Vermont trash pickup schedules
No Vermont city page is published yet: a city page goes live only after every fact is checked against the city’s own pages. Below: Vermont’s statewide recycling, bottle deposit and hazardous waste rules.
Vermont cities
No Vermont city has a page on this site yet. No Vermont city has 50,000 or more residents, the size this site covers; your city or county’s own page has your pickup days.
Vermont recycling and disposal rules
| State agency | Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation - Solid Waste Program |
|---|---|
| Bottle deposit | 5 cents (non-liquor beverages); 15 cents (liquor). Covered: Effective July 1, 2026 (Act 158 of 2026): bottles, cans or jars of glass, aluminum/other metal, PET #1 or HDPE #2 plastic (or combinations) containing a beverage, 3 liters or less. Pouches, cartons and other non-covered containers were removed from the law. Redeem at retailers and certified redemption centers. Non-covered containers (pouches/cartons) still redeemable until July 1, 2027. Act 158 creates a producer responsibility organization (PRO); 'universal redemption' (large retailers 5,000+ sq ft must accept all covered brands) takes effect March 1, 2029 (dec.vermont.gov, checked October 30, 2026) |
| Household hazardous waste | State law requires municipalities (Solid Waste Management Entities) to offer HHW collection events/facilities; DEC page explains what counts as HHW. Manufacturer-funded HHP EPR program being phased in. (dec.vermont.gov, checked October 30, 2026) |
| Material | What the state requires or offers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Food scraps and organics | Universal Recycling Law (Act 148 of 2012) bans 'blue bin' recyclables, leaf and yard debris, clean wood and food scraps from the trash; since July 1, 2020 everyone in Vermont must keep food scraps out of the trash. Trash collection sites must also collect recycling and food scraps, and haulers must offer recycling with a combined residential fee. | dec.vermont.gov · October 30, 2026 |
| Yard waste landfill ban | Leaf and yard debris and clean wood are banned from the trash under the Universal Recycling Law. | dec.vermont.gov · October 30, 2026 |
| Electronics recycling program | Vermont E-Cycles: free, manufacturer-funded recycling of computers, monitors, TVs, printers and computer accessories for residents, charities, schools and small businesses; electronics are banned from the landfill. | dec.vermont.gov · October 30, 2026 |
| Paint take-back (PaintCare) | PaintCare runs free paint recycling (paints, stains, varnishes) at drop-off sites; Act 59 of 2025 expands the program to aerosol coatings and coating-related products. Oil-based paint must never go in the trash. | dec.vermont.gov · October 30, 2026 |
| Batteries | Battery stewardship law: all household and medium-format batteries (single-use and rechargeable) are banned from the garbage and must be recycled; The Battery Network operates the approved program. Expanded law in effect January 1, 2026. | batterynetwork.org · October 30, 2026 |
| Fluorescent lamps (mercury) | Mercury-containing bulbs are banned from the trash; recycle via MercuryLampRecycle drop-offs. Mercury thermostats are collected at drop-offs with a $5 credit/coupon. | dec.vermont.gov · October 30, 2026 |
| Household hazardous waste program | Household Hazardous Product EPR law requires manufacturers of covered household hazardous products to help fund municipal HHW collection; program being implemented (ANR-led), full implementation after July 1, 2026. | dec.vermont.gov · October 30, 2026 |
- Bottle bill substantially amended by Act 158 of 2026 (container definition changed July 1, 2026; PRO and universal redemption phased in through 2029).
- Not a Mattress Recycling Council program state per mattressrecyclingcouncil.org (CA, CT, OR, RI only).
State facts checked October 30, 2026 against the state’s own pages. Local rules come first: your city page lists the drop-off sites and hazardous waste days that apply to you.