Spring brings composting, Green Up, household hazardous waste recycling and more
April 21, 2023 | By John Malter
Mad River Resource Management Alliance administrator John Malter hosts two composting workshops this spring. The first is Saturday at the Waterbury Public Library. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
This Saturday’s Spring Composting Workshop in Waterbury kicks off a series of spring activities for people in the towns of the Mad River Resource Management Alliance – Fayston, Moretown, Waitsfield, Warren and Waterbury – to participate in.
The workshop is scheduled for Saturday, April 22, in the Steele Community Room in the Waterbury Municipal Building from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
A second Spring Composting Workshop will be held on Saturday, June 3, in the Waitsfield Municipal Building.
The sessions cover how to compost, where to compost, why we compost, how to deal with bears when composting and how much fun it is to compost.
Workshop participants will be able to purchase a Soil Saver Compost Bin for a reduced price of $45. Sign up for the workshops in advance by emailing to malterport@aol.com or call 802-244-7373.
Special recycling on Green Up Day
Green Up Day is Saturday, May 6. File photo by Lisa Scagliotti
Green Up Day is Saturday, May 6, and the Mad River Resource Management Alliance has several special recycling opportunities to share for appliances, tires and metal.
In Waterbury on Green Up Day, Rodney’s Rubbish Transfer Station located on River Road between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. will accept metal appliances at no charge unless they contain freon – those will have a $10 fee. Rodney’s will accept all car and pickup truck tires with or without rims for $5 each. Tires found doing Green Up collection will be accepted at no charge. Scrap metal can be dropped off at Rodney’s as well as Green Up trash.
Green Up Day collections accept worn-out, used tires to recycle for a $5 fee. File photo by Shawnee Perry
The Waterbury Public Works Garage on Guptil Road in Waterbury Center is the main Green Up drop off for filled Green Up bags, tires, scrap metal and returnable bottles and cans, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. More details on Waterbury Green Up are online.
Between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. the Earthwise Transfer Station in Waitsfield will take appliances such as dishwashers and washers and dryers at no charge. If you bring a refrigerator or freezer, there will be a $40 per unit charge; commercial coolers are $150. The charges cover processing the freon in those units. There is also a fee for processing air conditioners.
Also on Green Up Day, Earthwise will accept tires for recycling. Tires found doing Green Up collection efforts will be accepted at no charge. In addition, individuals can bring their used car and pickup truck tires with or without rims for recycling at a charge of $5 per tire.
Green Up Coordinators in the Mad River Resource Management Alliance are:
Fayston: Patty Pasley at 802-825-1893
Moretown: Mike Dimotsis at 802-496-2812
Waitsfield: Bri Skoldberg at 802-829-0878
Warren: East Warren Store at 802-496-6758
Waterbury: Lisa Scagliotti at 802-373-5878
These folks or your Town Clerk’s Office can help you with getting Green Up bags and the coordinators would know if there are any special projects or places to do some greening up.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection is May 13
The Household Hazardous Waste Collection accepts oil and latex paints. File photo by Lisa Scagliotti
On May 13, the Mad River Resource Management Alliance holds its Spring Household Hazardous Waste Collection at Harwood Union High School on Route 100 in Duxbury from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Residents of the alliance communities may bring all of their pesticides, architectural oil and latex paint and primary batteries to this event at no charge and they can also bring an additional 10 gallons of liquid or 10 pounds of solids at no additional charge. After that, there is a $5 per unit fee.
If you are not a resident in the alliance communities, there is a $20 registration fee and no free disposal of the additional units of waste.
Small businesses must preregister by May 10 indicating what they plan to bring to this event and so organizers can determine what the cost will be for this waste disposal. Business waste will only be accepted between 8 and 8:30 a.m. Preregister with an email to malterport@aol.com.
The event will also handle recycling of mercury thermostats and thermometers. Participating community members may bring mercury thermostats to exchange for a card for a $5 rebate per thermostat. The thermostat must include its cover. Bring your mercury fever thermometer and we’ll give you a digital replacement thermometer. One per household.
This recycling event will not accept any compressed gasses, fire extinguishers, ammunition, explosives, medical waste or radioactive waste.
We can’t take compact fluorescent lamps or fluorescent tubes. Those may be recycled at Bisbee’s or Kenyons in Waitsfield or Aubuchon or Waterbury True Value Hardware in Waterbury.
If you have any questions contact John Malter at 802-244-7373.
John Malter is the administrator of the Mad River Resource Management Alliance.