How to dispose of propane cylinders

Propane cylinders pulled aside at the Recycling Center

Oops! Propane cylinders and tanks are not curbside blue bin recyclables.

If you cannot return these items to a supplier for reuse, bring them to us at the Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station. See propane cylinder and tank drop-off details.

We are seeing increased numbers of propane tanks coming to our Recycling Center through the curbside recycling program. So far this year, we have collected more than 3,000 propane tanks that were improperly discarded as recyclable curbside materials.

Propane cylinders and tanks are a problem because our recycling equipment is not designed to handle such materials. Also, they can create jams in the sorting process which can cause severe damage to the equipment.

Additionally, many times these small containers are still under pressure and even contain leftover propane and other substances. Those leftovers can cause explosions if the containers are damaged, potentially injuring someone if the contents begin to leak.

Worn recycling bins are easy to replace - Intern report

My name is Thomas, and if you have noticed someone looking through your recycling this month, that would be me. Well, I hope so at least.

The Division of Solid Waste Services is doing a recycling survey for the month of June 2014. I go out 5 days a week with a Field Staffer from the Division and look at what you have set out for recycling. It is nothing to be concerned about—we are just gathering data to help us improve our programs.

As an intern from outside Montgomery County, and outside of Maryland, the Division’s recycling program is entirely new to me. So, I spent some time studying the "Recycling Basics" flyer to get myself acquainted with the dual stream method. I have been impressed by how many households recycle.

Although, some of you have some pretty beaten up bins:

Cracked and taped recycling bin (oops! no plastic bags, please!)

Like really bad:

An even more cracked recycling bin

The fix to this is easy! You may request a new bin online, or by calling the Montgomery County Customer Service Center at 311 (or 240-777-0311; TTY: 301-251-4850).

Some of you like to fill your bins up. Like all the way up:

Overflowing recycling bins

That’s great! But if you ever want another bin, all you need to do is place an online order, or call 311!

Until my next report,

-Thomas, Intern

Yard trim tip: keep length to 4 feet

Collections Manager Joe recently spotted this bag of yard trim at a curb.

The trimmed branches were very neatly and carefully bundled in a paper yard trim bag, per our specifications.

Each piece was less than 4 inches in diameter, meeting another of our yard trim requirements.

But, oh, the length! These elegant branches were easily 12 to 15 feet long, well in excess of our 4-foot length limit for yard trim.

Unlike the trucks used by tree companies, those used by our contractors for yard trim collections do not have chippers. Therefore, branches residents set out for yard trim must be able to fit into the truck hopper as-is.

To help collection crews be able to take the branches you set out at the curb for them, please prepare branches to meet all of our requirements.

See our detailed yard trim requirements and tips.

Have a question about preparing items for collection? We're happy to help!

Can I recycle furnace filters?

The beginning of the heating season is a good time to put in a new furnace filter. However... Please don't put furnace filters into your blue bin - we do not accept them for recycling. Instead, dispose of them as trash. Thanks to Field Staffer Jim for spotting this curbside "oops"!

Black-Eyed Susan spotted... in the street!

No two days are the same for our recycling and trash collection field staffers... including the beauty they discover in unexpected places.

Field Staffer Jim F. spotted this tenacious Black-Eyed Susan in a Silver Spring neighborhood, growing out of a crack in the street pavement:

-- posted by Susanne

Take some of the heat off our yard trim collectors!

The summer heat is on! On these sizzling days, let’s take some of the guesswork out of picking up your yard trim (leaves, grass, and brush).

First, remember that all recyclables must be at the curb by 7 a.m. on your collection day. If you have landscapers working on your property, you may want to schedule them to come on a different day.

Here’s a brush pile I spotted last week. Oops! That orange sticker means that it was set out improperly. In this case, it was piled loose at the curb, without having been tied into bundles.

When I spoke with the residents, they asked why all the yard trim had to be bundled or put in bags. "It’s so much, how can we do that?"

In order for yard trim collections to run efficiently, crews need your material to be pick-up ready. If you cannot tie your material into bundles, or put it into paper yard trim bags reusable containers, an alternative is to hire someone to assist.

We’ll pick up all of your prepared yard trim material, year-round—there’s no bag limit, and you don’t need to make a special pickup request.

Thank you for helping our collection crews help you!

Visit our website for more information on how to prepare leaves, grass, and brush for curbside yard trim collection.

--Jessica Fusillo, Collections Communications

Tree crushes recycling cart, but not our recycling spirit!

Although we try and collect all recycling left at the curb, sometimes we just can’t get to the containers.

Field Staffer Ron snapped these shots of a paper recycling cart trapped by a fallen tree after a recent storm.

No worries! To get a replacement, just contact Montgomery County's Customer Service Center at 311 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY:301-251-4850).

--Jessica Fusillo, Collections Communications

Christmas tree recycling: no stands, please

Christmas tree left at the curb with its stand.
Photo credit: Ron Gilbert, Collections Field Staff

Oops! What's wrong with this picture?

Don’t let your Christmas tree be left standing (or lying) at the curb! We grind the trees we receive into mulch. Plastic stands contaminate that mulch. So, please leave your tree at the curb au natural. Put plastic bases in the trash. Keep yard trim clean and reusable!

Learn more about Christmas tree recycling in Montgomery County, Maryland.

What did you spot in the blue bin?

My last post was about lawnmowers. At the end of it, I asked whether you saw anything wrong with the blue bin...

Yes! Right there at the top of the bin is a... big plastic trash bag!

Even if you collect recyclable items in plastic bags, please put only loose cans, bottles, jars and containers into your blue bin. Then, reuse the bags, recycle them, or if they are dirty, put them into the trash.

Our Recycling Center sorting process works most efficiently when we receive your loose recyclables. When items are delivered in plastic bags, workers must open and remove the bags by hand.

Can a gas lawnmower be put out for a special pick up?

Photo credit: G. A. Corrick

From our mailbag:

Can a gas lawnmower be put out for a special pick up?

Thanks for your question, J.!

Yes, we accept gas (and other) lawnmowers in our scrap metal recycling program. To request a curbside collection, just call us at 240-777-6410. We must receive your call by 11 a.m. on the business day before your recycling day. The pickups are made on your recycling day.

To prepare your mower for collection, remove all gas and oil from it. If the mower has a battery, take it out. Then, set the mower at your curb by 7 a.m. on your recycling day. (We accept batteries in our Household Hazardous Waste Program.)

Have a riding mower to recycle? We cannot accept it as curbside scrap metal. However, we do accept riding mowers at the Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station scrap metal drop-off area.

So, that takes care of lawnmowers. But, take a closer look at the lawnmower photo above. What do you spot in the blue bin? See any issues? We'll revisit this in the next blog post!

May flower pots and trays be recycled?

You've put the plants into your garden. It's time to clean up... can you recycle the plastic flower pots and trays? It's tempting... they've got the recycling arrows on them. But... please don't add them to your recycling bin.

We are able to accept all plastic bottles with necks. What about those pots and trays, then? Gardeners are often happy to take these for use with their own seedlings. Otherwise, please put these items into your household trash.

However, if a plastic bottle has held hazardous contents -- that purple bottle in the photo is labeled "Wasp & Hornet Killer" -- then please put the empty bottle into your household trash as well.

Molded plastic fruit packaging: trash or treasure?

Our field staff are out and about on each collection day. As they walk and drive through neighborhoods, they see the contents of many, many recycling bins.

I received this photo from a field colleague who's seeing a lot of this molded plastic packaging set out in blue bins right now. This packaging style is often used in warehouse stores, and generally holds fruit like apples and oranges.

Thank you for your enthusiasm in adding this item to your blue bins! Unfortunately, we cannot accept these molded plastics in our recycling program.

So, what should you do with this tray packaging? At this time of year, it might be ideal for storing the holiday decorations you're putting away for the next season. Your household is likely to have some other creative reuses, too.

And, if you don't have a reuse for the packaging, please put it into your household trash.

May I recycle Clementine boxes?

The clementines were tasty, but what's to be done with the now-empty box?!

Sorry, in Montgomery County, MD, we do not recycle the wooden boxes in which these delectable citrus fruits are packaged; please dispose of them in your household trash.

The boxes are sturdy, so some people use them for crafts or storage. Others turn them into kindling.

[And if you, like me, now have the tune to "Clementine" buzzing through your head after thinking about this topic, here are the lyrics: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/clementine.htm]

Thanks to "Talkin' Trash" reader, J., who reminded me about this topic!

Why it's so important to dry out your paint before disposal

The best thing to do with leftover or no-longer-needed paint is to put it to use. If you can't use it yourself, give it to someone else.

If that's not possible, dispose of latex (water-based) paint in your regular household trash. We've got how-to instructions on our website.

Making sure that the paint is completely solidified before you set it out for trash collection is critical. Paint spills are very challenging to clean up.

(Reminder: it's only oil-based paint which must be disposed of as household hazardous waste. If the oil-based paint is from your business, consider our Ecowise program for small-quantity generators.)

Categories: Trash_