Organics Out of Landfillsin a Rural Region

GRRN National Recycling & Zero Waste ConferenceOctober 2009

Central Vermont Solid Waste

Management District

Helping Our Cities and Towns to Work Toward Zero Waste.

“The CVSWMD will make the diversion of organic matter from waste the single most important program activity undertaken in the next five years (2003 – 2008.)”

Quote from Working Towards a Zero Waste Region, the Central Vermont Solid Waste Implementation Plan, adopted April 7, 2003

Specific Commitments

Understand options for organics diversion

Emphasize sustainable programming and business endeavors

Pilot more organics programs than any other initiative

Adopt legislation, policies and practices that spur organics diversion

Program Goals

Offer all residents, restaurants, cafeterias and groceries within the District organics diversion

Create opportunity for 100% of K-12 schools in District to divert food scraps to composting (30 schools/9,600 students)

Establish sustainable routing (>20 mins. drive time) to facility

Assist start-up of multiple receiving facilities

Rural Challenges

Distance between generators and low quantities = high cost for collection

Dirt roads, geography, NE weather prevent collection in certain areas or times of year

On-site residential options can attract nuisance and dangerous wildlife

Quantities can overwhelm on-farm partners Generation rates may

vary by season – camps, ski areas, schools

Rural Solutions

Multiple facilities sized to handle a specific route

On-site solutions for small generators – in-vessel and Green Cone digesters

Equipment impervious to foraging animals

Offer payments to “hold capacity” during off-seasons

Residential Program

Residential curbside collection of organics was deemed costly, polluting and inconsistent with Zero Waste goals.

District opted to create the “Bin & Cone” program Compost bins where desired Green Cone food scrap digesters for all single

family, owner occupied residences

Bin & Cone Program

Composting can co-exist

Addition of Green Cone allows diversion of meat, bones, cheese/dairy and grease

Can implement at single family and multi-family owner-occupied residences, small schools and businesses

Green Cones pay for themselves in avoided disposal costs in less than a year for the average household in Vermont

Commercial & Institutional Programs

Divert kitchen scraps and post-consumer food “waste”

Available to restaurants, cafeterias, and schools in Central Vermont

Produces a contaminant-free resource

Cost of collection is dependent upon generator size, and range from $110 - $135 per ton; landfill costs range from $110– 150 per ton in Vermont

Making Collection Possible

When private haulers could not be enticed to develop collection routes, the CVSWMD invested in a small fleet to collect organics.

How It Works

Totes are used for food scrap collection (avg. weight 220 lbs.)

Scraped directly into totes or 5 gallon pails and carried to totes

Kitchen Staff Training

Logistics worked out with key contact at business

Kitchen staff training Manual, video training disc,

and contact info sheet provided

Laminated wall posters for “food scrap stations” as reminders for what is acceptable and not

Zero Tolerance Feedback Loops

Drivers inspect top 6-8” prior to collection

Small problems are reported to establishment within 24 hours

Excess and repeat contamination results in refused tote/load

Contaminant-free material reduces problems, increases value of material, and results in dramatic decrease in cost to construct a food-scrap to energy digester.

Green Marketing

First month for businesses or year for schools is FREE!

Marketing materials – table-talkers, news and radio ads, window decals

Diversion saves money over disposal

The Benefits to Businesses and Schools are clear

Accomplishments

2005 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence & Pollution Prevention

Over 3,000 tons of food scraps diverted to date

100% of all schools in District involved

New compost facility sited

Nearly 4% of households use Green Cones

Farm takes over rural route, sells compost

$492,000 DOE grant to research feasibility of food scrap to energy biodigester project

Donna Barlow Casey

Director@cvswmd.orgwww.cvswmd.org

Helping Our Cities and Towns to Work Toward Zero Waste.