Vermont has enacted the nation鈥檚 first household hazardous waste (HHW) extended producer responsibility (EPR) law, positioning the state as a national leader in addressing the cost and safety challenges of managing toxic household products. The new law, H.789 [corrected: Act 58/ 2023], directs the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) to oversee a statewide stewardship program covering products such as paint, cleaning fluids and solvents, aerosol cans, non-refillable gas cylinders, and other hazardous materials commonly found in homes.
Because no stewardship organization met the statutory requirements to represent all affected manufacturers and submit a single collection plan by the July 25, 2025 deadline, ANR will now administer the program directly. Producers of these products will be required to participate in and fund the program, which will collect, transport, and safely dispose of HHW across the state.
The program establishes clear performance goals and aims to expand safe collection access for residents while shifting financial responsibility away from government solid waste management districts, which have long shouldered the cost and management of HHW. The measure builds on Vermont鈥檚 track record as a national EPR leader, following successful programs for paint, batteries, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and mercury lamps and thermostats. Rulemaking for the HHW program is expected to begin in 2025, with implementation to follow in subsequent years.