Index
Public Health & SafetyVermont, USA

Vermont Universal Recycling Law (Act 148)

Summary

Vermont has the strictest waste-management law in the country, completely banning residents and businesses from throwing recyclable materials and food scraps (compost) into the regular trash.

Rights & Rules

  • 01.
    It is ILLEGAL to throw food scraps, peelings, coffee grounds, or yard debris into your regular garbage can.
  • 02.
    You must either compost food waste in your backyard, feed it to animals, or pay a waste hauler to pick it up in a dedicated compost bin.
  • 03.
    It is also illegal to throw away clean paper, cardboard, glass, hard plastics, and aluminum cans.
  • 04.
    Trash haulers are legally required to offer recycling collection to all residential customers at no extra upfront charge (the cost is baked into the standard trash fee).

Penalties

  • 01.
    While the state rarely fines individual homeowners, waste management companies can refuse to pick up your trash if it is heavily contaminated with food scraps, and the state can fine the trash companies.

Verified Citations

Vermont Statutes Title 10, Chapter 159 (Act 148)

Source
"A person shall not intentionally dispose of the following solid waste in a landfill: (1) Mandated recyclables. (2) Leaf and yard residuals... (3) Food residual..."