The Rutland County Solid Waste District is a union municipal district formed in 1979 for the purpose of providing solid waste disposal services for its member municipalities and their residents through the collection, removal, transportation, disposal, recovery and recycling of solid wastes generated within the district. The 17 member communities are Brandon, Castleton, Clarendon, Danby, Hubbardton, Ira, Killington, Mendon, Mount Tabor, Mt. Holly, Pittsford, Poultney, Proctor, Rutland City, Wallingford, Wells & West Rutland. According to the 2000 census, the combined population served by the district is 47,792.

The Rutland County Solid Waste District offers a variety of solid waste, recycling, waste education, household hazardous waste, composting and administrative support programs for our seventeen member municipalities. Some services are also available to non-District communities on a fee for service basis. In addition, the District operates a regional drop-off center and transfer station at Gleason Road in Rutland City. District program, facility and rate information is now available on our web site, www.rcswd.com.Waste Disposal: During 2012, residents and businesses in our member municipalities disposed of approximately 34,000 tons of municipal solid waste; nearly all of this was through the District's master disposal contract with Casella Waste Management. The cost of disposal, handling and transportation from the District Transfer Station at Gleason Road to the landfill was $78.32 per ton. State taxes, district surcharge and the Rutland City Host Community Fee totaled $23.97, for a final disposal cost of $102.29 per ton. Tonnage was down this year largely in part due to the downturn in the economy.Recycling: The District owns a Material Recovery Facility (MRF), or recycling center, off West Street in Rutland City that is leased by Casella Waste Management for their operations. The MRF accepts seventeen recyclable commodities from transfer stations, commercial haulers and large generators for processing and sale for re-use. The facility currently receives approximately 27,000 tons of recyclables a year. The tonnage rate for recycling materials was also down for the year due to the economy. Casella Waste Management has been making upgrade improvements to the facility with the anticipation of converting the collection and processing to a single-stream system in the near future. In November of 2011 Casella had completed with the installation of new equipment for the conversion of the facility to accept and process zero-sort recycling. The equipment is designed to handle up to 15 tons an hour with the capability of expansion overtime. As part of this process, the facility can now take plastics #3 through #7.Household Hazardous Waste: Rutland County Solid Waste District operates an extensive Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) program for district residents. The program operates year-round from the Gleason Road facility, and scheduled collections at twenty town transfer stations through the spring, summer and fall. The HHW program collects and safely disposes of dozens of hazardous, flammable and toxic materials, anti-freeze, pesticides, used motor oil, asbestos, fluorescent tubes, computers and electronics. The District also collects electronic waste. Since the law became effective for dropping off computers, TV's and printers for free (and all other e-waste for a charge the District has been inundated with e-waste. In 2012 the District collected over 537,000 lbs. of e-waste. This is over 103,000 lbs. from the previous year. Since 2003 we have collected almost 2 million pounds of e-waste of which ¼ was collected last year alone. For 2012 the District collected over 58,536 linear feet of florescent bulbs; 1026 compact fluorescent bulbs, 1526 compact fluorescent bulbs with ballast, 2350 U-tubes, Circline Fluorescents. The District served over 865 households and 86 businesses at the Gleason Road Depot and on its rural collection runs for 2012. The District collected 16,460 lbs. of flammables and solvents, 4,676 lbs. of glycols (antifreeze), 1,950 lbs. of oxidizer labpacks, 1,600 lbs. of oil based paints, 3,366 lbs. of non-process resins, 1,377 lbs. of pesticides, and10,796 lbs. of waste oil.Food Waste: The District in cooperation with the Rutland Natural Resources Conservation District have helped to oversee the collection of food waste from Hannaford's to a local farmer in Danby for composting and ultimate reuse as fertilizer on the farm. Over 68 tons of food waste from this one store was diverted from going to the landfill for 2012. Unfortunately, the farmer we were working with had decided to discontinue participation in October of 2012. We will certainly look for other options as the new requirements of ACT 148 take place.Other Programs: The District also offered other waste management, education and reduction programs, including construction and demolition waste, clean wood and composting. The District is continuing with its "Merry Mulch" program in collecting and processing over 1,200 Christmas trees annually. The District also has been working with and providing recycling materials or information to various local organizations including the Rutland Master Gardener's Club, the Rutland Dismas House, Rutland Neighborhood Program, Vermont Southwestern Council on Aging, Rutland Hospital and Women's Network & Shelter and the Rutland County Humane Society.In 2012 the District participated in several local programs including Green Up Day, the Rutland Regional Chamber of Commerce Business Show, Solar Fest and the third annual Trash to Art Program with Sustainable Rutland.An additional highlight of 2012 is the District's participation in the Vermont Product Stewardship Council (VTPSC). The Council was formed in 2009 with the mission to shift Vermont's product waste management system from one focused on government funded and ratepayer financed waste diversion to one that relies on producer responsibility in order to reduce public costs and drive improvements in product design that promote environmental sustainability. Founding members include the majority of the other Solid Waste District's and Alliances in the state. Legislation for 2013 will most likely focus on paint waste management.