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Explore our latest coverage of environmental issues, climate change and more.

How Vermont's Recycling System Is Adapting To A Changing Market

An image of bales of processed paper recycleables and an image of food being added to a compost pile.
Bas Emmen
/
Unsplash
"Vermont Edition" looks at the economics of recycling, efforts to increase composting and other challenges to reducing waste in Vermont.

Vermonters recycle about a third of their waste and composting efforts last year collected more food scraps than ever before. But a review of the state's recycling efforts found an 11% spike in how much Vermonters threw away. Recycling costs have also increased dramatically as the U.S. can no longer send many recyclables to China. We're talking about the realities — and economics — of recycling and composting.

Joining Vermont Edition for the discussion is Josh Kelly, who oversees the implementation of Vermont's Universal Recycling law for the Department of Environmental Conservation

And CasellaVice President Joe Fusco talks about operating Vermont's two materials recovery facilities —one under the Chittenden Solid Waste District, and another with the Rutland Solid Waste District — and ways global markets are affecting local recycling initiatives.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Jane Lindholm is the host, executive producer and creator of But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids. In addition to her work on our international kids show, she produces special projects for Vermont Public. Until March 2021, she was host and editor of the award-winning Vermont Public program Vermont Edition.
Matt Smith worked for Vermont Public from 2017 to 2023 as managing editor and senior producer of Vermont Edition.
Olivia was our Vermont Edition intern summer 2019.
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