Vermont needs more local composting options! Our state is a trailblazer in keeping food out of the landfill. Even better, we are fundamentally shifting the way we collectively view food scraps. Beginning July 1, 2020, all Vermonters must keep food scraps out of their trash.

In this VORS 2020 webinar, our panelists share how they are helping residents capture food scraps in ways that are both helpful and convenient for the resident, while boosting economic development in their communities.

Presenters:

• Debra Darby, Organics Recycling Consultant

• Jen Murphy, Willow Tree Community Compost

• Declan Stefanski, ReGreenVT

Facilitator: Emma Stuhl, VT ANR, Solid Waste Program

Video time stamps:

• Introduction to session by Emma Stuhl: 1:25 (slide deck)

• Deb Darby: 8:55 (slide deck)

• Jen Murphy: 33:27 (slide deck)

• Declan and Greg Stefanski: 51:28 (slide deck)

• Q&A 1:19:21

This virtual tour of Black Dirt Farm, a diversified family farm in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, was part of VORS 2021.

Black Dirt Farm collects food scraps from a wide variety of businesses and institutions in their community/ region, and uses that material as a component of the compost forage it produces for its 1,000 bird flock of laying hens. What isn't consumed by the birds is then used to make compost and worm castings. The farm also grows a small number of crops.

Their farm is firmly based in regenerative agricultural practices and the creation of sustainable food systems. Black Dirt Farm is committed to a community-scale, systems-based approach to organics management. Tom has played a wide variety of roles in the agricultural and composting sectors for 25 years.

Video time stamps:

• The tour starts at 3:43

• Q&A with Tom Gilbert starts at 16:07

The VORS 2021 Haulers’ Roundtable provides a place for organics haulers to get together to trade notes on topics including (but not limited to) equipment or customer relations, and ways to address issues such as contamination. Three organics haulers will share their stories, followed by lots of time for discussion and Q&A.

Presenters and Video time stamps:

• Zach Cavacas plus Q&A, starts at 3:12

• Hen Joyner plus Q&A, starts at 21:09

• Sid Hammer plus Q&A, starts at 34:38

• General Q&A and Discussion, starts at 57:51

Achieving clean organics streams is challenging, especially when a ban pushes us to engage whole communities in separation. Getting individuals, businesses, and institutions to do a good job separating organics from non-compostable materials can be daunting.

Often the collective narrative reflects the idea that effective source separation is impossible because people 'just won't learn' or 'just don't care.' And yet, there are great examples of successful, community-wide, long-term programs that achieve exceptionally high rates of separation.

The key: recognize source separation as a change in behavior and support it as such. When source separation of organics is framed as simply following guidelines, without helping people understand the “why” behind it, we fail to acknowledge human psychology, how decision-making works in the brain, and the various cultural myths we need to resolve in order to successfully engage participants. However, haulers and composters who prioritize the human side of outreach and education, and build these into their programs as iterative processes, have achieved success!

In this VORS 2022 session we heard experiences from two panelists, who believe in and are committed to clean streams of organics for producing quality compost, protecting soil and ecological health, and stopping climate change.

Panelists and Video time stamps:

• 00:00 Introduction by Natasha Duarte

• 03:37 Dan Israel, Compost Crew (download a pdf of Dan’s slides)

• 28:25 Tom Gilbert, Black Dirt Farm (download a pdf of Tom’s slides)

• 01:04:31 Q&A and discussion

We all know Vermont’s food waste recycling goals rely on haulers to transport materials from generators to destination facilities. Often overshadowed is the critical role haulers play in assuring the cleanliness and purity of organics entering the recycling system.

This VPRS 2023 session covered the important part haulers play in screening source-separated food residuals, identified policies, tools, and resources for haulers to utilize with customers, and empowered haulers to play an engaged role.

Q&A was encouraged and welcome. There was also time during this session for haulers to share their challenges and solutions for hauling food scraps and to learn from each other.

Presenters: Josh Kelly and Ben Gauthier, ANR/DEC

Video time stamps: 

• 00:00 Welcome to VORS 2023 from Natasha Duarte

• 2:45 Josh Kelly, ANR/DEC

• 3:30 Ben Gauthier, ANR/DEC

• 9:42 Josh Kelly, ANR/DEC

• 13:32 Shared resources

• 21:17 Q&A and discussion

• 36:30 More shared resources

• 39:39 Continued Q&A and discussion

• 46:30 Materials Management Map

• 49:04 Continued Q&A and discussion

Download all of the below resources (pdf)

Resources shared regarding Hauling

• How to Collect Food Scraps

• Small Scale Food Scrap Hauling Budget Template

• Managing Food Scrap Carts in Bear Country

• Defining Food Residuals Banned From Disposal in the Trash

• Universal Recycling Symbols, Bin Signage and other open source graphic files

• Materials Management Map (Interactive map with locations and details for Donation, Generators, Composters/ADs, Transfer Stations)

• VT Food Scrap Hauler list (slightly outdated, we’ll update soon!)

Resources that haulers can hand out to customers:

• Benefits of redirecting food scraps from landfills

• Frequently Asked Questions handouts for residents, businesses & institutions, landlords, condo associations, and resorts, hotels, and other lodging establishments

• Keep Compost Clean campaign and video

This VORS 2024 Haulers’ Roundtable focuses on sharing tips and tricks for working with customers to ensure effective SSO (source separation of organics). Whether you’re new or established, small or large, clearly identifying expectations, establishing effective channels for communication, and outlining parameters and consequences for contaminated loads are essential to success. In addition to learning from each other, specific requests for support from ANR DEC were also identified.

Facilitator: Tom Gilbert, Black Dirt Farm

Notetaker: Caroline Gordon, Rural Vermont

Video time stamps:

• 00:00-02:40 Introduction by Natasha Duarte, CAV Director

• 02:40-31:04 Presentation by Tom Gilbert, Black Dirt Farm

• 31:04-57:40 Part 1 discussion: What can haulers do to achieve SSO?

• 57:40-01:30:40 Part 2 discussion: Mission SSO - How do we build a culture of conservation?

• 01:30:40-01:34:10 Summary of key takeaways by Caroline Gordon, Rural Vermont