Vermont Statewide Rule
Vermont Universal Recycling Law (Act 148)
Key Facts
- Statute
- 10 V.S.A. § 6605k
- Recyclables banned
- From landfill
- Food scraps banned
- Since July 2020
- Hauler obligation
- Parallel collection
- Max penalty
- $25,000/violation
Summary
Vermont's Universal Recycling Law (Act 148, codified at 10 V.S.A. ยง 6605k) bans recyclables, leaf and yard debris, clean wood, and food scraps from landfill disposal statewide. Every household, business, and hauler must follow the disposal bans.
(9) Mandated recyclable materials after July 1, 2015. (10) Leaf and yard residuals and wood waste after July 1, 2016. (11) Food residuals after July 1, 2020. (12) Covered household hazardous products after July 1, 2026.
Full Breakdown
Act 148 phased in disposal bans culminating in the 2020 ban on food scraps. Today, blue-bin recyclables (paper, cardboard, glass, metal, rigid plastic), leaf and yard waste, clean wood, and food residuals may not be placed in trash bound for landfills anywhere in Vermont. Solid waste haulers must collect recyclables alongside trash and offer food-scrap collection at residential properties on regular routes. Transfer stations must accept these materials. The Agency of Natural Resources enforces against haulers and generators.
Violations & Penalties
Disposing banned materials in landfill trash: civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation under 10 V.S.A. § 8221 enforced by ANR.
Frequently Asked Questions
What materials must I recycle under Act 148?
Do I need to compost at home?
Does this apply in every town?
Sources
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