Best Composting & Food Waste in Vermont Ranked

Vermont's Universal Recycling Law (Act 148) has positioned the state as a national leader in organics diversion, requiring all businesses, including restaurants, to keep food scraps out of the landfill. Since July 2020, this ban applies to all food waste, from pre-consumer kitchen prep to post-consumer plate scrapings. For restaurant owners and managers, this means implementing a system to separate and manage organic waste, but it also presents an opportunity to reduce disposal costs, support local recycling infrastructure, and contribute to Vermont's environmental goals. The law provides flexibility, allowing businesses to choose the method that best fits their operation, whether it's hiring a hauler, using a drop-off site, or composting on-site.

CSWD Organics Recycling Facility - Home of Green Mountain Compost

860 Redmond Rd, Williston, VT 05495

CSWD Organics Recycling Facility - Home of Green Mountain Compost is located in Burlington, VT, and specializes in composting food waste and yard materials sourced locally from residents, schools, and businesses. They produce Green Mountain Compost, a certified soil amendment that supports soil health and plant growth. Their products include bulk compost, garden mix, and manufactured topsoil, all created through a multi-stage composting process that fosters beneficial microbes. The facility serves Chittenden County and surrounding areas, offering products primarily for gardens, lawns, and landscaping projects.

4.2

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Understanding Vermont's Food Scrap Ban

The cornerstone of Vermont's approach is Act 148, a phased law that culminated in a full ban on disposing of food scraps in landfills or trash incinerators. This ban is universal, meaning it applies to every individual, institution, and business in the state, without exception ^{1 2}.

• What Must Be Diverted: The law defines "food scraps" broadly. This includes all food waste: fruits, vegetables, meat, bones, dairy, bread, coffee grounds, and tea bags. Both pre-consumer waste (like peelings and spoiled inventory) and post-consumer waste (plate scrapings) are covered ^{3 4}.
• The Mandate is Diversion, Not Just Composting: While "composting" is a common term, the law's goal is diversion from the landfill. Acceptable diversion methods, in order of preference, are: source reduction, donation of edible food, feeding to animals, composting (on-site or off-site), and anaerobic digestion ^{5 1}. This hierarchy means reducing waste generation is the most preferred outcome.
• No Minimum Threshold: Unlike laws in some states that only apply to large generators, Vermont's ban applies to all businesses generating food scraps, regardless of volume ³.

Compliance Options for Restaurants

Restaurants have several practical pathways to comply with the law. The best choice depends on your location, volume of waste, space, and budget.

1. Hauler Collection Services

This is the most common solution for restaurants without the space or desire to manage waste on-site. A key provision of Act 148 requires all permitted solid waste haulers to offer food scrap collection services to their commercial customers ^{3 6}.

• How it Works: You separate food scraps into a dedicated bin (often provided by the hauler). The hauler collects this bin on a scheduled basis-weekly, bi-weekly, or more frequently-and transports the material to a certified composting facility or anaerobic digester.
• Finding a Provider: Major waste management companies like Casella Waste Systems and GWS, as well as many smaller, local haulers, provide these services. You can contact your current trash hauler to add food scrap collection or shop for a new provider that offers a bundled package.

2. Drop-Off at Designated Facilities

For restaurants that may not generate enough volume for weekly pickup or want to manage costs, drop-off is a viable option.

• How it Works: Staff transport accumulated food scraps in sealed containers to a designated drop-off location. These are often located at municipal transfer stations or regional solid waste district facilities.
• Considerations: You must check with your local solid waste district for specific drop-off locations, hours, fees, and any container requirements. This method requires dedicated staff time and vehicle space.

3. On-Site Composting

For restaurants with outdoor space and staff capacity, managing waste on-site can be a rewarding, cost-effective long-term solution.

• Methods: This can range from traditional backyard compost bins for vegetative scraps to more advanced systems like in-vessel composters or vermicomposting (worm bins). Some businesses also use sealed digesters like Green Cones ⁵.
• Important Note: On-site composting of meat, bones, and dairy is more complex and can attract pests if not managed in a fully enclosed, certified system. Most restaurants that compost on-site stick to fruit and vegetable scraps and use a hauler for the remaining organics.

4. Food Donation & Animal Feed

Before something becomes "scrap," consider if it can be used. Donating unserved, edible food to food shelves or farms for animal feed are excellent diversion methods that align with the state's preferred waste hierarchy ^{4 2}. Organizations like the Vermont Foodbank can provide guidance on safe donation practices.

Costs, Savings, and Enforcement

A primary concern for any business is the financial impact. Vermont's approach is designed to integrate food scrap management into regular waste operations.

• Understanding Costs: You will pay for the collection and processing of food scraps, similar to how you pay for trash disposal. Costs vary by hauler, frequency of pickup, and volume. Many haulers offer pricing that can be offset by reducing the size or frequency of your trash dumpster, as diverting organics significantly reduces trash volume and weight ^{6 4}.
• Potential for Savings: It is common for businesses to find the new system is cost-neutral. By downsizing trash service due to the removal of heavy, wet food waste, the cost of the new food scrap service can be balanced out. Some restaurants even see a net decrease in their total waste bill.
• Enforcement Philosophy: The state's Agency of Natural Resources and local solid waste districts emphasize education and outreach to achieve compliance. The goal is to help businesses succeed. However, the law does include enforcement provisions, particularly for larger generators who are not making a good-faith effort to comply, which can include warnings and penalties ^{3 4}. Proactive compliance is the best strategy.

Getting Started: A Step-by-Step Guide

Implementing a successful food scrap diversion program requires planning and staff engagement.

1. Audit and Reduce: Start by looking at what you throw away. Can you adjust purchasing, storage, or portion sizes to create less waste from the start? Source reduction is the most effective step ^{6 2}.
2. Separate at the Source: Place clearly labeled collection bins in key areas: the prep kitchen, dishwashing station, and potentially wait stations. Use bins with tight-fitting lids. Educate every staff member on what goes in the food scrap bin versus the trash or recycling.
3. Choose Your Partner: Research local haulers or drop-off facilities. Get quotes and service details. Ask potential haulers about the types of bins they provide, pickup schedules, and where they take the material for processing.
4. Train and Communicate: Hold a staff meeting to explain the why and the how. Use simple signage. Designate a sustainability champion on staff to monitor the system and answer questions.
5. Monitor and Adjust: Check your bins for contamination (like plastic wrap or utensils) in the first few weeks. Refine your system based on what you observe. A clean stream of food scraps is valuable to processors.

The Bigger Picture: Benefits Beyond Compliance

While compliance is mandatory, the benefits extend far beyond avoiding penalties. Diverting food scraps:

• Fights Climate Change: Food in landfills decomposes anaerobically, producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Composting and anaerobic digestion capture this energy or create a useful soil amendment.
• Builds Local Economy: The collected scraps are processed at in-state composting facilities and anaerobic digesters, supporting local jobs and creating Vermont-made compost and renewable energy.
• Demonstrates Values: Customers increasingly support businesses with strong environmental practices. Promoting your food waste diversion program can enhance your restaurant's reputation.

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