We all play a part in keeping Addison County beautiful—but how often do we stop to think about where it all goes?
Recently, Kelly and I had the opportunity to tour the facilities with Don Maglienti, District Manager of the Addison County Solid Waste Management District (ACSWMD) and had a thoughtful conversation about waste, responsibility, and the small choices that quietly shape our community every day.
From recycling and composting to some of the lesser-known services available right here in Middlebury, Don helps steward a system that touches all 21 towns in Addison County. It’s one of those essential pieces of community infrastructure that works quietly in the background—but has a huge impact on our environment, our economy, and our future.
We asked a series of ( somewhat probing!) questions—and we’re delighted to share them with you below:
11 Questions for Don Maglienti
- What first drew you to this work—and what continues to motivate you in your role today? Growing up in a rural area, I’ve always felt a strong connection to the natural world and a responsibility to help protect it. I think humans need to see waste for what it really is – a misplaced resource. I find solid waste management fascinating because it touches so many aspects of our daily life and is constantly evolving.
- Addison County has long been committed to sustainability—what are you most proud of that the District has achieved in recent years? We’re excited about the recent opening of our new residential trash and recycling drop-off in New Haven, our continuing efforts to implement extended producer responsibility for household hazardous waste in Vermont, and our robust new diversion programs for textiles and mattresses.
- For many residents, waste management is “out of sight, out of mind.” What’s something you wish everyone better understood about where their waste actually goes? There’s no such thing as “away.” Vermont’s one remaining landfill in Coventry has rapidly diminishing capacity, and diversion efforts have a long way to go to keep up. Paying attention to recycling guidelines helps reduce costs for everyone; non-recyclable materials in the single stream system create extra costs for everyone. Keep dangerous materials out the trash and recycling. There are people involved with all stages of handling waste and their safety is important.
- The District emphasizes reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting—where do you see the biggest opportunity for improvement right now? There are plenty of opportunities to increase diversion of waste through reduction and reuse, including using online resources to repurpose materials, holding repair events, and building a robust local reuse network. We can use our purchasing power to buy only what we need, and to buy items that are more durable or more sustainably packaged.
- What are some of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to recycling or composting? Plastic bags are the enemy of the household recycling system – they frequently tangle equipment at processing facilities. All household recyclables should be kept loose (unbagged) at their collection point curbside or at a drop-off. Compostable plastics, including bags, containers and cutlery, are NOT wanted in most composting operations.
- The Transfer Station and Hazwaste Center are incredible resources—what are some underused services that more people should know about? Staff at the District can provide a wealth of information on waste reduction and recycling. We encourage people to call us with questions! We want to remind people about the District’s residential trash and recycling drop-off which is open every Friday morning from 8 AM to noon off Campground Road in New Haven.
- From your vantage point, what are the top 10 most common recyclable items that come through the facility—and are there any surprises on that list? Regarding what we call “special” wastes, we see lots of tires, electronic waste, books, textiles, household batteries, plastic film, propane tanks, fluorescent bulbs, scrap metal, and leaf and yard waste. We’ve seen large increases in the number of tires that we manage. We’ve also seen a dramatic increase in lithium-ion battery devices including vapes and other rechargeable personal electronics.
- How does ACSWMD balance environmental responsibility with the practical realities and costs of managing waste across 21 towns? We need to prioritize programs that are cost effective for residents and businesses within all our member towns. Diversion programs can become expensive if markets do not exist or are unreliable. We try to promote local, sustainable diversion activity wherever possible to minimize costs and keep benefits within the community. A good example of this would be a small-scale community composting operation.
- Looking ahead, what does the future of waste management in Addison County look like in 5–10 years? We recently adopted our newly revised Solid Waste Implementation Plan, which will guide our efforts for the next five years. The Plan contains specific goals for waste reduction and diversion, and detailed requirements for public outreach to area schools, businesses, and community groups.
- If every resident in Addison County made just one small change tomorrow, what would have the biggest collective impact? If everyone carefully reads and follows the District’s recycling guidance, we can have more marketable recycling and a less costly system overall. Please call us with questions about what goes in your recycling and how to prepare it!
- What else would you like us to know about ACSWMD? Please do NOT throw lithium battery devices in your trash or recycling. They routinely cause fires at recycling facilities and transfer stations. Bring all batteries and battery-containing devices to our Transfer Station in Middlebury for proper handing.
With sincere thanks to Don and his colleague Ben for taking the time to show us around, answer our many questions with such openness, and for the vital work he and the team do every day in keeping Addison County running cleaner, smarter, and more sustainably. ♻️