Depackaging and Organic Recycling in Vermont
Depackagers have significantly altered the organic waste management landscape in Vermont since their arrival several years ago.
Tom Gilbert's Black Dirt Farm, at its peak, had 2,000 chickens, a greenhouse, and a compost operation producing 850 cubic yards of finished material per year. His hauling operation collected food scraps from up to 100 locations in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom region.
Regulators now wonder if they can claw back a clean stream.
Gilbert felt Vermont was close to achieving circularity in organic waste management, as envisioned by policymakers when they passed the Universal Recycling Law in 2012. However, the arrival of depackagers in 2018 threatened to disrupt his agricultural business.
Author's summary: Depackaging changes Vermont's organic recycling market.