Chittenden Solid Waste District

What Chittenden Solid Waste District does

Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) is a municipal solid waste management entity established under Vermont state law in 1986 to manage solid waste for all municipalities in Chittenden County, Vermont. The district operates a network of eight permanent facilities and one mobile unit, including six Drop-Off Centers, a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), an Environmental Depot for hazardous waste, and an Organics Recycling Facility that produces Green Mountain Compost. The MRF processes approximately 45,000 tons of incoming material annually, and the hazardous waste program handles over 600,000 pounds of material each year with operating costs exceeding $500,000. CSWD serves county residents, businesses, schools, events, landlords, and licensed waste haulers with disposal, recycling, composting, and compliance services under Vermont Act 148.

The organization's revenue model combines transaction-based fees (MRF tipping at $100/ton as of April 2026, Drop-Off Center facility fees, organics processing fees), product sales (Green Mountain Compost and Local Color recycled paint), grants (including a $111,323 Vermont DEC grant), and capital funding via voter-approved bonds (a $22 million bond for the new MRF). CSWD is currently executing a $38 million capital project to replace its 1993-era MRF with a 74,000-square-foot facility featuring five optical sorters and an eddy current aluminum sorter, scheduled for completion in January 2027 with 40% greater throughput capacity. In March 2026, CSWD disclosed it was victimized by a $3 million phishing scam during the MRF construction project, of which over $2.27 million has been recovered through U.S. Department of Justice action.

Name

Chittenden Solid Waste District

Legal name

Chittenden Solid Waste District

Website

https://cswd.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CSWD is a Vermont municipal solid waste district managing waste, recycling, composting, and hazardous materials for Chittenden County. It operates six drop-off centers, a materials recovery facility, an organics recycling facility, and an environmental depot, serving residents, businesses, schools, and licensed haulers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Solid Waste Collection (562111)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organics (Food/Yard) Collection (Residential & Commercial) (EUAIAAAO), Organics & Composting Programs (Food Waste, Green Waste) (BPABALAC), On-site Waste Collection & Segregation (Front-of-House/Back-of-House) (BPABALAA)

Keywords

• Solid waste management
• Recycling services
• Hazardous waste disposal
• Composting services
• Municipal waste district

Headquarters

HQ city

South Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Materials Recycling Facility Tipping Fees: CSWD charges haulers a tipping fee per ton for dropping off mixed recyclables at the MRF. The fee was increased to $100/ton as of April 2026 from the previous $90/ton rate. Revenue from recyclable commodity sales in the global marketplace and tipping fees fund MRF operations.
2. Organics Recycling Facility Fees: Commercial licensed haulers pay $77/ton (as of 7/1/26) for food scrap processing. Residential drop-off up to 30 gallons is free; commercial food scraps are charged at the per-ton rate.
3. Drop-Off Center Fees: A $1 facility fee per visit applies at all Drop-Off Centers as of 7/1/26. Volume-based pricing for household trash, construction materials, and blue-bin recycling is also charged. Yard waste pricing updated to $1 per cubic yard (up to 2 cubic yards).
4. Hazardous Waste Program - Grant Funding: The hazardous waste collection program, which handles over 600,000 pounds annually with operating costs exceeding $500,000 per year, is partially supported by grants including a $111,323 grant from the Vermont DEC awarded in February 2026.
5. Government Bonds: The $38 million Materials Recovery Facility project is funded through a combination of CSWD reserves, grants, and a $22 million voter-approved bond.
6. Green Mountain Compost Product Sales: Bulk compost products sold at $81/cubic yard, garden mix at $85/cubic yard, and topsoil at $67/cubic yard. Products sold through local garden centers, landscapers, and directly to customers purchasing 2+ cubic yards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Chittenden Solid Waste District is a municipal solid waste authority that provides integrated waste management services to residents, businesses, schools, and haulers in Chittenden County, Vermont. Core operations include curbside and drop-off recycling processing at its Materials Recovery Facility, food scrap and yard waste composting at its Organics Recycling Facility (producing Green Mountain Compost), household hazardous waste collection at its Environmental Depot, and a network of six Drop-Off Centers for trash, recycling, and special materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Local Color Paint: Premium recycled latex paint made from paint collected from residents and businesses in the community, processed at the CSWD Environmental Depot.
• Green Mountain Compost
• The Rover

Products and services

• Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) Services Processes mixed blue-bin recyclables from CSWD-licensed haulers in Chittenden County, mechanically sorting bottles, cans, paper, cardboard, and other materials, then baling and selling commodities to global markets. Charges haulers a tipping fee of $100/ton as of 4/1/2026 (previously $90/ton). Current facility handles approximately 45,000 tons of incoming material annually.
• Drop-Off Center Services Self-serve facilities accepting household quantities of trash, blue-bin recycling, organics, and certain hazardous and special materials from residents and businesses across six Chittenden County locations (Burlington, Essex, Hinesburg, Milton, South Burlington, Williston). A $1 facility fee per visit applies as of 7/1/26, with volume-based pricing for household trash ($8 for up to 18 gallons through $96 per cubic yard), blue-bin recycling (free if paired with 18+ gallons of trash), and yard waste ($1/cubic yard up to 2 cubic yards).
• Environmental Depot Hazardous Waste Facility By-appointment-only facility at 1011 Airport Parkway, South Burlington, accepting limited quantities of household hazardous waste from Chittenden County residents (no charge for common items) and Very Small Quantity Generator businesses (per-pound fee schedule). Open Wed-Sat 8am-2pm. Handles over 600,000 pounds of hazardous waste annually with operating costs exceeding $500,000 per year.
• Organics Recycling Facility Services Accepts food scraps, leaves, yard trimmings, and natural wood at 860 Redmond Road, Williston. Residential drop-off up to 30 gallons is free; commercial licensed haulers pay $77/ton as of 7/1/26. Uses Backhus Turner ultra-blending equipment to create homogenous compost for Green Mountain Compost products. Open Mon-Sat 7:30am-3:30pm.
• Green Mountain Compost Products Bulk compost, garden mix, and topsoil products made from food scraps and yard waste processed at CSWD's Organics Recycling Facility. Pricing: Compost $81/cubic yard, Garden Mix $85/cubic yard, Topsoil $67/cubic yard. Sold through local garden centers, landscapers, and direct to customers purchasing 2+ cubic yards. Certified by the US Composting Council's Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) program.
• Local Color Recycled Paint Premium recycled latex paint produced by CSWD staff at the Environmental Depot by hand-selecting highest quality latex paints, sorting by color, double-filtering, and blending to achieve a consistent low-sheen finish. Available in 11 colors; sourced from paint collected from residents and businesses in the community.
• The Rover Mobile Hazardous Waste Collection Mobile household hazardous waste collection unit that makes seasonal rounds (spring and fall) to select towns throughout Chittenden County. Free service for residents; business waste not accepted.
• Battery Recycling Program Statewide battery recycling program accepting most single-use and rechargeable batteries up to 25 pounds at over 100 collection sites in partnership with The Battery Network. Operates the Battery Bonanza school contest (April 6-17, 2026) that engaged 15 Chittenden County schools collecting over 9,000 pounds of batteries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45,000 tons of incoming material processed annually at the MRF
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Battery NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026The Battery Network, as Vermont's state-approved battery stewardship organization, partners with CSWD to operate the Battery Bonanza school contest and expanded battery recycling program. Under Vermont's new state law, the program accepts most single-use and rechargeable batteries up to 25 pounds at over 100 collection sites statewide. The partnership aims to address fire safety concerns at recycling facilities from improper lithium-ion battery disposal.
• ReArch ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReArch Construction is the general contractor for CSWD's $38 million Materials Recovery Facility project in Williston. Groundbreaking occurred in November 2025 with scheduled completion in January 2027. The 74,000 square foot facility will replace the existing 1993 facility.
• U.S. Department of Justice / FBI / U.S. Marshals ServiceminorOthersFollowing the $3 million phishing scam, CSWD cooperated with local, state, and federal authorities including the FBI. The U.S. Department of Justice obtained a judgment forfeiting over $2.27 million in stolen funds, which are being returned to CSWD via the U.S. Marshals Service.
• Norwich UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA cybersecurity expert from Norwich University provided commentary on the phishing scam incident, warning about evolving AI-powered phishing schemes and recommending organizations implement stronger verification controls and cybersecurity training.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Waste Management Inc. WM is the largest US solid waste hauler and operates MRFs and landfills nationally. While not active in CSWD's service area at scale, WM represents the broad-incumbent model of vertically integrated waste services that CSWD's municipal structure partially mirrors.
• Republic Services: Republic Services is a top US waste hauler with MRF operations, recycling, and organics services. Comparable in scope and infrastructure to CSWD but operating across multiple states through private channels rather than a single municipal district.

Regional players

• Casella Waste Systems: Casella is the dominant private hauler in Vermont and operates the NEWS VT Landfill that CSWD diverts material from. Casella is one of CSWD's licensed haulers and a direct partner/competitor for waste collection in Chittenden County.
• King County Solid Waste Division: King County operates one of the largest publicly-run solid waste systems in the US, including transfer stations, MRFs, and composting. Comparable municipal-district operating model at much larger scale.
• Caglia Environmental: Caglia is a Vermont-based waste hauler operating transfer stations, recycling, and organics services in neighboring counties. Comparable private-sector counterpart to CSWD's municipal-district services, offering a market-rate benchmark.
• NYC Department of Sanitation: DSNY operates curbside collection, transfer stations, and recycling for NYC under municipal authority. Peer in governance model (public-sector solid waste administration) though operating at far greater scale and different geography.

Emerging players

• Agri-Cycle Solutions: Agri-Cycle is a Northeast US food waste hauler that competes with CSWD's organics service for commercial food scrap volumes. Directly comparable as a regional organics collection/processing player in the same market.

Direct peers

• Lamoille County Solid Waste District: LCSWD is another Vermont solid waste district operating drop-off centers, a transfer station, and recycling/composting programs. Comparable municipal-district structure and facility types, making it the closest operational peer to CSWD.
• Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District: CVSWMD is a Vermont municipal solid waste district serving neighboring counties with drop-off centers, hazardous waste collection, and recycling. Direct structural peer — same enabling legislation, similar facility mix, and overlapping service philosophy.

Others

• ReCollect Systems: ReCollect provides the waste-disposal search widget (A-Z List) embedded on CSWD's website and serves dozens of North American municipalities and haulers. Adjacent ecosystem participant enabling CSWD's digital resident services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CSWDVT
• Facebookfacebook.com/cswdvt
• Instagraminstagram.com/cswdvt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cswdvt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chittenden Solid Waste District