For Residents of Benson, Chittenden, Fair Haven, Middletown Springs, Pawlet, Rutland Town, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Tinmouth, and West Haven
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What is SWAC?...... 1
Household Hazardous Waste Collections...... 1
Don’t Dump it Down the Drain….2
Toxic Products – Alternatives…..3
Electronics Recycling……..……..4
Cell Phone – Toner Cartridge Recycling………………………….5
Don’t Be a Backyard Burner……………………………..5
Representatives/Alternates……..5
2005 Officers
Steve Sgorbati, Sudbury, Chair
Stan Wilbur, Tinmouth, Vice-Chair
Norma Phillips, Benson, Treasurer
Bonnie Rosati, Fair Haven, Secretary
webpage:
email:
518-854-9702
Pam Clapp, Administrator
WHAT IS SWAC?
SWAC stands for the Solid Waste Alliance Communities. SWAC is made up of 10 towns in Rutland County who work together to cost-effectively manage solid waste issues including recycling and household hazardous waste. SWAC also works cooperatively with the Rutland County Solid Waste District (RCSWD) ( for many programs including hazardous waste collection and used computer recycling and disposal.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Household Hazardous Waste Collections
When?/Where?
September 10, 2005
8:00–9:30 a.m. -Tinmouth Transfer Station, Rt 140, Tinmouth
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Benson Transfer Station, Benson
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Sudbury Recycling Center, across from Town Garage, Williams Lane, Sudbury
September 17, 2005
8:00 a.m. – NOON– Rutland Town Transfer Station, in Northwood Park, off Post Road Extension, Rutland Town
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Shrewsbury Center Garage, behind Shrewsbury Community Meeting House, Shrewsbury Center
Cost? No fees are charged to residents of SWAC. The fees for disposal of household hazardous waste are paid by member municipalities.
ANY resident of ANY SWAC town can take their household hazardous waste to ANY of the collection events, not just the one scheduled in their town. Throughout the year, SWAC residents can also dispose of Household Hazardous Waste at the Rutland County Solid Waste DistrictHazardous Waste Depot on Gleason Road in Rutland. Again, there is no direct fee to SWAC residents. Please contact Tom Remes at 770-1333 of the RCSWD for more information and convenient drop-off hours.
What? Bring your household pesticides and household hazardous chemicals. Check your garage, basement, barn, bathroom, storage shed, or under the sink to see if you have things that requiredisposal. Fluorescent light bulbs can also be accepted at this event.
Pesticides: As a result of a contract with the Vermont Department of Agriculture Food and Markets Division, there is a program to help farmers, growers, and households to dispose of canceled or unwanted pesticides at no cost. Funding for this program comes from the registration fees that pesticide manufacturers pay for their products to be sold in Vermont. Only pesticides are covered by this contract. Planning to bring a large quantity of pesticides to this event? Please contact Tom Remes, Rutland County Solid Waste District at 770-1333 to provide a list of the pesticide types and quantities or set up a separate time to have the pesticides accepted.
Mercury Added Products: Items such as thermometers, fluorescent light bulbs, thermostats, switches, medical and scientific instruments, mercury batteries and other mercury containing products will be accepted at this event.
Mercury Thermometer Swap: To encourage the removal of mercury thermometers from households where they can pose a serious health hazard if they are broken, the Solid Waste Alliance Communities will exchange one digital thermometer per household for any mercury thermometers brought in for disposal.
Batteries: Nickel cadmium batteries from various types of rechargeable appliances such as drills, flashlights and portable telephones can be accepted at these events. Alkaline batteries are not hazardous. They can be disposed of in the trash. When in doubt, bring them to the event. At this time the Rutland County Solid Waste District accepts car batteries at no charge at the Rutland County Solid Waste District Hazardous Waste Depot during regular operating hours – Monday – Friday from 6:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Latex Paint:Please do not bring latex paint to this event for disposal. Latex paint is not a hazardous waste. If you have partially used cans of latex paint, open the lid (outdoors) and air dry the paint. You can then dispose of it with your household refuse. If there is still liquid in the can, mix enough kitty litter with the latex paint to solidify the paint, then dispose of it with your household refuse. Remember, latex paint is not a hazardous waste.
Motor/Crankcase Oil: If your town does not have a usedoil collection tank, bring your used motor/crankcase oil to this event for proper disposal.
Who: Residents of the Solid Waste Alliance Communities (Benson, Chittenden, Fair Haven, Middletown Springs, Pawlet, Rutland Town, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Tinmouth, and West Haven). Small businesses from the SWAC towns can schedule an appointment with Tom Remes at the Rutland County Solid Waste District (770-1333) to make arrangements for disposal of their small business waste. Business waste is NOT accepted at household hazardous waste events.
Not Allowed? Some wastes can’t be accepted: radioactive wastes such as some smoke detectors (return them to the retailer or manufacturer), infectious wastes (contact your doctor’s office or hospital for safe disposal); explosives such as ammunition and flares, (contact the state police for instructions in proper handling and disposal).
DON’T DUMP IT DOWN THE DRAIN!:
Where Does All the Dirty Water Go?
When the wastewater flushed from your toilet or drained from your household sinks, washing machine, or dishwasher leaves your home, it flows into your septic system or your community’s wastewater treatment facility.
When septic tanks are pumped out, the waste may be disposed of through land application (spreading any chemicals or heavy metals that are in the waste onto the fields as well), taken to the local wastewater treatment facility, or taken to a solid waste incinerator for disposal.
Your home may be connected to a wastewater treatment facility. The wastewater from homes, along with the wastewater from some septic haulers, businesses, industries and other facilities, is treated to reduce or remove pollutants.
How is the wastewater at a wastewater treatment plant treated?
Waste water treatment plants incorporate a series of processes to try to remove pollutants from water used in homes, small businesses, industries, and other facilities. All wastewater first goes through a primary treatment process, which involves screening and settling out large particles.
During treatment, solid, semi-solid, and liquid residues, or sludges/biosolids, are removed from the wastewater. Sludges/biosolids may be composted, land applied, incinerated, or landfilled.
The wastewater then moves on to the secondary treatment process where organic matter is removed by allowing bacteria to break down the pollutants. The treated wastewater is then usually disinfected with chlorine to remove the remaining bacteria.
Some communities go one step further and put the wastewater through an advanced treatment process to reduce the level of pollutants of special concern to the local waterbody, such as nitrogen or phosphorus.
What happens to the treated water when it leaves the wastewater treatment plant?
The treated wastewater may be released into local waterways where it is used again for any number of purposes, such as supplying drinking water, irrigating crops, and sustaining aquatic life.
What Can You Do to Protect Local Waterways and the Environment?
FLUSH RESPONSIBLY! Don’t pour household products such as cleansers, beauty products, medicine, auto fluids, paint, and lawn care products down the drain. Properly dispose of them at the household hazardous waste collection events.
Wastewater treatment facilities are designed to treat organic materials, not hazardous chemicals. If you pour hazardous chemicals down the drain, they might end up in your local rivers or lakes or spread on land.
Dispose of excess household grease (meat fats, lards, cooking oil, shortening, butter and margarine, etc.) diapers, condoms, and personal hygiene products in the garbage can.
These materials can clog pipes and could cause raw sewage to overflow in your home or yard, or in public areas. Overflows often occur during periods of high rainfall or snowmelt and can result in basement backups, overflows at manholes, or discharges directly into rivers and lakes.
Don’t pour used motor oil down the drain.
Used motor oil can diminish the effectiveness of the treatment process, and might allow contaminants to be discharged. The contaminants could pollute local waterways or harm aquatic life.
If you are a darkroom hobbyist, dispose of spent fixer, developer, and other photographic chemicals in separate containers and transport them to a household hazardous waste collection event.
Like household hazardous wastes and used motor oil, photographic chemicals can interfere with the wastewater treatment process and could result in pollutants being discharged into local waters.
You Don’t Have to Clean with Toxic Products! Switch to less toxic safer cleaners…and here’s why:
- The average American uses 40 lbs. of toxic cleaners every year.
- Toxics can harm your health now, or cause disease years from now.
- Children have the highest risk because their bodies’ defenses are still developing. Childhood cancer and asthma have increased dramatically in the past 10 years. Every year, approximately 10 percent of child poisonings are caused by exposure to household cleaners.
- EPA says 80-90% of human cancer is caused by exposure to toxins in our environment.
Recipes for a Safer Home and a Cleaner Environment:
Laundry Soap: Use non phosphate detergent. TIP: Add ½ cup borax or washing soda to the wash cycle to boost cleaning for heavily soiled clothes.
Fabric Softener: Vinegar – Add 1-2 cups of vinegar to rinse cycle to deodorize and soften fabrics.
Bleach: Hydrogen peroxide (3%) Spot clean. Let dry. Repeat as necessary OR ½ cup borax. Presoak in mixture of ½ cup borax in 2 gallons of hot water.
Diaper Pail Deodorizer: 1 cup baking soda, 1 t. tea tree oil and/or other essential oil. Mix and work out all lumps with a fork. Sprinkle in bottom of pail after liner is removed. Periodically rinse pail with vinegar and baking soda.
Stains: ¼ cup liquid detergent, ¼ cup glycerin, 1 ½ c. water. Mix and pour into a squirt bottle. Use sparingly and rub on stain. Wash. OR equal parts vinegar and water. Mix and use to remove tough stains including grass, perspiration, rust, jam, coffee, orange juice, wine, beer, ketchup, barbecue sauce, chili, urine and pet stains.
TIP: Do not use hot or warm water on sugary stains. Wash and rinse in cool water only.
Tub and Tile Cleaner: 1 2/3 cup baking soda, ½ cup liquid soap, 2 T vinegar, ½ cup water, a few drops of essential oil (option). Mix soda and soap. Add water, then vinegar. Store in a squirt top bottle and shake before using. Rinse thoroughly to avoid residue.
Bathroom Deodorizer: One pound box baking soda, 10-20 drops essential oil. Mix oil in baking soda. Place open box under sink or near toilet. Add more essential oil as needed. Replace baking soda every 3 months. Use the old baking soda in cleaning recipes.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Use Tub and Tile Cleaner above OR ½ cup borax. Sprinkle on a wet bowl brush, scour, and rinse. Clean bowl thoroughly and often.
Floor Cleaners: 2 tablespoons liquid soap or detergent, 1 gallon hot water. Mix, mop, and wipe clean. TIP: Use less soap or detergent if streaking occurs.
No-Wax Floor Cleaner: Floor cleaner from above, but add ¼ cup vinegar.
TIP: To remove scuff marks, sprinkle with baking soda and spray with equal parts vinegar and water. Wipe clean.
Wood Floor Polish: ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup vinegar, 10 drops essential oil (optional). Mix and apply.
For more recipes, visit the SWAC website at:
How to Choose Wisely: Adopt a new way of thinking about hazardous household products. Try to buy less or use non-hazardous products as much as possible. The best way to tell if a product is hazardous is to read the label.
DANGER indicates the product is extremely hazardous: a taste could be fatal. WARNING and CAUTION signal a somewhat lesser hazard. Select products with a CAUTION label over those with WARNING or DANGER. The best selection is one with no hazards.
Plan Ahead: Now that you know the possible dangers of disposing of household hazardous waste improperly, try to identify any products you may have that need to be disposed of properly. Be sure that the containers are closed and not leaking. This will save you the fun of cleaning up your vehicle after an unplanned spill of stuff.
SWAC schedules two full days of hazardous waste collection days in the spring and fall of each year and residents benefit from year-round access to the Rutland County Solid Waste District’s Hazardous Waste Depot on Gleason Road in Rutland.You can start to plan when it will be the most convenient for you to properly dispose of your household hazardous waste. Disposal of household hazardous waste is a FREE service provided to SWAC residents. You have nothing to lose and everyone gains.
ELECTRONICS/COMPUTER RECYCLING:
Electronic waste consists of computers, computer peripherals, televisions, audio/stereo equipment, VCRs, DVD players, video cameras, telephones, fax and copying machines, cell phones, wireless devices and video game consoles.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates electronics products constitute approximately one percent of municipal solid waste and that more than 63 million computers are projected to be retired in the United States in 2005 alone.
The average computer monitor contains between four and ten pounds of lead, and a CPU typically contains lead, cadmium and a host of other exotic metals including mercury, antimony, silver, chromium, zinc, tin, copper, iron, aluminum, nickel, cobalt, and lithium.
Many of these substances can be extracted and reused; others require specialized disposal to prevent air or groundwater pollution.
In cooperation with the Rutland County Solid Waste District (RCSWD), SWAC has been operating an electronics collection program since 2003. The purpose of the program is to provide people with a convenient means of delivering their obsolete computer and related equipment for recycling, reuse or demanufacturing while keeping these items with their potentially hazardous constituents out of the landfills or incinerators.
Each of the SWAC towns has an electronics collection box located at the transfer station, recycling center, or a convenient location in town. RCSWD regularly picks up the collected system components.
They are aggregated and ultimately delivered to Vermont Retroworks in Middlebury for refurbishment, reuse, recycling, demanufacturing, or safe disposal.Reusable electronic devices are distributed to organizations such as Goodwill Industries and Salvation Army retail outlets.
Since 1993, SWAC towns have collected over 25,000 lbs! of electronics for recycling.
Each town has a fee structure set up. Fees generally average $15 for a whole computer system and $5 for separate components. Some towns collect other electronics like televisions. Please contact your local town office for further information.
CELL PHONE RECYCLING: Each of the SWAC towns has a collection box set up to accept cell phones from residents. There is no charge for this service.
TONER CARTRIDGE COLLECTION: Each of the SWAC towns has a printer toner collection box set up to accept printer toner cartridges from residents. There is no charge for this service.
BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR! CHOOSE NOT TO USE A BURN BARREL
Why is backyard burning of trash a bad idea? There are a lot of things that make up our garbage. This includes plastics, heavy metals and a variety of synthetic materials. When these are burned, many chemical reactions take place and poisons are released into the air. Did you know that 37 households burning their own trash create as much total dioxins and furans per day as a 200 ton per day incinerator serving 100,000 people? Dioxins and furans are two of the most toxic cancer causing substances known.
You can get sick from inhaling the smoke from burning trash and from ingesting toxic particles that have been deposited on water, soil, crops and gardens.
Burn barrels, wood stoves and open air piles don’t burn hot enough and with sufficient controls to destroy the toxins and limit emissions. Like Robert Frost said,”Good fences make good neighbors,” and choosing not to burn your trash also makes a good neighbor.
Representatives/ Alternates:
Benson
Norma Phillips, Rep
Chittenden
Bernie Congdon, Jr., Rep.
John Parker, Alternate
Elmer Wheeler, Alternate
Fair Haven
Bonnie Rosati, Rep.
Abby Greene, Alternate
Middletown Springs
Patty McWilliams, Rep.
Glen Moyer, Alternate
Pawlet
Lenny Gibson, Rep.
Robert Jones, Alternate
Rutland Town
Charles Shields, Rep.
Fred Nicholson, Alternate
Shrewsbury
Dick Adams, Representative
Michael Stewart, Alternate
Sudbury
Steve Sgorbati, Rep.
Lynwood Smith, Alternate
Tinmouth
Stan Wilbur, Representative
Cathy Reynolds, Alternate
West Haven
Leland Ellis, Representative
Sharon Ryan, Alternate