The switch is poised to slash landfill waste in half.
Food waste is a persistent ecological problem in the modern era. Compostable food waste that gets thrown in the trash just ends up in public landfills, and as it decomposes, it produces large quantities of methane. This methane, in turn, intensifies the heat of the sun’s rays in the local atmosphere, which can lead to global climate change damage. Vermont in particular has had a nasty problem with food waste, with at least 20% of household waste consisting of food scraps. To combat this, Vermont has decided to lay down the law.
New legislation from Vermont officials places a formal ban on food waste, at least in broad strokes. Contrary to what that intimidating description may imply, though, Vermont police will not be patrolling people’s dumpsters for illegal apple cores. Rather, the law encourages Vermont citizens to contribute any compostable food waste, including egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit skins, and expired bread to local processing plants instead of just dumping them, where they can be recycled or composted. Vermont has a very large farming industry, so if they could get quality compost from around the state, it could contribute to healthier crop growths while reducing landfill sizes in the bargain.
Vermont legislators are hoping that the new law will cut landfill sizes by up to 50%, a goal they’ve been trying to reach for years, as well as breathe some extra life into private and public composting infrastructure and pick-up businesses. Of course, making this work will require diligence and cooperation from the citizens, as improper sorting of garbage could needlessly prolong and damage the process. Legislators are confident, however, that the love Vermont citizens have for their state’s natural landscape will encourage them to do their fair share.