Welcome
Welcome to the online home of the Addison County Solid Waste Management District. Here you will find details about our programs and services, district news and publications, and practical information to help you properly recycle or dispose of household and business waste items.
Register for a Free Home Composting Workshop
Not sure how to start composting at home? Got “compost” that’s actually a stinky pile of rotting food? Join ACSWMD for a free composting workshop to learn how easy it is to turn your household food waste into rich compost. You paid for your banana peels, egg shells, and carrot tops, so don’t throw them away! Composting will allow you to save money on your trash bill, build healthy soil for your yard and garden, reduce your carbon footprint, and comply with Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law, which bans food scraps from the landfill in July 2020.
Workshops run for about one hour. Workshop participants will be eligible to purchase a discounted SoilSaver compost bin for $35. Space is limited, so registration is required. To register, call us at 388-2333 or email elizabeth@acswmd.org.
Workshop schedule:
April 23rd, 7PM, Ilsley Library, Middlebury
May 9th, 6PM, Bixby Library, Vergennes
May 11th, 9:30 AM, Holley Hall, Bristol
May 18th, 9:30AM, Middlebury Regional EMS
May 30th, 6PM, Lawrence Library, Bristol
June 8th, 9:30AM, Middlebury Regional EMS
June 15th, 9:30AM, Middlebury Regional EMS
Updates to Reuse It or Lose It! Program
Our popular Reuse It or Lose It! program is still going strong! Through the program, District residents may drop off usable household items and building materials in the reuse buildings at the Transfer Station for others to take. Starting January 1, 2019, visitors to the reuse buildings will pay a $1 admin fee for each visit or to drop-off items under 50 pounds. For household items over 50 pounds, visitors will be charged $4 per item.
Click here to download our printable Reuse It or Lose It! information sheet. Not sure if an item you have is accepted? Call us at 388-2333. Read more
Maple Tubing Special Recycling Updates
Polyethylene maple sap tubing is accepted for Special Recycling by appointment only at the Transfer Station in Middlebury. Starting January 1, 2019, loads of maple tubing that have fittings still attached will be subject to a fee of $20 per cubic yard. Maple tubing with fittings removed is still accepted for FREE! Click here to download our maple tubing recycling guide. Read more
Plastic Bags, Films & Wraps Special Recycling
Click here to download our printable guide to plastic bags & films.
The following polyethylene (#2 and #4) bags and film plastics are accepted for free Special Recycling at the District Transfer Station and participating grocery stores—not in your blue bin! Items must be empty, clean, and dry:
- Grocery & takeout bags
- Produce bags
- Bread bags
- Newspaper bags Read more
2019 Adopted Rate Schedule
View the adopted 2019 Rate Schedule here. Note that these rates become effective on January 1, 2019.
ACSWMD 2018 Annual Report
The District’s 2018 Annual Report is here!
Notice of Public Hearing
The Addison County Solid Waste Management District will hold a public hearing on its proposed 2019 Annual Budget on Thursday, November 15, 2018 at 7:00 PM in the Conference Room of the Addison County Regional Planning Commission at 14 Seminary Street, Middlebury, VT. For a copy of the meeting agenda and/or proposed budget, please visit the ACSWMD website at www.AddisonCountyRecycles.org or call the District at 802-388-2333.
Recycle smoke detector batteries with special recycling at the Transfer Station
It’s that time of year: Daylight Savings means checking your smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries, and changing your batteries means special recycling for batteries with ACSWMD!
** Batteries are recyclable, but NOT in your blue bin! **
Instead, bring all your batteries to the Transfer Station in Middlebury for special recycling year-round. ACSWMD accepts all types of batteries for FREE!
Vermont’s Draft Biennial Report on Solid Waste
As required by statute, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation has released its Draft Biennial Report on Solid Waste. All public comments on this report are due no later than November 15, 2018, by 5:00 pm. Send all comments to Becky Webber at rebecca.webber@vermont.gov.
Vermont Product Stewardship Council Celebrates 10 Years of Success
October 1, 2018
Vermont — The Vermont Product Stewardship Council (VTPSC) recently celebrated its anniversary and a decade of impressive accomplishments. The group was founded in September 2008 by Vermont local governments, the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI), and Upstream to jointly solve problems related to the management of problematic consumer products and packaging.
VTPSC’s successes include the passage of five of the state’s eight “extended producer responsibility” (EPR) laws, including those for primary batteries, electronics, paint, mercury lamps, and thermostats. EPR laws require product manufacturers to finance and manage the recycling or safe disposal of their products when consumers are done with them, taking the burden off taxpayers and governments.
Vermont leads the nation in per capita collection rates for many of these products, recycling or safely disposing of millions of pounds of material and creating recycling jobs throughout the state and the northeast. This year, the group is turning its attention to household hazardous waste and packaging. Read more
Casella Encourages Better Recycling
Ultimate Zero Waste DIY Guide
Learn how to make your own simple cleaning products, household items, and food staples to decrease packaging and industrial waste!
Fight Junk Mail and Paper Mailings
Junk mail is a constant source of frustration and waste for many Americans. Want to learn how to purge your life of all this junk? Find out here!
Simple Zero Waste Swaps
There are so many alternatives to disposable products, and many are just simple, one-time swaps! Here is a list of zero waste swaps to give you even more ideas on how you can reduce your waste.
Beginner’s Guide to Reducing Household Waste
Want to reduce your waste, but not sure how? We have compiled a list of 11 easy ways to reduce household trash. View to learn more!
Top 5 Reasons to Compost
Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law focused a lot on food scrap diversion and composting – but why? Why shouldn’t I chuck my banana peel into the garbage can? Find out why composting is such a big ‘dill’ here!
How to Throw a Waste-Free Party
Planning parties can be stressful – for you, your wallet, and the planet. But it doesn’t have to! With a little planning, you can reduce your waste and environmental impact while also saving money. Check out these 8 zero waste party tips to learn how! Read more
Remember to opt out of Phone Books!
Top 5 Reasons to Recycle
We at the District are constantly encouraging our residents to recycle. But why? What are the benefits of recycling? Learn more here! Read more
Holiday Tips for Reducing Waste
Whether you are hibernating at home or braving the winter weather, there are lots of things you can do to reduce your impact to the environment and still be of good cheer. It’s easy to warm up to these reduce/reuse/recycle tips!
Read more
Hot Ash in the Trash: DON’T DO IT!
It’s that time of year again – fireplaces are roaring to keep us cozy in the cold weather. But once the fire is burned out, how should you dispose of hot ashes? Read more
To Flush or Not To Flush?!
Unsure of what to pour or put down your drain?! Here’s a nifty guide to make sure you keep your drain (and septic/sewer) happy and healthy.
Food Scrap Collection FAQ’s
Unsure about what the Universal Recycling Law (Act 148) is requiring? Don’t know what you have to do? Read some of the commonly asked questions we get from residents. If you think we’re missing something, let us know by emailing: acswmd@acswmd.org.
Not yet – residents are not required to separate food scraps from their trash until July 1, 2020. The District Transfer Station in Middlebury and almost all of the municipal drop-offs are already accepting food scraps. Haulers are not required to start collecting food scraps at the curb until July 1, 2020. ACSWMD is offering resources to help residents, towns and haulers begin by July 1, 2017. Haulers Thanks to our local haulers, fourteen of our towns/ drop-offs are offering food scrap collection: Addison, Bridport, Bristol, Cornwall, Leicester, Lincoln, Middlebury (Desabrais), New Haven, Ripton, Shoreham, Starksboro, Vergennes (Addison, Ferrisburgh, Panton and Waltham residents may also use this facility), Weybridge, and Whiting. Only a few haulers have begun to offer curbside collection: Draft Trash, and Moose Rubbish & Recycling. The haulers who are collecting at local drop-offs are: R&L, Moose Rubbish & Recycling, C&J Hauling, Van Denton, Desabrais Trash, Brenda Kimball, Webb and Sons and BK Services (will begin in September). Call them to inquire about pricing for food scrap collection. If you would like to bring food scraps to the drop-offs the haulers can charge for that additional service they are offering. However, if you wanted to bring your scraps to the District Transfer Station in Middlebury, you can do so at no charge Monday – Friday 7 am – 3 pm or Saturday 8 am – 1pm. Additionally, if you decided to compost at home, you would likely save money because most of the weight in your trash is food. Without food in your trash, you could cut down on your trips to the drop-off! No one will be sorting through your trash to see if you have scraps in there. The point of the Universal Recycling Law is to help set up a statewide system to keep certain things from the landfill because of their harmful or noxious properties when they are in the landfill under anaerobic conditions. Food scraps, clean food and leaf and yard waste are all of those things. They both take up space and release methane gas when they are in a landfill, which is 21 times more harmful to the environment than CO2. The spirit of the law is to set up systems that would make it easier for folks to separate their scraps and other banned items from the landfill, and hope that folks do the right thing. If you are bringing your scraps to the drop-off you are allowed to put in meat, bones, fish, animal fats, etc. If you have a lot of used cooking oil, you can bring that to the Transfer Station in Middlebury and it will be turned into biodiesel. You CANNOT put pet waste into the food scrap bucket. If you decide to compost at home it is best to leave meat scraps and heavy dairy products out of your compost because it can attract vectors like raccoons, bears, etc. Home compost piles usually are not hot enough to properly break down meat scraps anyway, meaning that any potential pathogens on meat would not die and could harm your garden if you used the compost. For all of these reasons, it’s best to keep them out of your food scrap pile. Again, NO pet waste in your backyard pile either. If you compost at home, you are allowed to put your meat and bone scraps into the trash for landfill. However, you can also compost your produce scraps at home, and bring your meat scraps to the drop offs or Transfer Station! If you are looking to do something with your pet waste, and would rather handle your meat scraps right at home, one option is to purchase a Green Cone Solar Digestor which we sell at the Transfer Station for $125, or $63 if you have a voucher from our seasonal backyard composting workshops. Green Cones handle food scraps including meat, fish, bones and dairy, and can also handle pet waste. Click the link above to learn more! Remember, whether the food scraps are in your trash or in a separate container, it’s all the same material and if you have not had issues with vectors up to this point, you will likely be fine. However, if vectors get into your trash and you are concerned, we suggest keeping your food scrap bucket inside (i.e. your garage or a shed) until you are ready to bring them to the drop-off. If you are composting, make sure you layer your food scraps with a thick layer of browns (such as dry leaves or wood shavings) every time you bring food scraps out to your pile to dampen the smell. Also, turn it more. Once the pile becomes more homogenous, animals will not bother with it. Finally, minimize other bear attractants in your yard such as smelly garbage cans or dirty recycling, dirty BBQ grills, bird feeders, pet food, and citronella candles. Any of these things can attract a bear to your yard, who then decides to see what else he/she can find. It should be noted that no container is fully bear-proof. Reducing smells is key. And if for whatever reason none of the above suggestions work to keep the bear out of your yard and compost pile, there are products such as “predator pee” – mountain lion urine for instance – that you can purchase and sprinkle around your yard/pile. We’ve had folks from the NEK say this does a great job of keeping bears and other vectors away from your pile.Do I have to start separating my food scraps from my trash?
So, what do I have to do?
You are not required by law to do anything until July 1, 2020. However, if you did want to start separating food scraps from your trash early, you have so many options. If you would like to start separating food scraps for compost, see this backyard composting guide to get you started. If you would rather bring your food scraps to our Transfer Station for no charge, or bring them to your hauler at most local drop-offs in Addison County– you can download this info sheet for starters. Essentially, you just need a bucket to collect scraps and most likely a smaller container to collect scraps right in your kitchen (you can use a coffee can, sugar container, whatever is easiest for you! Even a plastic bag in your freezer works too, and eliminates any chance of fruit flies/odors). ACSWMD does sell a Kitchen Collector for $5 and also gives each household one free 5-gallon bucket for food scrap collection. Using the “IN” and “KEEP OUT” lists from the sheet on the left, just collect all of your food scraps into your bucket and once it is full you can bring it to your local drop-off, or bring it to the District Transfer Station in Middlebury.What drop-offs are collecting food scraps in Addison County?
What haulers in our area are collecting food scraps?
Can I use bags in my food scrap buckets?
Yes, you may either use paper bags or newspaper to line your food scrap bucket, or if you would like to purchase certified compostable bags (make sure it has the BPI compostable symbol on the left), you can use those too. Note, the compostable bags are not suitable for backyard composting, but small amounts of newspaper and paper bags will work fine.Will this cost me?
Are there trash police?!
What if I want to compost?
That’s the best option out there! It keeps the scraps (and their nutrients) local, you can make nutrient-rich compost in your own backyard, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions (from trucking those scraps up to the landfill, and then from the scraps breaking down in an anaerobic environment in the landfill itself) AND it will help you save money by reducing trash costs. If you would like to learn more about Backyard Composting – download this guide and call the District if you would like to sign up for a free beginner backyard composting workshop. You can also sign up for an online course to become a Vermont Master Composter offered each fall. For more information – click here.What about meat? Bones? Oil? Pet waste?
What about bears? Rats? Raccoons?
Compost Bins and Collectors Available at District Transfer Station
Stop by the District Transfer Station to pick up a Soilsaver compost bin and a “Sure-Close” kitchen collector, and start composting at home! Turn food scraps and yard waste into rich, organic food for your garden. Food and yard waste combined represent about 25% of our waste. By composting these materials at home, we can save money while keeping waste out of landfills! Composting benefits everyone by reducing waste and helping summer vegetable and flower gardens flourish.
The Soilsaver is just $45, and when disassembled fits neatly into any vehicle. The handy “Sure-Close” kitchen collector is just $5.
The District Transfer Station is located at 1223 Route 7 South, in Middlebury, just south of the U.S. Forest Service Ranger Station. Hours are Mon-Fri, 7 am to 3 pm, and Sat, 8 am to 1 pm.
The Soilsaver ($45)
- 28″w x 28″d x 32″h
- Holds 11.4 cubic feet
- Made from sturdy recycled plastic
- Retains heat and moisture better than an open pile
- Keeps most animals out
- Removable convenient locking and self-watering lid
- Two slide-up doors for removal of compost
- Easy assembly
The “Sure-Close” kitchen collector (ONLY $5!)
- Durable, dishwasher-safe, and easy to clean
- Lid opens and latches closed easily with one hand
- Lid locks in open position for easier filling
- Lid perforations allow venting but stop insects
- Ergonomic handle and back grip for easy use
- Wide opening allows easy scraping of plates