The CSWD Blog

CSWD Board Meeting Agenda: 9/12/18

Published on by Raeann

View meeting packets and minutes on the Board of Commissioners page. CHITTENDEN SOLID WASTE DISTRICT REGULAR MEETING Agenda Date:  Wednesday, September 12, 2018 Time:  6:00 p.m. Place:  WILLISTON CENTRAL SCHOOL AUDITORIUM 195 Central School Drive, Williston, VT ———————————————————————— *** (E) Indicates enclosures   (H) Indicates handouts (D) Discussion Only  1. (E) Agenda 2. (E) ReUse Zones a.) History and Rationale for Closures b.) Public Comment 3. Public Comment Period 4. Minutes…

Wood bunker at South Burlington Drop-Off Center temporarily closed during upgrades

Published on by Raeann

From September 12th to October 3rd, the Chittenden Solid Waste District will be making structural improvements to the wood bunker at the South Burlington Drop-Off Center (87 Landfill Rd, off of Patchen Rd). During construction, the South Burlington facility will not be able to accept wood waste at this facility. Customers will be able to drop off other accepted materials without interruption. During this time, customers are encouraged to bring…

How a 3rd grader inspired a Williston business owner to ditch plastic straws

Published on by Raeann

multi-colored plastic straws

Trivia time! What do the city of Seattle, Starbucks, and Ramunto’s Pizza all have in common? Answer: All three places have recently joined the growing movement to eliminate plastic straws. In 2015, after a cringe-worthy YouTube video of a straw stuck in a sea turtle’s nose went viral, a global movement began to grow around the problem of plastic pollution—single-use plastic straws, in particular. Although straws don’t represent a significant portion…

Don’t use your bike anymore? Here are 3 ways to donate it

Published on by Raeann

The annual Pedals for Progress event to donate your old bicycle and/or sewing machine is here! This annual event not only allows you to give back to a charitable cause, but it also makes for a great reminder of the reuse and donation options in Chittenden County that are offered here all year round. 1. Pedals for Progress The Green Mountain Returned Peace Corps Volunteers will be conducting their annual…

Commercial landscapers soon required to use Green Mountain Compost in Williston for yard waste drop-off

Published on by Raeann

Beginning August 31st, loads of leaves and yard debris from commercial landscapers will no longer be accepted at McNeil Wood & Yard Waste Depot or CSWD Drop-Off Centers. All landscapers must deliver yard debris directly to Green Mountain Compost (1042 Redmond Rd, Williston). McNeil will continue to accept clean, natural wood from landscapers, and non-commercial loads of yard debris. Commercial landscapers should deliver leaves & yard debris directly to Green…

CSWD to raise tip fee at recycling facility

Published on by Jonny

The facts On September 4, 2018, CSWD will raise the recycling tip fee at our Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). The tip fee is the rate haulers pay to drop off large loads of recycling, which the MRF machinery and workers sort and bale into marketable commodities streams (see What are tip fees? for more detail). The new tip fee will be $55 per ton for all recyclables, regardless of the…

Fire at CSWD Facility Highlights Danger of “Wishful Recycling”

Published on by Jonny

Workers sorting materials at the recycling facility.

At about 5pm on Tuesday, July 31st, a small fire was reported at the Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Williston, the District’s sorting facility for large loads of “blue bin” recyclables. The incident occurred after the facility had already shut down for the day. Local fire departments responded quickly to contain the fire, which caused minor damage to an outside wall. No one was injured.…

ReUse Zones to close after September

Published on by Jonny

Sandwich board in front of open door displays closure message.

CSWD’s Board and staff are reviewing each of our facilities and the services we provide to ensure that you always enjoy a safe, efficient visit. At our Drop-Off Centers, misuse of our ReUse Zones has been identified as a primary contributor to an unsafe environment. Customers frequently leave dangerous or poisonous items, household trash, and other inappropriate items in the ReUse Zone that can cause a high-risk situation. This adds…

Celebrate Vermont’s Clean Water Week, July 29th – August 4th

Published on by Raeann

A small sailboat on a lake with the words "Clean Water Week 2018"

Here in Vermont, it’s rare when we don’t have all the clean water we need. It’s in part due to luck of the geographic draw, the hard work of wastewater treatment plant operators, and to the decisions YOU make every day when you decide how to dispose of hazardous leftovers, medications, and even food scraps and cleaning “wipes”. It’s time to celebrate our abundant clean water and explore how each…

The most waste-friendly events — and what we can learn from them

Published on by Raeann

Football stadium at the Super Bowl with a packed crowd.

Leading up to the 2018 Super Bowl last February, the organizers set a lofty goal: Host the first “zero waste” Super Bowl ever. Specifically, their aim was to recover around 90% of the waste they typically generate on game day (which averages around 40 tons). “But,” you may be thinking, “reducing waste is hard enough at home – it must be impossible at a sporting event that sees 100,000+ ticketholders!”…