BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A new study breaks down just how many Vermonters actually compost. The state says trashed food scrap tons have decreased by 13% since 2018. The state says it’s a sign Vermonters are headed in the right direction, but there’s still a long way to go.
Banana peels, eggshells, rotten vegetables– it’s all going into Grace Hurwitz’s compost.
“We just turn it every so often and use it in our garden every spring,” said Hurwitz of Shelburne.
Hurwitz and her partner moved to Vermont in 2020, right when composting was mandated across Vermont.
“We took it as the opportunity to start our own compost and we were fortunate enough to have a place with a backyard and a garden,” said Hurwitz.
Vermont law banned the disposal of food scraps in trash or landfills in 2020. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and open up space in the state’s only landfill.
“We have a really robust system of composting in the state from home compost to pick up services and over 100 drop off locations where people can bring their food waste,” said Josh Kelly of the Vt. Agency of Natural Resources.
A recent study set out to understand how well the ban is working. The Department of Environmental Conservation sorted through trash samples in 2023. Their findings show that an estimated 53.7% of food scraps were saved from the trash.
“That seems like it’s demonstrating that people are really taking it to heart and taking action,” said Kelly.
Still, that leaves some 46.3% of compost in the landfill.
Compost advocates say that divide comes from a lack of understanding, a lack of time or a lack of funds to cover compost pickup.
Kelly says closing that gap starts with teaching Vermonters about the benefits of composting from a young age.
“We’re trying to form recycling habits and composting habits early on. And then I generally see that people keep it, keep it up and they take it with them. They take it with them out of state,” he said.
For new composters, a simple Google search can break down the practice.
“We just watched a few YouTube videos and learned what you had to utilize to create your own compost,” Hurwitz said.
While time and money remain a factor holding some people back, Kelly says there are lots of convenient drop-off and pickup options. Plus, composting can save money in the long run.
“I encourage people to take the time to try and separate just to see what they produce. And really that will help you save money, which is the ultimate goal is to not create the waste in the first place,” said Kelly.
The state estimates around 70,000 tons of food is trashed every year. Kelly encourages you to think about that number the next time you go to toss your food scraps.
“That’s like 4 million gallons of gas that you’re burning. If we were to compost that material, it’s like taking 8,000 cars off the road. So the little steps of separating your coffee grounds in the morning have a huge difference over time to Vermont and climate,” he said.
For those looking to get into composting, the state suggests starting at their website, Let’s Scrap Food Waste.