BRATTLEBORO — The Windham Solid Waste Management District (WSWMD) got a pleasant surprise when a pair of staffers from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation conducted a surprise inspection on April 8 of the District's transfer station and recycling facilities on Old Ferry Road.
The operations include a transfer station for municipal solid waste, construction, and demolition debris; a materials recovery facility (MRF) for sorting and baling recyclable materials; scrap metal recycling; a recycling drop-off area; a reuse (Swap) shop; an area for collecting oil-based paint, tires, fluorescent bulbs, and lead-acid batteries; household hazardous waste collection events; and a food waste composting operation.
WSWMD executive director Bob Spencer released the results of the inspection the following day at WSWMD's April 9 meeting.
Lou Bruso, Chairman of WSWMD, and a member of the Jamaica Selectboard, explained in a news release that he is very pleased with the results of the inspection.
Bruso explained that the inspection is very comprehensive, and includes almost 50 categories of review, with numerous check boxes in many of the categories. The overall goal of the inspection is to confirm that a facility is in compliance with the district's certification to operate the facility, and state regulations.
Following a two-hour inspection of the facility, as well as the required paperwork, such as permits, and operating procedures, the only category identified by DEC for improvement was recycling of fluorescent bulbs. The report acknowledged that the storage of recyclable fluorescent bulbs was “in substantial compliance, but several full boxes were not taped shut and/or the bulbs exceeded the length of the boxes.”
Spencer said that those recommendations were immediately implemented, and said that the two DEC state inspectors were very courteous and helpful.
Bruso said he was particularly pleased with the following comment on the inspection form: “Overall, your facility sets a great example of how we'd like to see all management and facilities operating. We appreciate your attention to detail and the overall conscious effort to reduce the waste stream.”
Spencer attributed the excellent results to a dedicated and hard working staff that keeps the 20 year-old MRF operating to process approximately 5,000 tons per year of recyclables into marketable products.
“I thought it was important that our member towns be informed that our staff is doing an excellent job according to the Vermont DEC,” added Bruso.