Cavendish Holiday Recycling

During the holidays Americans generate about 25% more trash than normal. That turns out to be an estimated 1,000 pounds of waste per household. With 80% of items having the potential to be recycled, below is a list of how you can dispose of your holiday items and keep them out of Vermont’s landfill.  

Note: The Cavendish Transfer Station will be open on Christmas from 10-2.

 CHRISTMAS TREES Cavendish Transfer Station is chipping Christmas trees for mulch. DO NOT PUT IN THE BURN PILE. Put by the chipping station or ask the attendant where to place it. Compost if you aren’t planning on taking it to the transfer station.

WREATHS AND CHRISTMAS GREENS: Remove all decorations. Real fir and pine branches can be run through the chipper or composted. Fake greens should be stored along with Christmas ornaments.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, CDs, DVDs, InkJet Cartridges: The CD Recycling Center of America, the closest one to Cavendish is at 68E Stiles Rd., Salem, NH 03079, will recycle CD, DVD Discs and packaging, Inkjet cartridges, cell phones, small electronics, mp3 players, chargers, Floppy disks, computer cables, printer cables, extension cords, and Christmas lights for free.

RIBBONS GIFT BAGS and BOWS: Save for “re-gifting” as they are not recyclable.

WRAPPING PAPER, CARDS: Non-metallic wrapping and tissue paper go in Zero Sort. Cardboard boxes are recyclable. Please see the Zero Sort list below under “Other Resources” for more information on what can be recycled for free at the Cavendish Transfer Station. 

PACKAGING: The Transfer Station does accept clean, bagged Styrofoam peanuts and bubble wrap. Please make sure that the materials are in sealed bags or boxes so that the wind doesn't catch and send them flying around the Transfer Station. Residents who are shipping items reuse the packing materials. Air pouches/pillows can be deflated and recycled along with plastic shopping bags at the grocery store.

CLOTHING The Cavendish Transfer Station’s Fiber Barn has suspended operations while a search for a new fiber recycler is underway. To recycle clothes, shoes and other items, consider the following:

Area thrift stores: Black River Good Neighbor, Chester-Andover Family Center, SEVCA 

Planet Aid Boxes: Bins are located in Chester, Springfield and Claremont. Check Find a Bin for most convenient location. 

• Give Back Box Program: Goodwill and Amazon have teamed up for the Give Back Box program. After removing items from the Amazon box, a user fills it with clothes, accessories and other items you want to donate and then visits GiveBackBox.com to print a free shipping label. The box can be dropped off at the post office or UPS or picked up. Donations go to the closest Goodwill participating in the Give Back Box program.

• Repurpose: Can’t bear to part with various clothing items? Repurpose them into other practical uses, such as shopping tote, rag rug, sweater mittens, pillows and more. Check out the following links for more ideas: 11 Innovative Ways to Repurpose Old Clothes  or DIY Upcycling Clothing

BATTERIES/ELECTRONICS/LIGHT BULBS: Recycle at the Transfer Station in the appropriate bins

OTHER STUFF: Goodwill Industries opened in February in Rutland. Goodwill reuses, repurposes and recycles clothing, household goods, computers, small appliances and others materials. You can donate items at 230 North Main Street daily 8-4 in Rutland. Unlike other thrift stores, Goodwill has a workforce development and job-training component. Their philosophy is “a hand up, not a hand out.”  

UNWANTED PRESENTS: You can always re gift or set aside for the Cavendish Annual Town Wide Tag Sale in July.

MORE RESOURCES

Zero Waste Holiday Season Tips

Cavendish Transfer Station Website

Cavendish Zero Sort free recycling for the following items:

• Glass food and drink bottles (rinsed clean)

• Tins cans and steel containers (emptied of food and rinsed clean – labels

OK)

• Aluminum cans (rinsed clean, labels OK)

• Aluminum foil (including clean foil pie plates and foil baking dishes)

• Clean and dry paper goods:

• Paper, paper bags, paper file folders, manila envelopes, art construction paper, Kraft paper and cards

• Non-metallic wrapping paper and tissue paper

• cardboard boxes (not waxed or with stuck-on food or grease)

• Paper egg cartons, soda and beer cartons

• Corrugated cardboard

• Boxboard or paperboard (ex., cereal, cracker boxes, shoe boxes, gift boxes, etc.)

• Empty paper envelops

• Magazines, glossy brochures and catalogs (without plastic wrapping)

• Paperback books

• Phone books

• Newspapers - inserts OK - loose, not tied into bundles and not contaminated with oil, pet waste, paint, etc.

• Shredded paper (place in clear plastic bags and tie shut)

• Cardboard rollers (toilet paper, paper towel, and gift paper rollers, etc.)

• clean and empty plastic as follows:

-       all types of rigid plastic

-       plastics 1-7 (but NOT Styrofoam)

-       plastic bottles, jugs, cups and containers

-       plastic pails

-       plastic flower pots and planting trays

-       plastic frozen food trays (at least 2" long on 2 sides)

-       plastic take-out containers (clean)