News Release — Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District
Sept. 7, 2018
Contact:
Cassandra Hemenway
802-229-9383 x102
cvswmd.org
cassandrah@cvswmd.org
Composting & Recycling at the Tunbridge World’s Fair
Tunbridge (September 7, 2018) – One of Vermont’s favorite agricultural fairs is stepping up its waste reduction game yet again this year. With grant funding from the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District (CVSWMD), visitors will see 20 new recycling bins and 10 cigarette butlers. And, for the first time ever, fairgoers will be able to keep food scraps out of the landfill thanks to CVSWMD’s new waste sorting stations, that will offer a compost option.
Thanks to a grant funding from the USDA, CVSWMD is training 45 Waste Warriors who will monitor the stations, answer questions, and help fairgoers sort compost and recycling from their food waste. Plan to bring a reusable water bottle so you can hydrate using the fair’s water refill stations located throughout the fairgrounds; fair organizers are offering water bottle refilling this year as well.
The Tunbridge World’s Fair, which runs September 13 – 16, celebrates its 148th year by continuing to honor its agricultural roots, recycling food scraps generated on site into animal food and compost to enrich Vermont soils. The grant-funded recycling bins will make its existing recycling options more efficient with clearly labeled blue bins, easy for fairgoers to identify. Both projects come out of a partnership with the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District, which will have staff and volunteers on site be on site during the fair to assist vendors and fair goers with waste sorting, monitor recycling bins, and answer any questions fairgoers may have about composting, recycling, or other waste reducing ideas.
Last year CVSWMD helped to secure a grant for the fair from Dr Pepper Snapple Group & Keep America Beautiful that provided 20 extra recycling bins. This year, the CVSWMD Organizational Waste Reduction & Reuse Grant is funding an additional 20 bins, plus several cigarette butlers, to keep fairgrounds clean. Cigarette waste collected in the butlers will be recycled via the CVSWMD Additional Recyclables Collection Center. Last, the fair organizers and CVSWMD helped divert 6.7 tons of food scraps from Vermont’s landfill by working with Grow Compost. In 2018, Grow will be hauling food scraps for the fair again, but with some changes. Not only will vendors be composting, but fairgoers will also have that option. With additional food scrap collection options this year, as well as waste oil collection by Black Bear Bio Diesel, organizers expect to significantly increase the amount of materials kept out of the landfill this year.
Be on the lookout for the new recycling receptacles, cigarette butlers, and waste stations scattered throughout the fair this year and don’t hesitate to ask a Waste Warrior any waste related questions.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Central Vermont Solid Waste Management Department to equip Tunbridge World’s Fair with recycling services.
