CSWD closes public hearing on draft Solid Waste Implementation Plan after two hearings; staff reports few changes from public input

The Board of Commissioners of the Chittenden Solid Waste District closed a second public hearing on Oct. 22 to receive comment on the district’s draft five‑year Solid Waste Implementation Plan (SWIP). Board members moved and seconded to close the hearing and recorded a voice vote in favor; no opposition or abstentions were recorded.

The district staff said the SWIP was preapproved by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation on Aug. 12, 2025, and that the draft plan has been posted online with a public comment period. “We launched a webpage quickly thereafter that asked for public comments. And we've now held 2 public hearings to allow members of the public to comment,” a staff presenter told the board. Staff reported receiving about eight email comments to date and said none had triggered changes to the SWIP as approved by the DEC.

The draft plan outlines district priorities to meet Vermont’s Materials Management Plan and Act 148 requirements, including waste reduction, reuse and recycling promotion, expanded composting, safe hazardous waste disposal and public education. Staff said the plan will be finalized and presented to the board for action at its next meeting on Nov. 19, 2025, pending the close of the public comment window.

Board members discussed the substance of public comments summarized by staff. Commissioner Patsy asked whether the summary of comments was shared with the board and how suggestions would be handled, noting specific public interest in recycling film plastics and in strengthening reuse opportunities. Staff responded that comment summaries were being shared internally with outreach and program managers and that some suggestions are informing initiatives even if they did not require formal edits to the SWIP. On the history of “reuse sheds,” district staff described safety and contamination problems that led the district to discontinue that service several years ago and said staff now maintain a vetted list of alternative reuse resources on the CSWD website.

The district asked the public to submit any final comments before the close of the online comment period; absent substantial new input, staff said the SWIP as currently written will be placed on the Nov. 19 board meeting agenda for approval.

The board accepted the consent agenda earlier in the meeting, which staff said included the standard financial report and a contract with the Burlington Electric Department for a Wood Waste Depot. The board chair and staff closed the public hearing and moved on to regular business.

The board will consider the SWIP for approval at its Nov. 19 meeting; staff provided a contact point for commissioners and members of the public who have questions about the draft plan.