Food Scraps and Composting
Vermont Act 148/Universal Recycling Law requires that all households and businesses keep their food scraps out of trash bound for a landfill. The exception: Meat/fish scraps and bones may continue to go in the trash if you are composting on site – at a residence, business, or school.
Food Scrap Disposal Options

1. On-site Compost
2. Feed scraps to chickens
3. Food scrap pick-up by a commercial hauler
4. Food scrap drop-off at transfer station
See Food Scrap Disposal Options for GUV Towns for alternatives to composting on-site.
Whatever you do with your food scraps, please don’t include:
- PLU Produce stickers or plastic of any kind
- “Compostable ware” of any kind. See “Compostable Ware” on the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle tab
What you’ll need for onsite composting:
1. Ingredients
Nitrogen (green, wet)
- Food scraps
- Weeds
- Freshly mown grass
- Aged manure
- Coffee Grounds
- Tea Bags
- Eggshells
Carbon (dry, brown)
- Dead Leaves
- Straw
- Corn Stalks
- Sawdust
- Wood Chips
- Dried, brown grass clippings
- Dead perennial flower stalks
- Newspaper – torn in small pieces
- Shredded Paper
- Food soiled cardboard – torn in small pieces
2. Kitchen Pail

There are many choices in stores or online. GUV sells Sure-Close pails at a discounted price.
3. Buy Your Own Composter

GUV sells this Soil Saver compost bin while supplies last. There are many choices online. Please note: Compost tumblers tend to freeze up in the winter. Feel free to call our office for advice – (802)674-4474
4. Build Your Own Composter

If you are handy and want to save money, you can build your own composter. Look online for design ideas.
5. Basic Tips
- For every ONE container of food scraps (wet stuff) you add to the pile, add THREE containers of dead, brown stuff. This will make the microbes happy. Microbes make compost.
- There should never be any food scraps visible when you look in your pile. Always cover them with dead, brown material. This will help diminish odors and keep animals away.
- Always keep your compost pile contained. Certain molds can be deadly to dogs. No animal should have access to your food scraps. Bears are prevalent in many areas. Try installing a strand of electric fence (plug-in or solar-powered) around your compost area and bait it with peanut butter on pieces of tin foil. Once a bear is “stung”, it won’t come back.
- Some people never turn their compost pile; others turn it once a month or so. It’s a matter of preference.
- It’s good to have a minimum of two sections to your homemade composter or two manufactured composters. Use one for a year (or a season) and then “put it to bed” and let the contents break down. Start the second section. Repeat.
