon-Fri, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Sat, 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM
Call 877-3915 for details.

ReRun Fun at Palmer’s Garage

7027 Route 7, North Ferrisburgh
Consignment shop accepting toys, books, puzzles, games, and vintage items.
Items accepted Mon-Sat, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Call 425-2115 for details.

Recycle your Christmas Tree

Christmas trees make excellent habitat for birds and other wildlife if left outside after the holidays. If you have enough space on your property, consider leaving your tree out to decay naturally over time.  If you know anyone with goats, talk to them–goats love to eat Christmas trees!

After the Holidays are over, you may also turn your tree into Merry Mulch by dropping it off for free until the end of January at the District Transfer Station in Middlebury. Trees will be chipped in the spring and mulch will be available to residents while supplies last. Please remove ALL ornaments, garland, and tinsel as these materials will contaminate the Merry Mulch.  NO wreaths please.

Curbside Christmas tree collection in Middlebury and Vergennes is sponsored each year by a variety of charitable organizations.  Please contact the District (388-2333) for collection dates as the holiday season approaches.

Tips for a Great and Green Holiday

• When buying gifts to send by mail, choose items that are easy to ship and that don’t require excess packaging. Choose reused or recyclable cartons and packing materials. Old newspaper makes a terrific packing material!
• Shop for gifts at antique stores, estate sales or flea markets; one person’s trash is another’s treasure! If buying, shop locally to save gas and support local businesses.
• When the season is over, please recycle cardboard boxes and gift wrapping paper. Take your packing peanuts to one of the local businesses listed in our Trash and Recycling Guide. Call for your free copy today, 388-2333. Donate unwanted gifts to charity.
• For toys that require batteries, choose re-chargable batteries where possible. When they lose their “juice” be sure to bring them to the Transfer Station for recycling.
• OR, Instead of giving stuff (which we all have to much of anyway, right?) consider giving a gift of time: a long distance card, free baby sitting, a neck massage… Make cookies for a friend. Give
  magazine subscriptions; tickets to the theatre or movies; a plant grown form seed. Consider making a donation to charity in a loved one’s name.
• Having a party? Consider renting seldom worn party clothes or buying them from a consignment shop. You can also rent dishes, linens and glassware, eliminating the need for disposables. Avoid disposable plates–serve finger foods. Use cloth napkins. Offer beverages In durable or recyclable containers, not styrofoam or plastic cups.
• After the party, don’t throw away the leftovers! Package them and send them home with guests. Donate leftover groceries to your community food shelf. For what food’s left that is truly waste,
  compost what you can.
• For kids, instead of toys, start a savings account or give stocks or bonds. It’s fun to watch money grow and it can teach children the value of financial conservation.

‘Tis the Season to Recycle

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,
Lots of trash lay in heaps ready to be tossed out.
The packages were wrapped with barely a thought,
That recycled gift paper could’ve been bought.

Comics and newspapers, that went in the trash,
Could have wrapped holiday gifts in a flash.
Cardboard boxes were bound for the landfill this winter,
They could’ve been recycled at a local drop center!

Greeting cards had been opened, then stuffed in the trash bags
When they’d made great postcards–or even gift tags!
Plenty of icicles and plastic hung on the tree
When pinecones and berries would look nice-naturally!

It was enough to make even old Santa shed a tear
“Another house that didn’t recycle, he sighed, “Maybe next year!”

- Poem Provided by Kimberly Lough, NC State University