CVSWMD News - Business Composting Customer Excels

Published Monthly July 2011

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A Note from Leesa

On July 1, Vermont joined the growing number of states to adopt or expand Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws by implementing an electronic waste collection program. The State of Vermont's e-waste collection program is similar to other EPR programs in that the program requires producers of waste (in this case electronic waste) to accept responsibility for the cost of recycling and disposing of waste. The alternative to EPR is systems in which the consumer, or state and local government and by extension the taxpayer, are responsible for incurring the cost of recycling and disposing of waste items.

The notion of Extended Producer Responsibility is not new. EPR programs began in European countries that had severe shortages in available landfill space. The earliest efforts toward EPR occurred in Germany, a country that in 1991 adopted the German Packaging Ordinance. This ordinance not only drastically reduced the amount of packaging in use, but also increased the recycling of packaging, proving the effectiveness of extended producer responsibility programs.

Interestingly, in the same month Vermont's e-waste recycling law was implemented, Central Vermont's only landfill in Moretown was denied a permit to expand. Clearly, while Vermont may not yet be lacking in space available for landfills, Vermont may be lacking landfill locations that are environmentally appropriate. Vermont may have even fewer locations in which Vermonters would wish to see a landfill sited. The decision to deny a variance at the Moretown Landfill provides Vermonters with both the opportunity and the incentive to work toward practices that extend the lives of existing landfills while at the same time working toward reducing the need for new landfill space. Additional efforts to adopt EPR programs will be a step toward reducing the need for additional landfill space and realizing the goal of Zero Waste.

Be Well,

Leesa

Quick Fact:

E-waste accounts for 70% of overall toxic waste going into landfills today. Source

But not in Vermont! E-waste is now banned form the landfill! CVSWMD also encourages people to consider the necessity of new electronics purchases and to seek out reuse purchase and disposal options whenever possible. Proper e-waste disposal is always a must! CVSWMD will continue our e-waste collection events through October 8th. The remainder of CVSWMD's 2011 electronics collections will charge no fees at the event due to subsidies from the state program and the district. Residents and small businesses may also take their e-waste to a drop-off location in Central Vermont.

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Our July Zero Hero

Wendy MacKenzie

Wendy Mackenzie

Teacher, Oxbow High School, Bradford

Wendy Mackenzie's enthusiasm for conservation and education just bubbles out of her. As a teacher of Family and Consumer Sciences at Bradford's Oxbow High School, she has used that enthusiasm to spur action, while instilling in her students the importance of taking responsibility for their use of resources and their impact on their school community.

I visited Wendy while she was on break for the summer and asked her to talk about the reasons she is so engaged in CVSWMD's School Zero Waste Program (SZWP) at Oxbow HS. According to Wendy, "Oxbow is its own community of 500 people. It can be difficult to know where to begin and how to effect positive change. Through programs like this, we can teach our students and staff that a wasteful community is unhealthy and provide workable alternatives. The students and staff at Oxbow take that learning home with them, so not only are we creating individual change, but broad-scale change as well."

This year Wendy became the Advisor for the Oxbow Environmental Coalition, a club for students interested in environmental issues. She and the group worked closely with SZWP Coordinator Gwen Lyons-Baker throughout the year, conducting a whole-school Waste Audit, strengthening the composting program and organizing the Locker Clean-Out at the end of the year. Wendy said she was thrilled when Gwen just showed up in her classroom one day. "We really needed to focus and direct our energies. CVSWMD's programming provided the direction we needed and Gwen is so great to work with! She really isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, so we just jumped right in with her where we might have held back before!"

Gwen also connected Wendy with a teacher at Bradford Elementary School which resulted in an ongoing juice pouch reuse project. Asked about the reaction of Oxbow students to the SZWP, Wendy stated that the buzz from most students was good. "It has created opportunities for leadership, learning and positive reinforcement." For Wendy and the students, the year ended on a very energetic note and they are excited about opportunities to work on zero waste initiatives with Gwen in the coming year.

Wendy exemplified the "Toward Zero Waste" spirit when she said of her work with us at the school: "Nobody is perfect! It's the little things we do to reduce waste that are important. So we just take it one step at a time!"

Wendy, we appreciate you and your students and we'll be there to support you at every step along the way!

You're a true Zero Hero!

(Article written by Marian Miller, PR & Outreach Coordinator)

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Local Waste News and Stories

Business Composting Program Customer Earns VT Green Dining Designation

The Wayside Restaurant and Bakery recently reaped the rewards of its 10 year odyssey to become one of only 5 official green Restaurants in VT! Receiving this status from the state is no easy matter. It is dependent upon meeting eight core criteria and the development of an Environmental Action Plan to further reduce environmental impacts. One aspect of The Wayside's plan was implemented when the restaurant joined CVSWMD's Business Composting Program in 2007. Since then, we have hauled nearly 600,000 pounds of food scraps from The Wayside and kept them out of the landfill!

The Wayside Restaurant & Bakery

When Brian and Karen Zecchinelli, owners of this iconic restaurant located on U.S. Route 302 between Barre and Montpelier, decided to try the CVSWMD Business Composting Program, an employee became their in-house champion. The staffer was also a student at Montpelier High School, so he was already familiar with composting through CVSWMD's School Composting Program there and showed others how easy it was to compost while sharing his passion for composting. Given the fact that roughly 1000 customers are served each day, the sheer volume of scraps that had to be composted was initially daunting to both owners and staff. But with the waitstaff firmly embracing the program and kitchen staff committed as well, Brian says the act of separating food scraps for composting took off and is now simply second nature.

Zecchinelli says the cost for composting services is similar to trash hauling costs, but agreed that he did not miss the heavy, messy trash bags of former days! He also said that workplace injuries may be fewer and that both owners and staff feel good knowing they are contributing to a healthy environment by minimizing their carbon footprint. Brian also believes that many young people come in to eat because of The Wayside's "green" status. He states, "The Wayside will continue to focus on waste reduction, water and energy conservation, pollution prevention, transportation efficiencies and sustainable promotion."

So drop in, have a "green" home-style meal and congratulate the dedicated owners and staff at The Wayside on becoming a Green Restaurant!

Compost Sticker

Wayside Compost Sticker

*If you would like to learn more about CVSWMD's nationally recognized Business Composting Program, please call 229.9383x106 or visit our Business Composting Program on the web.

CVSWMD Flood Relief Fund Update

It has been two months now since historic flooding devastated many areas in our district. While the application period for CVSWMD's Flood Relief Fund ends July 31st, we have awarded $10,000 to over 55 households and small businesses to help with disposal costs of flood related waste.

We wish to thank those who have sent such nice "Thank You" notes! We are glad we could help!

The Flood Relief Center remains open on Main St. in Barre for now. FEMA has set up in the basement of the B.O.R. for those needing disaster assistance. For those seeking information about ongoing relief efforts, please visit www.cvfloodhelp.org.

Board Representatives Needed!

CVSWMD needs to fill a few vacancies in our Board of Supervisors. Each member town may have a representative appointed to the Board, who will not only represent that town, but who will work to assure that the interests of the district as a whole are represented. The following towns have vacancies:

Plainfield
Tunbridge
Walden
Washington
Williamstown

If you or someone you know is interested or would like to learn more, please call our offices at 802.229.9383.

E-waste Program Update

The state's e-waste program implementation continued this month. For CVSWMD staff and Board, this meant keeping on top of the latest developments, updating materials and the website to correctly reflect the ever-changing landscape, educating district residents about the plan, and eliminating e-waste fees at our events. We had many callers with questions about e-waste disposal and we're pleased to assist those folks by providing answers and information.

There are several remaining CVSWMD events where e-waste will be collected this year. See our website for the events schedule.

There are also several locations within our district where residents and small businesses may drop off e-waste during business hours. These are:

The Computer Barn, 921 Rte 302, Barre Town
ReStore Barre, 28 Granite St, Barre
Casella Residential Drop-off, 378 E. Mont. Rd.

For more e-waste drop-off locations, see the state's list of registered collectors.

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School Updates

A Year in Review

The 2010 - 2011 school year was a busy one for Gwen Lyons-Baker, School Zero Waste Coordinator! Five schools, Barre City Elementary Middle School, Tunbridge Central School, Orange Center School, Williamstown Middle High School and Williamstown Elementary School joined the 22 other schools already in our School Composting Program. During the 2010-2011, these schools diverted 294,819 pounds (147.41 tons!) of food scraps from the landfill to local composting facilities to be turned into compost, a valuable soil amendment! Chelsea Public School, the final public school to join, is ready to come on board this upcoming fall!

Gwen worked throughout the year developing the School Zero Waste Program, of which school composting is now a sub-program. In order to assess what schools were throwing away and determine effective waste reduction strategies, Waste Audits were conducted at Montpelier High School and Oxbow High School. Recommendations included: changing from paper milk cartons to recyclable milk bottles; recycling chip bags through Terra-Cycle; recycling plastic bottle caps through Aveda; and finding other creative uses for juice pouches (which normally go in the trash). Gwen successfully fostered collaborative partnerships between several schools, whose projects include joint collection and reuse projects.

The 1st Annual CVSWMD Compost Poetry Contest was a big success, with nearly one hundred students entering to win their grade level. Staff had a ball reading the poems and can't wait for next year's contest! The school year ended on a high note when Oxbow High School's locker clean-out day was a greener and less wasteful event than usual. The school collected approximately 20 large trash barrels full of recycling (mostly paper) and only 1 full of true trash! In years past, all of this material would usually go into the trash!

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Program Updates

Ben & Jerry's Join Business Composting Program!

CVSWMD is pleased to announce that the latest business to join our Business Composting Program is Ben and Jerry's Homemade, Inc., in Waterbury. For now collections at the company are relatively small-scale, but there are opportunities to expand collection activities in the future. While we are very excited to have them on board, the staff at B & J's are equally enthusiastic about the being in the program. Welcome Ben and Jerry's!

Special Waste Collection Season In Full Swing

CVSWMD has served 380 households through 7 Hazardous Waste and/or Special Collection Events so far this season. We have 5 more collections left and we want to serve more of you. Let's get to at least 1000 households! Check out our schedule on the web or call us for more info at 802.229.9383. Small businesses we can help you too!

Visit our Hazardous Waste Program pages to learn more about what hazardous waste is and how to properly dispose of it. Also, see our 2011 Collections Schedule to find an event near you.

Next Special Collection Event

Our next scheduled collection is on August 13th from 9AM - 1PM and we'll be collecting Electronics, Textiles & Books. The event will be held at National Life in Montpelier. Disposal fees are waived as a result of CVSWMD and state of Vermont subsidies.

*See the full collection events schedule.

*Business owners and schools: Call ahead to pre-register for this event. Call Mia Roethlein for more: 800.730.9475 x 106.

Please visit our website at www.cvswmd.org to learn more about the how's and why's of proper disposal of hazardous waste materials.

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Reuse Resources in Vermont & Beyond

Yard Sale Season is Open!

As the weather turned warm, the people of Central Vermont shook off the ice and began cleaning out the old barn and cellar! Many then chose a sunny day, put their used goods out on the lawn and pulled out the lawn chairs to wait for eager customers to stop in. The old saying, " One person's trash is another's treasure." is apt to describe what you will discover "yard-saling". For those people who enjoy the thrill of a day spent prowling at these sales, there is no better time of year than spring and summer. For those looking to both make and save some money, the yard sale is the old favorite standby.

We couldn't let the summer pass without mentioning this awesome reuse opportunity popping up at a location near you every weekend!

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State and National News

Magic Hat Brewery Making Biogas Magic Happen

Brewing beer creates massive amounts of organic waste. Vermont's own magic Hat Brewery is going big with its plan to turn the waste products of the beer brewing process into energy to fuel the process itself. At present, the biodigester is just getting revved up and is not producing enough gas to power the brewery, but representatives from Purpose Energy predict that they will see enough biogas to provide a sustainable source of energy for the brewery. Read the full article.

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Ford Uses Recycled Tires and Soy

Ford Motor Co. is using recycled tires and soy fiber to make a portion of its seals and gaskets for new automobiles. The material offers not only a reuse option for used tires, it will also shave weight off the newer vehicle fleet. Article.

used tires

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CVSWMD Notes

New Program Assistant Joins Team

CVSWMD staff are pleased to announce that Sarah Wisner recently joined the CVSWMD team as our part-time Program Assistant. She will be assisting with the School Zero Waste Program, the Hazardous Waste and Special Collections Programs and the Business Composting Program.

Sarah graduated from Smith College in May 2011 with a BA in English Literature with concentrations in gender and film studies. She is happy to be returning to her hometown of Montpelier and begin work improving her community! Sarah has two dogs and two cats and enjoys writing and watching lots of movies in her spare time. Welcome aboard, Sarah!

Soilsaver Classic Composters are selling fast!

We only have about 40 of these left! Those who have purchased them have commented that the quality is high and the price is very reasonable, so stop by our office to check them out.

These are for sale to in-district residents for the ultra-low price of $47. You can visit our website to learn more about these long-lasting composters.

Soilsaver Classic

Green Cones for Sale at the District Office We love these things! They're a great way to keep food scraps, including bones and meats, out of the landfill. To purchase a Green Cone, email Gwen Lyons-Baker or call the office (802.229.9383 ext.111).

cones and bin

PLEASE NOTE: We have 12 Green Cones left for sale at the old price of $72.50 (including VT sales tax) which can be paid for with cash or a check; receipts are available. Once these are gone, Green Cones will cost $99! Stock up now!! Pickup is at CVSWMD at 137 Barre Street, Montpelier. Please be sure you speak with Gwen prior to stopping by to pick up a cone.
We also sell Kitchen Caddies to hold food scraps prior to putting them in the compost pile. Price: $10 (in-district), $20 (out-of-district).

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Town Representatives Needed!

We still need Board Representatives from the following member towns: Plainfield, Tunbridge, Walden, Washington, and Williamstown. If you or someone you know would be interested in helping guide the organization's work, let us know!

Please contact us at 802.229.9383 or at administration@cvswmd.org for more information.

Community Member Needed for Commitee

We are looking for a community member to join our Lawrence Walbridge Reuse Grants Committee. If you are interested or want to learn more, please contact Gwen Lyons-Baker at 802.229.9383 ext. 111

Contact Us

Central Vermont Solid Waste

Management District (CVSWMD)

137 Barre Street

Montpelier, VT 05602-3618

Staff Photo