Fact of the Month

 

Did you know that those polystyrene (commonly called Styrofoam) trays that many meats are sold on are not recyclable? While they often have the "Recyclable" symbol on them, in fact there are very few places in this country that can process them. Some estimate that fewer than 10% of them get recycled! Along with plastics, polystyrene is one of the major components of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch! We know you don't live in the Pacific, but... 

We are introducing a new category for our newsletter. While the staff and Board members already know about the many wonderful, enthusiastic organizations and individuals who support our Zero Waste goal, many of you may not. This is our chance to thank them and let others know about their good work!

Christian Pruitt - Chef at Twinfield Union School

January 2011 Zero Hero!

  This month's Zero Hero is Christian Pruitt, Food Service Director/Head Chef at Twinfield Union School, which serves the member towns of Marshfield and Plainfield. Christian has worked closely with our School Zero Waste Coordinator, Gwen Lyons-Baker, to engage staff and students in their highly successful School Composting Program. Christian has been incredibly enthusiastic and has embraced new practices that will not only save the school money, but enable to students to be able to recycle even more waste. For example, Christian now purchases some milk in recyclable bottles instead of non-recyclable cartons. He also works closely with two student/CVSWMD staff members, Tyler and Taylor, to assure that as much food waste as possible goes into the compost bins and recyclables are in their proper place. Christian and his staff also compost food waste from the kitchen.

 Prior to the implementation of the program, the staff lugged out four  very heavy sixty gallon trash bags to the dumpster each day. They now throw away only one lightweight trash bag per day! Easy on the waste stream and easy on the back as well!
 

Christian understands that tossing recyclable materials and food scraps into the trash is a waste of valuable resources and that their break-down creates methane gas. He also understands that by teaching students about composting food scraps to create compost for use as a soil amendment, they learn about the natural cycle of the the food they are eating and they help creat a more healthy and beautiful Central Vermont!

 

Thanks Christian! You're a true  

"Zero Hero"!

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2010 Field Trip to Compost Facility

School Composting Program Nears 100% Participation!

MHS Waste Audit

Montpelier High School Waste Audit Shows Success & Challenges of Composting Program 

On December 16^th, 2010, members of the Montpelier High School EarthGroup, the Environmental Applications class, and CVSWMD School Zero Waste Coordinator Gwen Lyons-Baker held a Waste Audit event at the school. This effort was undertaken in order to determine exactly what was entering all three streams. Armed with the results,CVSWMD staff and school staff and students can better assure that school waste is ending up in the appropriate place and further reduce the amount of trash being sent to the landfill.

Several dedicated students and staff bravely sorted one day's worth of the school's trash, recycling, and compost. Sorted piles included: true waste (items that could not be recycled or reused); items that could have been recycled; items that could have been composted; and items that could have been re-used. The students then went to work sorting the "Recycling" and "Food Scrap" bins from the previous day. For the whole school assembly, the different piles were labeled and placed in the gym so that the entire student body could physically see the results.

Waste Presentation at School Assembly

Of the approximately 100 lbs. of so-called trash, only 33.2 lbs. was truly trash. 25 lbs. was recyclable and 42 lbs. could have been composted. This means that over the course of the school year, roughly 7,360 (nearly four tons!) of compostable materials are needlessly entering the landfill. It also means that 4, 325 lbs. of fully recyclable resources are going to waste in the landfill as well.

Sorting of the recycling bin showed that 84 lbs. out of 90.6 total lbs. was truly recyclable; 2.6 lbs. was trash; and 4 lbs. was compostable. The food scrap diversion efforts were most successful, with a whopping 58 of the 58.5 lb. total being actual food scraps. It is clear that students who are recycling and composting are doing a good job of getting items in the correct bin.

This audit showed that while the school continues to recycle and compost a good amount of its waste, there is room for continued improvement. The amount of recyclable and compostable materials found in the trash reinforces the need for CVSWMD to continue its ongoing training, support, and educational efforts in our schools.

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Toxics Action Center Releases List of Vermont Waste Sites by Town

Vermont Joins 24 Other States in
 

Banning E-waste from Landfills

E-waste at a Vermont Drop-off site.

Vermont's E-waste Law, which took effect Saturday January 1, 2011, bans the disposal of electronic waste in landfills and requires that it be separated from household trash. According to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR), "Electronic devices contain toxic materials (including lead, mercury, and chromium) that should be managed responsibly as well as precious metals (such as gold) that should be recovered and recycled."

The law will be implemented in two stages in the coming year. First, a long list of electronic devices, including computers, printers, TV's, personal sound devices, and game consoles, have been banned from landfills as of Jan. 1. Second, a much shorter list will be covered by a recycling program free to consumers and paid for by manufacturers to be set up by July 1.The covered list includes computers and monitors, CRT containing devices, printers and TV's. 

For more information on the law and how it will affect CVSWMD and haulers, visit ANR's e-waste website or contact us at 229-9383.  

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Vermont Law School Releases It's Top Ten Environmental Watchlist for 2011

The Vermont Law School recently announced the 2011 Environmental Top Ten list of environmental policies and laws to watch this year.These issues were chosen because of their  potential impact on public health and the environment, as well as whether important developments are expected in the coming twelve months.Though the list has a national focus, international issues may also be included.
 

Four of the Top Ten issues for 2011 are related to climate change or greenhouse gas emissions. CVSWMD provides members information about and ways to dispose of household, school and business food scraps and household hazardous waste materials that would otherwise create greenhouse gases and further contribute to rapid climate change.VT Law School will hopes this new annual list will improve public understanding of environmental issues and their effects on human health and the natural world.

 

Commercial Composting Facility

 S.8. is a bill that was recently introduced in the Vermont Senate by Senator Kittell and would make commercial composting an agricultural best practice. S.8. would also require the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to amend accepted agricultural practices to include commercial composting on farms. The bill would provide for the creation of commercial composting districts in local zoning bylaws. More  

H.9. is a complimentary bill that "proposes to require the agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to amend the accepted agricultural practices in order to include practices for commercial composting on farms". This bill was introduced by By Rep. Deen of Westminster. More 

 Please let your representative know how you feel about this legislation! 

CVSWMD Notes

Contact Us

Central Vermont Solid Waste  

Management District (CVSWMD)

137 Barre Street

Montpelier, VT 05602-3618