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Take Action Today for Compost Toilets in Vermont!
Take action today to unlock compost toilets and greywater systems as a climate resilient alternative to septic systems in Vermont. Vermont’s current rules require composting toilet owners to take their compost to the dump – while still requiring a conventional septic system or sewer hook-up for greywater.
As climate change driven flooding highlights the vulnerability of our current wastewater treatment systems – destroying centralized treatment plants and inundating septic systems – now is the time to rethink how we manage our waste.
The Vermont EcoSan Coalition has introduced H.163 to launch a working group that will focus on regulatory pathways for climate resilient sanitation systems – including allowing Vermonters to make and use compost from their compost toilets! The Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources highlighted how the lack of wastewater treatment plants limits economic growth and housing development (VTDigger), and compost toilets can offer a climate-friendly solution to managing “humanure” in a decentralized way. Meanwhile, source-separating our human waste can keep our valued nutrients and organic matter separate from contaminants like PFAS that get combined in centralized wastewater streams.
H. 163 is currently “on the wall” in the House Committee on Environment and Energy (HEE) where it’s unlikely to receive much or any attention given the high workload of that committee.
Take Action Now! Support more climate resilient ways of waste management & email or call Representatives to Ask for H.163 to be transferred to the House Agriculture, Food Resilience and Forestry Committee (HAG) Now!
Step 1: Copy this message & add a personal note:
Dear Representatives,
Vermonters are in need of a safe, sustainable sanitation option that returns our bodily nutrients to the land. Compost toilets save precious potable water, prevent downstream nutrient pollution, and help build soil. I believe that the current sanitation laws of Vermont are outdated and should be changed to allow the beneficial reuse of greywater and compost from composting toilets. I support bill H.163 and the creation of a working group and best management practices for climate resilient sanitation systems in Vermont.
Please transfer H. 163 to the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resilience and Forestry so that this issue can get the attention it urgently needs.[Personal note….]Respectfully,Your name
Step 2: Send an email to (either or all) of these Representatives from HAG & HEE by the end of Thursday, February 1, 2024:
Bennington – Rep. David Durfee, Chair HAG –
Windsor – Rep. Heather Surprenant, Vice Chair HAG –
Orange – Rep. Rodney Graham, Ranking Member HAG –
Windsor – Rep. Esme Cole, HAG –
Grand Isle-Chittenden – Rep. Josie Leavitt, HAG –
Lamoille – Rep. Jed Lipsky, HAG –
Caledonia/Washington – Rep. Henry Pearl, Clerk, HAG –
Windsor/Orange – Rep. John O’Brien, HAG –
Bennington/Rutland – Rep. Mike Rice, HAG –
Orleans – Rep. David Templeman, HAG –
Caledonia – Rep. Charles Wilson, HAG –
Addison – Rep. Amy Sheldon, Chair HEE –
Windham – Rep. Laura Sibilia, Vice Chair HEE –
Bennington – Rep. Seth Bongartz, Ranking Member HEE –
Rutland – Rep. Paul Clifford, HEE –
Chittenden – Rep. Kate Logan, HEE –
Windsor – Rep. Kristi Morris, HEE –
Lamoille/Washington – Rep. Avram Patt, HEE –
Orange/Washington/Addison – Rep. Larry Satcowitz, HEE –
Chittenden – Rep. Gabrielle Stebbins, Clerk, HEE –
Orleans – Rep. Brian Smith, HEE –
Washington – Rep. Dara Torre, HEE –
