The Bennington County Solid Waste Alliance
What is the Alliance?
The Bennington County Solid Waste Alliance (BCSWA) was formed through an interlocal contract under Title 24, Chapter 121 of the Vermont Statutes in 2015. The Alliance consists of the Towns of Arlington, Bennington, Dorset, Glastenbury, Manchester, Pownal, Rupert, Sandgate, Searsburg, Shaftsbury, Stamford, Sunderland, and Woodford. The Alliance completed and adopted a solid waste implementation plan in 2025. This plan was subsequently approved by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
Mission and Goals:
The mission of the Bennington County Solid Waste Alliance is to reduce the amount of waste disposed in landfills, by incineration or similar means by reducing the amount of waste generated, conserving resources, and promoting recycling and reuse. To accomplish this, the Alliance has adopted the following goals:
- Reduce the generation of all solid waste, both disposed and diverted, by 10% between 2025 and 2030
- Decrease the amount of material disposed by 25% by 2030 from 2025 levels.
- Achieve a diversion rate of 50% by 2030.
- Increase food diverted to food rescue organizations by 10% by 2030
The Alliance is implementing education, outreach and other programs to assist residents and businesses in complying with the Universal Recycling Law, increasing reuse and recycling and reducing the amount of solid waste disposed in landfills. The Alliance programs will also help residents and businesses find solutions to the disposal of items such as electronic waste, fluorescent bulbs, paint, and others that contain hazardous materials and are banned from landfills.
Alliance Staff:
Scott Grimm-Lyon, Program Director and Regional Planner
Bennington County Regional Commission
Now Hiring; Outreach Program Manager
Bennington County Solid Waste Alliance
Board Members:
- Cynthia Browning, Select Board Member of the Town of Arlington
- Dan Monks, Town Manager of the Town of Bennington
- Rob Gaiotti, Secretary, Town Manager of the Town of Dorset
- Ricky Harrington, Town Supervisor of the Town of Glastenbury
- Scott Murphy, Town Manager of the Town of Manchester
- Tom Shuey, Treasurer; Transfer Station Operator for the Town of Pownal
- Mark Lourie, representing the Town of Rupert
- Linda Schmidt, Select Board Member of the Town of Sandgate
- Vacant, Town of Searsburg
- Brad Peacock, Select Board Member of the Town of Shaftsbury
- Nancy Bushika, Select Board Chair of the Town of Stamford
- Anthony Thompson, Select Board Member of the Town of Sunderland
- Ryan Thurber, Select Board Chair of the Town of Woodford