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Trash Disposal

The Vermont Waste Not Guide poster is available in: Arabic عربي, Bosnian Bɔ̌sanski, Burmese မြန်မာစာ, Chinese 普通话, Japanese 日本語, Kirundi, Nepali नेपाली, Russian Русский язык, Somali Soomaali, Español (Spanish), Swahili Kiswahili, and Vietnamese Tiếng Việt.

Items banned from disposal in the State of Vermont

Image of a poster that depicts items that are banned from the landfill in Vermont, including paint, tires, oil canisters, certain recyclable materials (plastics #1 and #2, aluminum, steel, paper, cardboard, and glass, mercury-containing products, certain electronics, leaf and yard debris, food scraps, certain batteries, and appliances

According to Vermont State Law (10 V.S.A. § 6621a), no person shall knowingly dispose of any of the following materials in  their household trash or in landfills:

  • Lead-acid batteries (1990)
  • Waste oil (1990)
  • "White goods," or large appliances... (1991)
  • Paint, oil-based and latex... (1991)
  • Tires (1992)
  • Nickel-cadmium batteries, small sealed lead-acid batteries, non-consumer mercuric oxide batteries (1992)Image of the Vermont Waste Not Guide poster, Image of a poster that depicts what to do with items that are hazardous or banned from the landfill in Vermont, including paint, tires, oil canisters, certain recyclable materials (plastics #1 and #2, aluminum, steel, paper, cardboard, and glass, mercury-containing products, certain electronics, leaf and yard debris, food scraps, certain batteries, and appliances
  • Mercury-added products (2007)
  • Electronic devices... (2011)
  • Mandated recyclables... (2015)
  • Leaf and yard debris, clean wood (2016)
  • Food residuals (2014-2020)

Current Landfills Operating in State of Vermont

New England Waste Services Landfill | Coventry, Vermont
Permitted Acceptance Rate: 600,000 tons per year
Status: Operating

Find the location of a transfer station or drop-off center near you. Use the Materials Management Map

Don't Burn Vermont!

Trash burning is harmful to you and your family, as well as your neighbors. 

The chemicals created and released by trash burning have been scientifically shown to increase your risk of many health problems, like heart disease, asthma, emphysema, headaches and even cancer.

Kids are especially at risk. 

Reasearch has proven that kids absorb up to six times more pollution through their lungs than adults breathing the same air. Not only that, but they are more at risk than adults because their immune systems aren't yet fully developed.

It's illegal, too. 

State and municipal officials may issue penalties to individuals who continue to burn trash. Violators are subject to monetary fines as well as performing community roadside cleanup. If violators fail to pay their fine, their driving license will be suspended for a period of ten days and they will lose their hunting and/or fishing license privileges for a period of one year.

Illegal Dumping and Littering

Roadside dumping of trash threatens waterways, wildlife, and public health.

Trash contains heavy metals and other noxious substances that contaminate local watersheds and water supplies that towns rely on for clean drinking water. Animals are also at risk of eating or getting caught in plastics and metal scraps. 

It's illegal, too. 

Similarly to burning trash, state and municipal officials may issue penalties to individuals who dump trash on lands or waters outside of a transfer station that is certified to accept trash. Violators are subject to fines up to $500, and performing community roadside cleanup. If violators fail to pay their fine, their driving license will be suspended for a period of ten days and they will lose their hunting and/or fishing license privileges for a period of one year. Note: Food scraps and leaf & yard debris may be managed in backyard compost piles. 

What You Can Do to Keep Vermont Clean

  1. Do not burn trash. Do not dump trash in roadside ditches, swamps, abandoned quarries, or any open lands.
     
  2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
    • Reduce the amount of waste you create by buying products with less packaging and buying items that last longer instead of disposable ones.

    • Reuse the durable packaging you get (wash out that sour cream container and use it to put leftovers in).

    • Recycle all the materials you can, like cardboard, newspapers, cans and bottles. Learn more about how to recycle in Vermont.

  3. Take your trash to the transfer station or hire a pick-up service.
    • Instead of burning or illegally dumping your trash, take it to your local transfer station. It only takes a few minutes to jump in your car or truck and haul it there, and it's much better for you and everyone around you. Or call a local solid waste hauler to provide pick-up from your curb!
       
  4. Spread the word!