This commentary is by Beth Parent, community engagement and outreach manager at Chittenden Solid Waste District.
With America Recycles Day just around the corner on Nov. 15, we at the Chittenden Solid Waste District want to celebrate you for your commitment to the three R’s — reducing, reusing and recycling. By giving materials a second chance at life instead of sending them to the landfill, you’re helping to build a more sustainable future.
According to our own waste diversion report, Chittenden County residents and businesses are making impressive strides in diverting waste from Vermont’s only landfill: 51% of all waste generated in our county was reused or recycled and kept out of the landfill last year. It might not sound like much, but with only 80% of the total waste stream actually able to be diverted, reaching a 51% diversion rate is a significant achievement. This places us among the top waste-diverting regions in the country, alongside cities like Seattle and San Francisco.
A good portion of what was diverted and recycled was blue-bin recyclables processed at CSWD’s materials recycling facility in Williston. Last year over 40,000 tons of recyclables from residents, businesses and institutions across northern Vermont were sorted, baled and marketed from this facility. Aluminum, paper, plastic, cardboard and tin were sold to processors across the U.S. and Canada, where they are processed into feedstock for manufacturers to purchase and make into new materials.
For example, those yogurt or sour cream containers we all toss in our blue bins are made of polypropylene, a highly valued commodity in the recycling world. After being collected and separated here in Vermont, these containers are sent to a facility in Alabama, where they’re transformed into polypropylene pellets that are purchased and used to create new products. Some are even used on-site to make plastic paint cans used by paint manufacturers all over the United States and other parts of the globe.
This is just one example of how we are all helping to close the recycling loop and reduce the need for virgin resources.
Keeping it simple — and in the right place
It’s tempting to “wishcycle” — to toss non-recyclable items in the bin, hoping they’ll get sorted out. But sticking to the basics — paper, cardboard, rigid plastic tubs and bottles, glass jars and aluminum cans — is the best way to keep our blue bin system efficient and effective.
For anything that doesn’t belong in the blue bin, CSWD provides safe and responsible disposal and special materials recycling options through a range of facilities: six convenient drop-off centers throughout the county, the organics recycling facility in Williston for food and yard waste, and the environmental depot in South Burlington which accepts household hazardous waste. These facilities ensure that materials of all kinds are managed in ways that protect our environment and keep harmful items out of landfills.
Why individual and collective effort matters
America Recycles Day is a reminder about the importance of recycling that saves precious natural resources and energy. It’s about you, your neighbors and your family making thoughtful choices about waste. Whether it’s rinsing that yogurt container before tossing it in the blue bin or making mindful choices about the products we purchase, each decision you make contributes to a healthier environment and a sustainable future. Simple actions, like opting for products with minimal packaging or choosing reusable over single-use items, amplify our collective impact.
America Recycles Day is about celebrating what we’re already doing right and encouraging each other to keep learning and improving. While recycling may seem small on an individual level, the power of these actions drives meaningful change. Every recyclable material kept out of the landfill represents a shared commitment to a greener, healthier Vermont.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Beth Parent: Small actions with big impact this America Recycles Day .