Friday, June 28, 2013

Independence Day 2013 - modified trash and recycling collection schedule

Sign up for our Holiday Reminder email and text messages

Thursday, July 4, 2013 - Independence Day - is a recycling and trash collection holiday. After the holiday, all County-provided recycling and trash collections will slide, and be one day later than normal.

If your collection day is
Your collection day this week is
Monday Monday, July 1, 2013 (no change)
Tuesday Tuesday, July 2, 2013 (no change)
Wednesday Wednesday, July 3, 2013 (no change)
Thursday Friday, July 5, 2013
Friday Saturday, July 6, 2013

If you have questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please call the Montgomery County Customer Service Center (MC311) at 311 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 301-251-4850).

If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, or if you live in a municipality, our schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station

Transfer Station location, hours and other details
  • Wednesday, July 3, 2013: Open with normal hours.
  • Thursday, July 4, 2013: Entire facility closed.
  • Friday, July 5, 2013: Open with normal hours.

Poolesville Beauty Spot

Beauty Spot location, hours and other details
  • Saturday, July 6, 2013: Open with normal hours.
  • Sunday, July 7, 2013: Open with normal hours.

Did you catch these recent posts to our social media?

From our blog, Talkin' Trash

From our Facebook page

--Susanne Wiggins

Monday, June 17, 2013

National Garbage Man Day 2013

We buy stuff, bring it home, and eventually we end up with an empty container/packaging or an old unwanted/worn out item. At that point we’ve got something we want to get rid of either by recycling it or discarding it as trash. For most of us, we simply put the empty bottle in our recycling bin, the read magazine in our recycling cart or the broken toy in the trash can and place the container at the curb and don’t think about it anymore. However that is only the first step of the process.

Someone has to come and empty that container(s) and take the recyclables and trash away. That is where your recycling and trash crew comes into the equation. Without someone willing to drive a truck and someone else to hang on the back and empty bins, carts and cans, we’d end up with a mountain of old unwanted stuff in front of our homes. To be honest, it’s not a job most of us would want to do.
 Two workers empty trash cans into their truck.

When it is 95 degrees, they roll down your street and take your stuff away.
When it is 20 degrees, they roll down your street and take your stuff away.
When it is pouring rain, they roll down your street and take your stuff away.
Each day, they lift thousands of pounds as they dump bins, carts and cans into collection vehicles.
It is statistically one of the most dangerous jobs a person can have.

Two workers with their recycling truck.

John Arwood, who runs Arwood Waste in Florida, believes that the humble garbage man deserves a national day of recognition and has selected June 17th to be that day. We here at Solid Waste Services agree that these hard working men and women deserve more thought and thanks from us than we generally give them. With that in mind the next time you see a worker carrying a trash can across the street, or rolling a cart to a truck, take a minute and give the worker a thank you wave and a smile. They will certainly appreciate the recognition and acknowledgement

-- G.A. Corrick, Collections Program Manager

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Scrap Metal Scavenging

Scrap metal scavenging hit the news big-time this week when someone was caught on surveillance cameras removing thousands of pounds of copper wire from a Pepco facility in Upper Marlboro. Why? It’s lucrative!

Such large operations are not so common. However, we know that scrap metal scavengers are working Montgomery County streets every day.

A local cable show will address this issue for County residents in an upcoming episode of “Legal or Not”. We taped segments on Monday. Here, videographer Mike Springirth films metal that has been set out for residential scrap metal collection at a home.

Videographer Mike Springirth aiming camera on scrap metal at curb

Mike also recorded a resident wondering about whether or not it is okay to remove the metal items from the curb.


So, what's the answer? Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, as the suspense builds, check out our scrap metal recycling program.

“Legal or Not” is produced by Cathy Grubman and airs on County Cable Montgomery.

--Jessica Fusillo, Collections Communications

Tuesday, June 04, 2013

How much paper may you set out?

Recently I was out in the field, when two residents looked up desperately and asked me:
"Can we put out this much paper?"
Two residents setting out paper for recycling

ANSWER: Yes!

There is no limit on the amount of paper you can set out for collection. However, please bundle or use a box with a tight fitting lid for paper that doesn’t fit in the paper cart.

As you can see, loose paper is difficult to load:

Recycling crew collecting loose paper from the street.

Have more questions about recycling and collections? Call 311 or visit our Division of Solid Waste Services website.

Remember to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle before you place items in the trash!

--Jessica Fusillo, Collections Communications