Municipal composting programs are continuously evolving to address challenges and expand capacity. This VORS 2025 session will feature updates from two solid waste management districts tackling key issues in organics recycling.

Chittenden Solid Waste District’s Organics Recycling Facility will share strategies for controlling contamination in municipal composting, including policy development, equipment solutions, and communication tactics to improve hauler compliance and overall program success.

Windham Solid Waste Management District will provide an inside look at the planning, funding, and construction of their new compost aeration system, designed to increase processing capacity and efficiency. Join this session to learn from real-world experiences, gain insights into innovative solutions, and explore the future of municipal composting operations.

Facilitator: Alyssa Eiklor, ANR/DEC

Panelists and Video time stamps:

• 0:00-38:00 Kim Stacey and Allison Smith, Chittenden Solid Waste District-Organics Recycling Facility

Strategies for Contamination Control in Modern Municipal Composting

Join Chittenden Solid Waste District’s Organic Recycling Facility home of Green Mountain Compost in covering one of the most persistent challenges in composting: contamination. Topics to be covered include: the process of building, implementing, troubleshooting a new contamination policy; innovative equipment solutions for efficiency; communication strategies to improve relationships and compliance with haulers and a refreshed dedication to curbing an industry wide problem grounded in collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement. GMC’s efforts have yielded early results, but challenges remain. This session will share practical strategies and lessons learned in a large-scale municipal facility. 

• 38:00-1:30:39 Brian Jerose, Agrilab Technologies Inc. and Robert Spencer, Windham Solid Waste Management District

Installation of a compost aeration system at Windham Solid Waste Management District

WSWMD serves 17 member municipalities in southeastern Vermont, and operates a recycling center, transfer station and composting facility in Brattleboro.  Growth of the food scraps and other residuals collected and composted at the site required the district to obtain a new state permit for more capacity, and invest in facility infrastructure.  With funding from the district board, the state of Vermont and the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities program, site work began in October 2024 and is nearing completion as of this submission.  The presentation will document the phases of design and development, construction, implementation and pending start-up of the compost aeration facility.