Waste Management and Diversion

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The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) and its regional waste authority members engage in a variety of regional waste management and diversion programs and services in Hartford and Tolland Counties of Connecticut, providing cost-effective, environmentally responsible, sustainable, and scalable services for its members.

The current focus is on: 

  • MSW in-state collection, disposal, and capacity 
  • Food waste and organic materials
  • Composting
  • Textile recycling
  • Building material reuse
  • Extended producer responsibility (EPR)
  • Funding opportunities for infrastructure
  • Education and outreach

Central CT Solid Waste Authority (CCSWA)

CCSWA is CRCOG’s regional waste authority (RWA). Established in 2010, CCSWA has a broad range of powers to support solid waste disposal and resource recovery programs and services in accordance with the State of CT’s Solid Waste Management Plan (CCSMM)

CCSWA’s Bylaws and Enabling Ordinance govern CRCOG’s regional waste authority.  An elected body consisting of an Executive Committee and Officers are responsible for the various operational functions. 

Members pay annual membership dues according to a three (3) tier structure based on per capita population in their municipality.

CCSWA AS A REGIONAL WASTE AUTHORITY 

CRCOG’s RWA received a Regional Waste Authority (RWA) Grant of $570,000 from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to do the following:

1.  Evaluate and identify a governance structure to form a new or expand existing regional waste authorities.
2.  Engage in planning activities for diversion programs and infrastructure development.

The RWA Grant will advance CCSWA membership recruitment and engagement within the region and provide additional waste diversion programs, services, education, and outreach to CCSWA members.

Efforts will focus on a comprehensive, regional solution for managing municipal solid waste (MSW), food scraps and organic waste, and recyclables.

CCSWA Member Benefits

Through leveraging shared services and cooperative purchasing, CCSWA facilitates collaborative partnerships to support new and existing MSW efforts, recycling and organics waste reduction, reuse, and diversion programs, education and outreach services, and infrastructure development.

CCSWA offers a range of services for member municipalities, including:

  1. Implementing recycling, reduction/reuse, and diversion programs
  2. Managing public outreach and education programs
  3. Encouraging legislative support/initiatives of interest to members
  4. Facilitating organics collection (residential/commercial and educational institution/school)
  5. Negotiating regional agreements for textile and other waste stream collection and processing
  6. Applying for grants to offset costs for member towns
  7. Establishing Best Practices
  8. Assisting municipalities with filing required reports to CTDEEP and other agencies
  9. Providing additional sustainable material management strategies, including Extended Produce Responsibility (EPR) and Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT), Unit Based Pricing (UBP), infrastructure and operations development, and standardized education and outreach

Current CCSWA MembershiP

CCSWA is currently comprised of the following member municipalities. Click the buttons below to learn more about waste management and diversion in each community.

Avon
Bloomfield
Bolton
Cromwell
East Granby
Enfield
Farmington
Glastonbury
Granby
Hartford
Manchester
Simsbury
South Windsor
Wethersfield

HOW TO JOIN CCSWA

Interested in becoming a CCSWA Member? Contact Robyn Nichols for more information and see below to learn more about CCSWA membership.

CCSWA Membership Dues for FY2025/2026

Annual dues are based on a three-tier system determined by dicennial per capita population of each member municipality

Population
Dues
Tier 1

0 to 24,999

$971.00

Tier 2

25,000 to 74,999

$1,592.00

Tier 3

75,000+

$2,213.00

CCSWA Brochure

Food Waste and Organic Material Diversion

CRCOG’s waste generation is estimated at approximately 729,109 tons of residential and commercial MSW annually.

With nearly 33% of CT’s waste stream consisting of organic materials, there is significant potential to reduce, reuse, and divert a substantial portion of food and organic waste materials from CT’s MSW stream.

Responses to CRCOG’s RFI for food waste/food scraps, food donation/food rescue, and organic waste reduction, diversion, collection, and processing further supported and identified short and long-term action plans to address the region’s need to reduce, reuse, and divert food waste and other organic materials from the municipal waste stream.

CRCOG is developing actionable plans to implement food waste and organic material reduction, reuse, and diversion programs and services to address limited in-state disposal capacity, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and develop sustainable, cost-effective waste management solutions for our region.

RFI Food Waste

Textile Recycling

Members can participate in textile recycling programs and services.

Through a collaborative partnership with Baystate Textiles, textile collection bins are provided free of charge at municipal sites, transfer stations, schools/universities, and more.  Municipalities receive rebate checks for textile tonnage collected. Funds collected from textile recycling are used by the municipality to support various waste management and diversion programs and services. 

CCSWA continues to expand regional textile recycling services and programs.  Click on the Bay State Textiles link to learn how you can participate.

Bay State Textiles

Task 1 Report

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Waste Management Study

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Regional Waste Authority Study, Planning and Implementation Reports

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2022 Waste Management and Diversion Study

Through a competitive RFP process, CRCOG conducted a multi-phased Solid Waste Management and Diversion Study in collaboration with project consultants, RRS and TetraTech.

Task 1 included a comprehensive system assessment and infrastructure inventory. Task 2 identified short-term (1-5 years) strategies for waste disposal and increased waste diversion. 

RWA Planning and Implementation Study

Through a regional waste authority (RWA) Grant awarded by CTDEEP in 2025, CRCOG issued a competitive RFP and engaged H2M architects + engineers and FHI Studios/IMEG to develop a comprehensive Planning and Implementation Report, providing recommendations, strategies, and priorities for CRCOG’s regional waste authority, the Central CT Solid Waste Authority.  

RWA Planning Report 2026

Task 2 Report

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Waste Management and Sustainability

Providing accessible, sustainable waste management and diversion programming throughout the region is imperative for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration and transporting MSW to out-of-state landfills. Waste generation, processing, and disposal can have significant impacts on human health, wildlife, and the environment. Yet, reducing the amount of waste that enters the waste stream through composting, Pay as You Throw (PAYT), and recycling education and programming minimizes the environmental impacts of waste, while promoting household cost-savings.

CCSWA can help municipalities in the CRCOG region earn points towards certification and apply for Matching Grant funding opportunities through Sustainable CT. A statewide nonprofit, Sustainable CT recognizes municipalities in Connecticut that pursue sustainability measures, including tracking waste data, recycling non-mandated materials, and diverting organic waste. CCSWA can help support, develop, and implement these programs.

Questions?

Contact Robyn Nichols or call 860.724.4222

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