What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm Thursday 8am - 4:30pm Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Vermont Recycling & Composting Initiative

Home
United States
Montpelier, VT
Vermont Recycling & Composting Initiative

Call Directions Website

We work with residents, businesses, institutions, and municipalities to reduce waste and to keep recyclables and food scraps out of the trash.

Do you have a question about composting, recycling, or reducing waste in Vermont? Want to know more about Vermont's waste reduction goals and how it's shaping the future of Vermont? Maybe you have an idea for how to increase composting or recycling participation in your community. Share your questions and ideas here! We welcome dialogue among Vermonters about how to prevent waste, and manage it wisely for our health and landscape. Vermont's Recycling & Composting Initiative is hosted by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), part of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. All posted content must comply with DEC’s policy for posting and will be removed if it does not meet the requirements below. The Department reserves the right to remove any post that does not comply with this policy. In addition, the Department also reserves the right to ban individuals who violate any of the guidelines listed below or Facebook’s terms of service. (Read the whole Community Policy in our notes section).

10/30/2026

Battery fires can happen with improper disposal. This was a battery fire at CSWD on October 20th. Don't let this be your waste collection facility, too.
https://www.mynbc5.com/article/dumpster-fire-williston-cswd/74206576

Batteries do not belong in the trash or recycling. Instead, bring them to a collection point near you (most transfer stations and hardware stores).
Battery fires due to improper disposal are a growing problem for recycling facilities, waste haulers, and transfer stations. They can get crushed during collection and processing and spark fires that put workers, equipment, and facilities at risk.

Here are some battery fire prevention tips:
🔋 Never put batteries in the trash or curbside recycling.
♻️ Bring rechargeable batteries and devices to a designated battery collection location. These can be found at The Battery Network's locator.
🔌 Tape the terminals of lithium-ion and other rechargeable batteries, or bag them individually, before drop-off.
🚫 Never put damaged, swollen, or recalled batteries in regular collection bins.

10/29/2026

Tires are banned from the trash in Vermont and it is illegal to stockpile tires.

Need to get rid of tires?
--Bring old tires to a Wheels for Warmth collection event (happening this weekend! Donate tires Thursday or Friday: https://support.capstonevt.org/campaign/wheels-for-warmth/c356135).
--If the tires are still usable, try selling or giving them away.
--When you buy new tires, ask your retailer to dispose of your old tires. All tire retailers will take scrap tires for a fee of typically $3-5/tire.
--Contact your local Waste District or Town at www.802recycles.com to find a transfer station or recycling center near you that accepts tires for a fee.

10/27/2026

Which is scarier, moldy muffins or moldy cheese?

For hard foods like cheddar cheese, it's ok to cut the mold off and eat the rest.

Unfortunately for soft foods like muffins and other baked goods, if you spot mold, you should put the whole thing in the food scrap bin. Prevent moldy muffins by storing extra baked goods in the freezer (especially when it's humid out!).

Learn more about moldy food safety from the USDA (including tips for preventing mold and knowing which moldy foods to use or toss): https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/molds-food-are-they-dangerous

10/26/2026

See something that doesn’t look right—like a business using foam to-go containers or plastic bags at checkout?

You can help protect Vermont’s environment by reporting possible solid waste violations to the DEC Solid Waste Program.

Submit a report here: https://dec.vermont.gov/enforcement/reporting-environmental-violation

Small actions help keep our communities clean and sustainable. 🌎♻️

10/24/2026

Don't let the unused or expired medications in your house haunt you any longer! Keep your family, pets, and environment safe by properly disposing of your medications. It's free, easy, and anonmyous.

Order a free mail‑back envelope or find a disposal kiosk near you at HealthVermont.gov/TakeBackDay!

10/23/2026

🍁This fall season, leave the leaves, rake them in a pile, compost them, or bring them to your local transfer station… Whatever you choose to do, DO NOT BURN THEM!

We have some lovely weather on the horizon and some folks may want to clean up the fallen leaves on their lawn. The Vermont Solid Waste Program recommends that residents remove leaves and dispose of them by bringing them to their local transfer station. Leaves and yard waste should never be disposed in the trash.

Another option for backyard composters is to rake leaves and store them to use as an ingredient in your compost recipe. To keep leaves dry, place them under a tarp or in a metal trash can until you need them.

🔥🚫But ultimately, the most important thing is to not burn them! Once foliage falls to the ground it becomes a quick-burning fuel and increases chance of forest fires.

Not sure where your local options are for leaf and yard waste disposal?
➡Contact your local recycling experts by visiting 802recycles.com.

10/21/2026

💥As we power more of our lives with batteries, it is becoming more and more important that we properly dispose of them.

This fire at CSWD was possibly caused by a battery disposed with household appliances. Some batteries, when punctured, undergo a thermal runaway event and can release sparks which catch other materials around it on fire.

We are grateful that no one was harmed and the fire remained contained due to the rapid response of CSWD staff and the Williston Fire Department.

Vermonters can easily find their nearest battery recycling location through The Battery Network locator map: https://batterynetwork.org/state-recycling-laws/vermont/

10/19/2026

It's roasted pumpkin and pumpkin seed season!

Here's a round up of 28 sweet and savory recipes that use canned pumpkin, but making your own roasted pumpkin purée is so easy, tastes even better, and doesn't have a can to recycle.
https://therealfooddietitians.com/pumpkin-recipes/

And here's 30 ways to use roasted pumpkin seeds.
https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g3734/what-to-do-with-pumpkin-seeds/

If you carve your pumpkins right before Halloween, you can even light your jack-o-lantern and eat it too.

10/19/2026

Wheels For Warmth is right around the corner! Donate your quality used tires or pay a small fee to dispose of your unusable tires to help keep fellow Vermonters warm this winter.

And, of course, check out the Barre and Pittsford locations on October 31 for quality used tires at reasonable prices!

Address

Waste Management & Prevention Division1 National Life Drive, Davis 1
Montpelier, VT
05620

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8am - 4:30pm
Friday	8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

(802) 828-1138

Website

http://www.VTrecycles.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Vermont Recycling & Composting Initiative posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.