By Scott Grimm-Lyon.
For John Pitroff waste reduction isn’t just a profession—it’s a passion.
The Bennington County Solid Waste Alliance (BCSWA) recently welcomed Pitroff as its new Education & Outreach Coordinator. Serving residents across Bennington County’s thirteen member towns, Pitroff will lead outreach efforts focused on waste reduction, recycling, composting, and proper material disposal.
Pitroff brings a unique blend of technical expertise, educational experience, and community engagement to the role. He is the Founder and CEO of Second Chance Composting in Adams, Massachusetts, and serves as the Town of Adams Alternate Commissioner to the Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District. His work has earned recognition including the 2023 MassRecycle Individual Award and being named Berkshire Trendsetter’s 2024 “Visionary of the Year.”
A graduate of the Vermont Compost Operator Certification Program, Pitroff also holds composting certifications from universities, MassDEP, and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Since 2022, he has delivered more than 100 workshops, presentations, and community programs throughout Berkshire County focused on waste reduction and composting.
Now, he’s bringing that experience across the state line.
Pitroff’s composting expertise makes him uniquely qualified to support one of Vermont’s most important waste reduction initiatives: keeping food scraps out of landfills. Under Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law, food scraps have been banned from disposal in landfills since 2020.
Food scraps make up a significant portion of household trash. When buried in landfills, they generate methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Composting, by contrast, transforms those same materials into nutrient-rich compost that improves soil health and supports local agriculture and gardening.
“Instead of wasting food scraps in a landfill, where they create pollution, we can be part of a beautiful natural cycle that has existed since the beginning of time,” Pitroff said. “Composting returns valuable nutrients to the soil, creating compost that can be used locally to grow more food, flowers, and trees. By turning waste into a resource, we benefit our communities, our environment, and future generations.”
Beyond helping residents start backyard composting systems, Pitroff will assist businesses and institutions in understanding food scrap collection options and connecting them with existing haulers and composting services. John will also be working closely with Bennington’s Zero Waste committee, a group of local volunteers who have worked to make sure food scraps are being collected and composted from Bennington events including Garlic Town, USA!, the Food Truck Festival and Mayfest.
“Vermont has become a national leader in composting, and its residents deserve credit for making food scrap diversion a priority,” Pitroff said. “I am excited to help continue that success by promoting a clean food scrap stream that produces high-quality compost. Contamination from items like produce stickers, wax-coated materials, and certain products labeled ‘biodegradable’ remains a challenge, but composting is simpler than most people realize. By encouraging good habits, we can build on Vermont’s success and create even greater success in the future.”
While composting is his specialty, Pitroff is also becoming familiar with Vermont’s broader recycling and stewardship programs, including battery recycling, electronics collection, paint recycling, household hazardous waste disposal, and plastic film recycling.
“One thing that surprised me was how many plastic film products can be recycled,” Pitroff remarked. “Wood pellet bags, bubble wrap, and other clean plastic films can usually be taken to the same supermarket drop-off locations that accept plastic shopping bags.”
As summer gets underway, residents can expect to see Pitroff at farmers markets, community festivals, school events, and outreach programs throughout Bennington County.
The Bennington County Solid Waste Alliance was established in 2015 by the towns of Arlington, Bennington, Dorset, Glastenbury, Manchester, Pownal, Rupert, Sandgate, Searsburg, Shaftsbury, Stamford, Sunderland, and Woodford to help communities reduce waste and comply with Vermont’s recycling laws.
For residents with questions about recycling, composting, hazardous waste disposal, or other waste reduction programs, Pitroff is ready to help—and eager to get started
A complete list of disposal resources and information about BCSWA programs can be found at BeningtonCountyWaste.org.
