What happens when your paper recycling cart is damaged?

Let’s face it. Recycling containers get a workout. Your paper recycling cart may develop a broken

• lid
• lift bar
• wheel, or
• body

What happens next? Call Montgomery County's Customer Service Center at 311 (out-of-County: 240-777-0311, TTY: 301-251-4850) for a repair. Our Customer Service staff will schedule a Thursday appointment with you.

If we receive your request before 2 p.m. on Wednesday, we can add you to our list for that week. Otherwise, we'll give you an appointment for Thursday of the next week.

What’s special about carts and Thursdays? It’s our cart repair day! If the problem(s) can be fixed, we’ll do that. And, if the cart is beyond repair, we’ll give you a replacement.

We ask you to set your cart at the curb empty. This allows our staff to work on your cart easily. A full cart can weigh over 200 pounds, which is why recycling collection vehicles have a mechanical lift to empty them. Our cart-repairers do not have lifts or the truck they would need to transport any paper they took with them.

When arriving at your address, we first assess the “patient.” This cart has two problems. Can you spot them?

Photo credit: R. Birndorf

After the diagnosis, surgery begins!

Photo credit: R. Birndorf

First, the team gives the lid hinge a new pin.

Photo credit: R. Birndorf

The mechanical lift hooks on to the metal bar on the front of the cart. Remember how heavy those full carts can be? Sometimes, the lift bar simply starts to give. Here, it’s swapped out for a new, straight bar.

Photo credit: J. Buhl

Voila! This cart is good as new, ready to receive many more pounds of paper from its owners!

Photo credit: J. Buhl

Are churches, and programs they host, required to recycle?

From our mailbag:

“Are Churches and businesses run on their facilities (Childrens' programs - schools and day care) required to comply with SORRT?”

Thanks for your question, B. To clarify for everyone, SORRT – Smart Organizations Reduce and Recycle Tons - is our non-residential recycling program. All non-residential properties in Montgomery County, regardless of type or size, are required to recycle all mandatory materials in accordance with Executive Regulation 15-04AM. This includes churches.

Our Business Recycling Handbook, available in English, as well as Chinese and Spanish, is a comprehensive resource for planning, starting, and maintaining a recycling program at non-residential properties.

We’re happy to provide advice and assistance by phone or in person, too! For more information, or to schedule a visit, please call the SORRT Program Office at 240-777-6486.

Gabriela Monzon-Reynolds
Manager, Business Recycling SORRT Program

From branches to mulch

The numbers are in!

In March, we felt the aftermath of this winter’s snow storms at our Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station, where we grind branches and woody vegetation into mulch.

During March 2009, we produced 2,428 tons of mulch. During March 2010, we produced over 17,552 tons — over seven times as much!

Need any mulch for your yard or other projects? We have lots available our Neighborhood Mulch Preserves.

Celebrate Earth Day with us on April 17 and 18, 2010

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with us at two paper shredding/recycling and household goods/clothing donation collection events!

Here are some of the questions we've been getting:

I am concerned about identity theft. Can I watch my paper be shredded?

Yes, you certainly may watch! In fact, the shredding trucks are equipped with a video camera and monitor. You are welcome to observe the monitor as your paper is fed into the shredder and processed.

What happens to the paper after it's shredded?

All of the shredded paper is recycled.

What paper, and clothing and household items, will you accept?

We have a list of participation/donation guidelines on our Earth Day page. For even more detail, check the website of the organization accepting items at the collection event you want to attend -- our Earth Day page has the links.

When will you have other shredding and donation events in our area?

For now, we have the April 17 and 18 events on our calendar, choosing both a Saturday and a Sunday in two different areas of the County to make participation convenient for as many residents as possible.

Keep an eye on our website for updates. As we plan other events in the future, we'll post the information to our site and blog.

Help us top the numbers we achieved at our America Recycles Day shredding and donation events in November 2009: 11,000 residents brought in 40,000 pounds of paper to be shredded and recycled, and filled 7 donation trucks!

And, if you have time after dropping off your paper and donations, stay and enjoy the Ridge Road Recreational Park or Wheaton Regional Park. Both have picnic facilities and more!

Event Dates

Saturday, April 17, 2010
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Rain or Shine)
Ridge Road Recreational Park (map)
Picnic Area Parking Lot
21155 Frederick Road
Germantown, MD 20876

Sunday, April 18, 2010
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Rain or Shine)
Wheaton Regional Park (map)
Parking Lot next to the Wheaton Carousel
2002 Shorefield Road
Wheaton, MD 20902

Tree debris tips from our Transfer Station

Our Solid Waste Transfer Station has been receiving an extremely large volume of trees limbs that came down during last winter’s snow storms.

If possible, we ask you to make use of the weekly recycling collection for yard trim from your home. See our Storm Cleanup page for preparation instructions.

If you want to deliver the material to the Transfer Station yourself because you have larger tree sections or limbs, please be prepared for the possibility of long lines during peak periods on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Transfer Station has evening hours from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. These hours are lightly used and would assure a quick and efficient drop-off.

Residents may bring in as much natural wood waste / yard trim as they want from their own home. The 500 pound limit for the public drop-off facility only applies to trash.

-- posted by Peter Karasik, Chief, Central Operations Section, Division of Solid Waste Services

When your recyclables or trash are missed, please let us know

From our mailbag:

Our trash day is Monday, and our trash and recycling have been sitting outside since early Monday morning just waiting for some to come pick it up... When is it being picked up?? No one has bothered to tell us anything. This is ridiculous.

The recent record snowfall in Montgomery County presented significant challenges in providing refuse collection services. To protect the safety of the public and our workers, County-provided collection services were cancelled last Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Yard trim collection remained cancelled this week, but both recycling and refuse collection services were provided on a normal schedule.

The writer did not provide us with an address, so we cannot determine if he/she lives in the County or in one of the municipalities, nor can we investigate this complaint. Please call us at 240-777-6410, and we will be happy to look into it.

The challenges we faced in providing collection this week were numerous. In addition to the obvious difficulty in traversing county roads after the enormous snowfall, and with many single lane paths on two way streets, the volume of trash and recycling was nearly twice the norm. Snow banks created by plows blocked the view of many cans and bins from our collectors. Commonly used white trash bags were difficult to see, and no doubt we missed a few.

The residents of Montgomery County understood the extreme circumstances we faced. We have received numerous calls and emails thanking us for our outstanding work. In return, we would like to extend our thanks to you residents for your patience and understanding, and to the hundreds of our contractors’ employees who braved the freezing temperatures, driving and walking through miles of deep snow to collect our trash. And to our customers, please accept our sincere apology if your trash or recycling was missed.

As of the week of February 22, 2010, all collections, including yard trim will be back to normal. We will still be dealing with the after-effects of the snow for quite some time, and as a result running a bit late each day. But, we will be there on your scheduled day. Please help us by placing your refuse and recyclables near the curb in a visible, safe location by 7 a.m. on your normal collection day.

Thank you for your continued patience. If you have any questions, please call us at 240-777-6410.

-- posted by Robin Ennis, Chief, Collections Section, Division of Solid Waste Services

Presidents Day Holiday 2010 and Snow Update for week of February 15-19, 2010

Monday, February 15, 2009 - Presidents Day - is a regular recycling and trash collection day. All County-provided recycling and trash collections will be made on their normal schedule.

Snow update for week of February 15-19, 2010

Collection Service	Service status for week of February 15-19, 2010
Trash	All trash pickups will be made on their regular schedule.
Recycling	All recycling pickups will be made on their regular schedule.
Yard trim	All yard trim pickups canceled.

Why are we canceling yard trim collection next week?

Without yard trim collection next week, our contractors can focus on the greater-than-usual volume of trash and recyclables we expect you to set out.

What is the status of bulk trash and scrap metal recycling collections I requested for last week?

If you requested a bulk trash or scrap metal recycling collection for the week of February 8-12, 2010, we have asked our contractors to collect your items during the week of February 15-19, 2010. This applies to items which

• didn’t get collected due to collection cancellations
• didn’t get set out last week, and which you will set out on your collection day during the week of February 15-19
• are at the curb but are currently covered by snow.

Crews will collect material that is retrievable. However, they are not expected to shovel snow or excavate items for collection.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410. If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, these schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Snow update for February 11, 2010 - Transfer Station closed

The Solid Waste Transfer Station will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, February 11, 2010.

Solid Waste Services/Facilities: Collection update 2/10-2/12; Transfer Station closed 2/10

Montgomery County-provided residential garbage, recycling and yard trim collection services are cancelled for Wednesday, Thursday ,and Friday, February 10 - 12, 2010. The normal collection schedule will resume on Monday, February 15, 2010.

The Transfer Station will be closed on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. Weather and road conditions may cause these schedules to be altered. Any changes will be posted on our web site: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov.

We thank you for your patience and understanding during these extreme weather conditions.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410. If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, these schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

The direct link for the Division of Solid Waste Services is: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/solidwaste

Snow update for February 9, 2010 - trash pickups only; Transfer Station open

We will continue to update our website and announcements as we see how the weather forecast for this afternoon and beyond unfolds.

Recycling and Trash Collection Status

The collection status update for Montgomery County-provided recycling and trash collections for today, Tuesday, February 9, 2010, is:

• Trash collection only.
  • We will be working on routes normally serviced on Mondays and Tuesdays. All trash items must be at the curb for pickup.
• No recycling collection for the remainder of the week.
  • We have canceled all recycling and yard trim pickups.

(Yesterday, we had planned to "slide" all collection days this week. Because of current road conditions on neighborhood streets and the additional snow in the weather forecast, we have canceled the slide.)

Solid Waste Transfer Station

The Shady Grove Transfer Stationplans to be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, with no evening hours.

If site conditions deteriorate and the site roads and drop-off areas areas become slick, we may close the Transfer Station earlier.

Snow update for February 8, 2010 - recycling and trash collections canceled

Whew! What a snow storm! We have canceled Montgomery County-provided recycling and trash collections for tomorrow, Monday, February 8, 2010. All pickups this week will slide by one day.

Yard trim collections are canceled all week.

We will reassess the road condition situation on Tuesday morning, and send you status updates as needed. What goes into our collection status decision when winter weather hits? The process begins at 4 am... read about the decision details.

Update, 2/8/2010, 12:45pm: The Solid Waste Transfer Station is open today. It will close at 5pm, with no evening hours.

If your normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of February 8, 2010, is:
Monday	Tuesday
Tuesday	Wednesday
Wednesday	Thursday
Thursday	Friday
Friday	Saturday

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410. If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, these schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Tip from Montgomery County's Fire and Rescue Service: Please make sure you keep your local fire hydrant clear of any snow so that our people can readily see them and use them in case of fire. Help us to help you if need be!

What goes into our collection status decision when winter weather hits?

To run a normal collection schedule or not to run a normal collection schedule? That is the question!

What goes into our recycling and trash collection status decision when winter weather hits? The process begins at 4 a.m., when we send out two or three of our field staff as scouts. Their task is to drive around in their assigned area to check road conditions: how safe is it for big collection vehicles to be passing though neighborhood streets? On a normal day, we have about 100 trucks out and about.

Meanwhile, one of our Collections program managers is on his way into the office, taking a more roundabout route than usual so that he, too, can check on neighborhood streets. The scouts call in to the manager to share their findings. Together, the team develops a recommendation for that day’s collection service. What elements of our service will we be able to provide? Do we include yard trim collection, or suspend it for the day? Canceling yard trim pickups means 20 fewer trucks, and frees up those workers to supplement the recycling and trash crews.

By now, it’s approximately 5 a.m.

A new round of phone calls begins. Our manager contacts our contracted trash and recycling collection companies to find out what they think about the day’s weather with respect to providing pickup service, and to discuss the County’s recommendation. Because the companies’ managers have been on the road themselves, they are able to provide additional data points. In addition to road conditions, the County and company managers also consider the collection crew workers’ ability to get in to work.

Following these discussions, our program manager calls our Collections section chief for a final decision. Then, we activate our notification system for you! The program manager makes two more contacts: he emails the County’s Public Information Office, and he calls me.

By now, it is around 6 a.m.

I, in turn, get the word to you as quickly as possible by sending out emails to our announcement subscribers, and by updating our website, blog, and @TalkinTrashMC Twitter account.

Snow update for February 5-7, 2010 - Beauty Spot and Transfer Station closures

This weekend, our facilities will have these closures, due to snow:

Shady Grove Transfer Station

• Friday, February 5, 2010: closing at 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday, February 6, 2010: closed
• Sunday, February 7, 2010: closed

Poolesville Beauty Spot

• Saturday, February 6, 2010: closed
• Sunday, February 7, 2010: closed

Tip from Montgomery County's Fire and Rescue Service:

Please make sure you keep your local fire hydrant clear of any snow so that our people can readily see them and use them in case of fire. Help us to help you if need be!

Best wishes for a safe weekend!

Snow update for Wednesday, February 3, 2010: Normal collection schedule

The salt on the roads did its job, and so we are on our normal recycling and trash collection schedule this morning. We'll continue to check road conditions -- if your street is unpassable when a collection truck comes through in the morning, we'll send the truck back to you before the end of the day.

Gardening tip (yes, in the middle of winter!): All of the Christmas trees you set out for recycling, and which we ground up, make this a great time to pick up a load of our mulch for your spring projects. (See our tree-grinding operation at the Shady Grove Transfer Station.)

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410. If you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, these schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Snow update for February 1, 2010 - normal recycling + trash collection schedule

We are running our normal Monday recycling and trash collection schedule today, February 1, 2010.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

Note: if you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, these schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Can we recycle salted nut canisters?

From our mailbag:

Can we recycle salted nut canisters (cylindrical paper with metal bottom and metal top rim)?

Thanks for your question, D. Another resident asked us a very similar question a short while later. And, it's one we faced in my own household last month with a coffee can of similar construction -- we stood there in the kitchen, debating the pros and cons of the various disposal and recycling options... So, the topic is ripe for a blog entry!

Our recycling program cannot accept containers made of more than one type of material; so the nut (and coffee and similar) canisters would be a "no" since the metal rim and foil paper would be a contaminant of the mixed paper recycling process.

On the bright side, the plastic lid is accepted in our recycling program!

So, the bottom line is this:
if you don't have a reuse for it, please

• put the canister into your trash
• put the plastic lid into your blue recycling bin.

Update, 1/15/2010:

This post generated several reader responses – thanks!

You asked whether we still accept milk and juice cartons - which may have plastic spouts and lids - or juice and drink boxes. Yes, we do! Please continue to add these to your paper recycling.

The beverage cartons and boxes are recycled using a process called hydropulping. This process is able to separate plastics, such as the plastic spout or lid, from the coated paper fibers. On the other hand, the paper-type canisters can have layers of wrapping and metal which is difficult for paper recyclers to remove. While these containers may look similar, the processes for handling them do vary. Therefore, the canisters are not recyclable in our program.

Some of you suggested creative ways to make the most of your canisters:

• “I often have containers that have metal tops and bottoms and a cardboard body. I tend to take pliers to them and rip off the top and bottom and put them in our "metal" bin which we occasionally take to the Transfer Station metal area.” – submitted by M.
• “We use these nut containers to pour grease into, then let it harden or refrigerate it and put it into the trash. Keep grease from going down your drain.” – submitted by B.

Snow update for January 8, 2010 - normal recycling + trash collection schedule

We are running our normal Friday recycling and trash collection schedule today, January 8, 2010.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

Note: if you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, these schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Snow update for December 31, 2009

A happy New Year's Eve to you! Despite the overnight snowfall, we are running our normal Thursday recycling and trash collection schedule today.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

Note: if you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, these schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Friday, January 1, 2010 - New Year's Day - is a recycling and trash collection holiday. After the holiday, all County-provided recycling and trash collections will be one day later than normal.

If your normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of January 1, 2010, is:
Monday	Monday
Tuesday	Tuesday
Wednesday	Wednesday
Thursday	Thursday
Friday	Saturday

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

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 Solid Waste Transfer Station

• Thursday, December 31, 2009: Site and administrative offices close at 5:00 p.m.
• Friday, January 1, 2010: Site and administrative offices closed.
• Transfer Station location, hours and other details

Poolesville Beauty Spot

New Beauty Spot hours are in effect, beginning January 2, 2010: 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

• Saturday, January 2, 2010: open
• Sunday, January 3, 2010: open
• Beauty Spot location, hours and other details

No yard trim pickups this week

We have canceled yard trim collections for this week, December 21 to December 26, 2009. (Because of the Christmas Day holiday, normal Friday pickups will be made on Saturday.)

Have questions or concerns about your County-provided collection? Please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

Snow update for December 22, 2009

We will run our normal Tuesday recycling and trash collection schedule on December 22, 2009. However, trucks may be delayed, depending on road conditions. Yard trim collection is canceled.

Please have your items out at the curb for collection by 7 a.m. And, where there are snow banks and parked cars, please place your bins and cans so that crews can see them easily from the street.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

Note: if you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, these schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Snow update for December 21, 2009

We are on our normal recycling and trash collection schedule today. However, trucks may be delayed, depending on road conditions. Yard trim collection is canceled.

Please remember to have your items out at the curb for collection by 7 a.m. And, where there are snow banks and parked cars, please place your bins and cans so that crews can see them easily from the street.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

Note: if you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, these schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Snow update for December 19, 2009

Our Solid Waste Transfer Station is closed today and tomorrow, December 19 and 20, 2009, due to this weekend's snow. It will reopen on Monday morning, December 21, 2009.

Christmas Day Holiday 2009 - modified trash and recycling collection schedule

Friday, December 25, 2009 - Christmas 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 normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of December 25, 2009, is:
Monday	Monday
Tuesday	Tuesday
Wednesday	Wednesday
Thursday	Thursday
Friday	Saturday

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

Note: 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 Solid Waste Transfer Station

• Thursday, December 24, 2009: Site and administrative offices close at 5:00 p.m.
• Friday, December 25, 2009: Site and administrative offices closed.

Poolesville Beauty Spot

• Saturday, December 26, 2009: closed
• Sunday, December 27, 2009: closed

Look ahead at New Year's Day

Friday, January 1, 2010 - New Year's 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.

Poolesville Beauty Spot closed December 19 and 20, 2009

The Poolesville Beauty Spot will be closed on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend, December 19 and 20, 2009, due to the forecast snow.

During the course of the weekend, the Transfer Station may close as needed, up to several hours or more, to remove snow and ice.

Is yard trim collection year-round?

From our mailbag:

Does the County pick up yard waste year round or does it stop during the winter? We still have branches and sticks that we would like to put out with our recycle but want to know if the County will pick it up.

Thank you for your question, M. Yes, our curbside yard trim collection is a year-round service.

Please set your your branches and sticks out at the curb by 7 a.m. on your collection day, bundled, bagged in paper yard trim bags, or put into a labeled, reusable container.

If you need yard trim decals for labeling containers, you may order them online, or by contacting our Call Center at 240-777-6410. There is no charge for the decals.

What happen to the branches we collect as yard trim? We grind them up into mulch, which we offer back to the public at our Mulch Preserves.

Thanksgiving Day 2009 - modified trash and recycling collection schedule

Thursday, November 26, 2009 - Thanksgiving 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 normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of November 26, 2009, is:
Monday	Monday
Tuesday	Tuesday
Wednesday	Wednesday
Thursday	Friday
Friday	Saturday

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

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

Shady Grove Solid Waste Transfer Station

Transfer Station location, hours and other details

• Wednesday, November 25, 2009: Site and administrative offices close at 5:00 p.m.
• Thursday, November 26, 2009: Site and administrative offices closed.
• Friday, November 27, 2009: Site and administrative offices reopen with normal hours.

Poolesville Beauty Spot

Beauty Spot location, hours and other details

Put leaves in nothing fancier than brown bags or reusable cans

What ferocious "pumpkins"! With leering smiles, they munch on leaves!

Look again, and you'll see that they are sporting a bit of extra orange... That's one of our rejection tags, indicating that these carefully bagged leaves were unacceptable for recycling collection.

As you prepared your autumn leaves for weekly curbside yard trim recycling collection, please set them out only in paper yard trim bags, or in labeled, reusable cans.

We shred and compost the yard trim we receive. During this process, plastic bags which come in are broken into a gazillion tiny pieces that create tremendous problems at our facilities. To help prevent this, we are unable to accept yard trim packaged in plastic.

If you'd like to try your hand at composting your own leaves - it's easy, and the resulting product is wonderful for your lawn and garden - pick up one of our bins at no charge.

Lots of shredding (and donating) going on!

Our celebration of America Recycles Day is in full swing this weekend! We had two paper shredding and household donation events today. If you missed them, we've got two more for you tomorrow in Bethesda and Silver Spring.

Here are a few images from today's event in Germantown. The weather was overcast -- and thankfully, precipation was limited to the occasional light drizzle. Our staff and volunteers were in great spirits as they greeted event participants, with a friendly competition between sites to see which one had the most number of cars, paper shredded, and donations received!

A steady stream of cars came through (thank you all for coming out!). With many hands on deck for unloading, there was essentially no wait time. Participants were in and out in minutes.

Volunteers welcomed participants, handed out information, and answered questions about recycling.

Donations rolled in a trunkload at a time, with the collective results filling up the truck.

If you miss this weekend's events, remember that we accept paper you shred at home yourself in our weekly mixed paper recycling collection. (Please bundle the shreds -- that prevents them from blowing out of your container as they await collection, and as crews empty your container.) Your donations are welcomed year-round by local charities and organizations; consult our Use It Again Guide at Use It Again Guide for suggestions, if you don't already have a favorite donation spot.

The Fall 2009 Leaf Vaccuming begins today!

Today is the first day of the 2009 leaf vacuuming program! The Montgomery County Department of Transportation's Division of Highway Services, one of our sister agencies, provides this service in the Leaf Collection District. This District's general boundaries are: south of Bel Pre Road, east of I-270/I-495 and west of New Hampshire Avenue, to the District line.

Please help crews by

• Noting the information on the posted signs
• Raking leaves to the road edge (not into the street itself) or placing leaves in paper yard waste bags.
• Not placing leaves out for collection in plastic bags.
• Keeping parked vehicles away from leaf piles

Read full details on leaf vacuuming, including a service area map and progress updates.

Don't have leaf vacuuming service in your neighborhood? We provide our weekly curbside yard trim collections -- including leaves in paper yard trim bags or reusable cans -- year-round! You may order yard trim decals for your cans online. Also, consider composting leaves. We offer compost bins at no additional charge to you.

Keep all of our yard trim links handy through one convenient web page: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/yardtrim

Community Service Day Recap

On October 24, residents at Manchester Manor Apartments, Tanglewood Apartments, and Sligo Hills Apartments in Silver Spring were treated to on-site paper shredding/recycling and the opportunity to donate clothing and household goods to families in need.

Montgomery County collaborated with Office Paper Systems, A Wider Circle, and the Housing Opportunities Commission to provide these services in the parking areas of these properties.

Montgomery County volunteers and staff also went door-to-door, placing apartment-sized recycling bins and recycling information at the door of every apartment, and replaced the labels and posters at the collection areas to raise resident recycling awareness.

This event was part of the countywide Community Service Day, a day of volunteering to encourage the spirit of giving among county residents.

From the November 2009 issue of our TRRAC Newsletter for multi-family properties.

Veterans Day Holiday, November 11, 2009 - normal collection schedule

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - Veterans Day - is a regular recycling and trash collection day. There will be no holiday slide; all County-provided recycling and trash collections will be made on their normal schedule. Our Solid Waste Transfer Station will have its regular hours of operation.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

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

Do you subscribe to our reminders for holiday and weather-related collection service changes? We offer email and text message options!

Can you recycle glass air freshener bottles?

Montgomery County accepts food grade glass bottles and jars for recycling. Glass air freshener bottles are not recycled in the curbside recycling program.

Do not recycle glass items such as: drinking glasses, ceramic plates, glass cooking ware, and wine glasses. These items can be sold at yard sales or donated.

Wondering what do with broken glass? Place any broken glass in a paper bag and dispose of it in the trash.

From the Fall 2009 issue of the Recycletter, our newsletter for our Recycling Volunteers.

What happens to bikes you recycle?

What happens to the bicycles you set out for curbside scrap metal recycling, or add to the scrap metal pile at the Shady Grove Transfer Station?

Our staff sorts through the bikes, setting aside those which are in good condition. We partner with Bikes for the World, a sponsored project of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, to put as many bikes as possible back into use. Bikes in damaged or rusty condition are recycled as scrap metal.

And what is the next step for bikes collected by Bikes for the World? Through selected non-profit agencies near and far, they become transportation for people who use them to get to work or school.

In honor of the International Day of Climate Action, Bikes for the World has set a goal of collecting and shipping 350 bikes at its collection events this weekend. Two of its events will be in Montgomery County:

• Saturday, October 24, 2009, 9 am – 12 noon
  St. Paul’s Catholic Community,
  at the Community Gazebo, corner Rt. 108 and Rt. 124,
  Damascus MD 20872
• Sunday, October 25, 2009, 10 am – 2 pm
  Congregation Beth El,
  8215 Old Georgetown Road,
  Bethesda MD 20814

In addition to bicycles, Bikes for the World also accepts bike-related items, sewing machines, and cell phones.

• Bike donation guidelines
• Full schedule of Bikes for the World collection events and drop-off locations

Four paper shredding and clothing/household donation events on November 14 + 15, 2009

We are celebrating America Recycles Day four times: in four locations over two days!

Join us in Germantown and Silver Spring on November 14, 2009, and in Bethesda and Silver Spring on November 15, 2009. Each site will feature a community paper shred and clothing/household goods donation drop-off.

Paper shredding and recycling is available at no charge to Montgomery County residents only, with a 5 bag/small box limit. Your materials will be shredded on-site.

The usable clothing/household item donation drop-off will benefit four local charities. Accepted items will include clean clothing, miscellaneous household goods, small electronics, books, furniture, and much more. Receipts available upon request.

• Download our America Recycles Day flyer (313 kb)
• See detailed time, location, and shredding/donation information

Have you received our expanded recycling program mailer or seen our ad?

To help you learn about our expanded recycling program, we sent out mailers -- has this handy reference arrived in your mailbox already? We have put the mailer online (PDF, 1.63 MB):

We're running this newspaper ad (PDF, 839 kb) as well:

We encourage you to share these links and documents with others!

We gave a composting presentation, and learned just as much

Yesterday, my colleague, Ana, and I gave a composting presentation to the Darne Bloomers Garden Club in Darnestown.

No sooner did we enter the meeting room, I whipped out my camera, and started snapping away! Never mind the composting presentation -- we were in waste-reduction paradise!

The meeting invitations were printed on the inside of brown paper bags. Their last line read: "Please compost this announcement".

The tables were covered with brown paper (also compostable!), each sporting a different garden-related quotation. The table decorations were arrangements of fruits and vegetables.

Delightfully-decorated "fruits" and "vegetables" -- tiny cakes! -- were among the goodies served. These were presented on cabbage leaves, in cookie crumb "soil".

There were no plastic utentils or other disposables here! The cutlery was wrapped in a cloth napkin package, easy to pick up and take back to one's seat.

Three labeled containers awaited the end of the meeting, and the return of silverware; dishes; and cups, glasses, and bowls (from left to right).

Congratulations on the thoughtfully prepared meeting, and on the negligible amount of material which went out as trash!

Do you have a meeting coming up? Benefit from the zero-waste meeting lessons learned by a US EPA employee, and check out the EPA's Green Meetings resources.

Monday, September 7, 2009 - Labor Day - is a recycling and trash collection holiday. After the holiday, all County-provided recycling and trash collections will be one day later than normal.

If your normal collection day is:	Your collection day for the week of September 7, 2009, is:
Monday	Tuesday
Tuesday	Wednesday
Wednesday	Thursday
Thursday	Friday
Friday	Saturday

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

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

Shady Grove Solid Waste Transfer Station

• Monday, September 7, 2009: Site and administrative offices closed.
• Transfer Station location, hours and other details

Damascus and Poolesville Beauty Spots

• Saturday, September 5, 2009: closed
• Sunday, September 6, 2009: closed
• Beauty Spot locations, hours and other details

Impressions from the County Fair

The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair ended on Saturday, and we've packed our tents, tables, and supplies up for the next event. Here's a short retrospective of our nine days there.

The sign taped to the bus next to our booth was one you don't see every day: “Path MUST be kept cleared – cakes coming thru!” On the Fair's opening Friday, easy passage to the Home Arts Building across the way from us was critical for bakers bearing entries for the cake competition! (Did you have a chance to check out the winners? They looked scrumptious!)

Our recycling tatoos, with a reminder to "Recycle Every Day!", were popular with the younger set. Our teen volunteers enthusiastically offered their application services for on-the-spot tatooing!

Our display of things we accept in our curbside recycling program was a great conversation starter! Thanks for the interesting chats we had about what to put into your blue bins, and... what to keep out. (And about that child's hand holding a yo-yo string... It's a bonus addition to this photo, but a nice opportunity to note that the yo-yos we gave out as prizes were made from recycled content!)

Here's Ana, our tireless Recycling Volunteer Program Manager, who kept track of our staff and volunteer schedule to make sure that our booth was attended at all times, replenished supplies as we ran out, and cheerfully boosted spirits on those hot, humid afternoons.

If you missed us at the Fair, maybe we'll cross paths at one of our upcoming Fall events. Our staff and volunteers look forward to meeting you!

Silver Excellence Award for our Recycling Center

Congratulations to our Recycling Center! It has just received the Solid Waste Association of North America's 2009 Recycling Systems Silver Excellence Award.

Read details about the Award in this news release.

This is the third Excellence Award earned by the Recycling Center. Why? We invite you to come by for a first-hand view! See how the trucks which service our County neighborhoods deliver those blue bin materials and paper to our Center, and how these are sorted. Individuals may simply drop in; for group visits, please set up an appointment. Full visit details are on our website.

And, if coming over in person isn't possible, we have an alternate option for you. Our online Recycling Center tour gives you the highlights of our operation.

Whether you have a live or virtual tour, enjoy your visit!

GoGreen tips on the air

Our GoGreen tips have moved to the radio waves! Tune in to 94.7 Fresh FM to hear ideas for making your home and office more environmentally friendly.

Tomorrow's tips will air at 6:51 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. If you miss them, you'll have many more opportunities to listen over the next few weeks.

Behind the scenes of biological monitoring

We often refer to our Solid Waste staff being "out in the field" when they are working in neighborhoods, apartment and condominum properties, and businesses.

In other parts of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, our colleagues are literally in fields collecting data. Sometimes, they are in the water, too!

In today's Biological Monitoring for MoCo post, learn about some of the 53 items that aquatic biologists in the Department take with them to help keep tabs on habitat conditions, water chemistry, and critters large and small in our local streams.

To get updates as they come in, subscribe to the biologists' field reports.

A summer morning at our Compost Facility

During the week, our Compost Facility bustles with activity. It receives deliveries of the yard trim you've set out at the curb for collection, and workers are busy turning and processing leaves and grass in various stages of becoming LeafGro.

But, early in the morning, before the Facility's workday begins, things are much quieter. Here's a photo taken by a colleague on her way to an assignment:

In addition to the beautiful compost-in-progress within the Compost Facility itself, staff and visitors are greeted by a cheerful patch of wildflowers near the entrance, complete with industriously buzzing bees:

Our July 2009 TRRAC Newsletter is available

TRRAC is our program for recycling and waste reduction at apartment and condominium properties.

The July 2009 issue includes:

• 2009 Annual Recycling Awards
• Some easy steps to put your property in award
  contention

Interested in reading back issues? Visit our TRRAC Newsletter Archive.

Can I recover a valuable item from the trash?

Recently, my phone rang. My Solid Waste Transfer Station colleague, Ray, was on the other end.

"Today, we had someone in here looking for a diamond watch and ring. Maybe this would be something for the blog..."

Indeed it is! Part of the daily Transfer Station operations includes keeping the various dropoff areas humming, and the trucks unloading. Generally, the material that's brought in is intended to stay there. However, sometimes, valuables mistakenly end up in the trash. When this happens, our Transfer Station staff springs into action.

On that day, it was jewelry that had accidently ended up in the wrong place.

Thankfully, the trash collection truck which serviced the resident's home had not yet come to the Transfer Station to unload. When it arrived, staff pulled it aside, and had the driver unload in a separate area. (If the truck had already unloaded when the resident contacted us, it would have been too late to attempt to find the items.)

We contacted the resident, who then came to begin the hunt for the bag which held the missing items. We provided safety equipment, and assisted as much as possible. This can be very challenging work, especially if the sought-for things are small.

Was there a happy ending? The missing bag was recovered! We were ready to celebrate! However, it turned out that the jewelry was not in the bag after all. The story did ultimately end in victory: the resident called us later to share that the missing items were found behind the dresser. Hooray!

What should you do if you discover that an item of monetary or sentimental value has been whisked away as trash? We've taken this particular jewelry situation as inspiration to jot down the procedure for how to (possibly) recover a valuable item from the trash.

Yard trim labels are great... when they stick

From our mailbag, in response to my recent post about the importance of labelling yard trim cans:

I agree with your concerns about labeling yard waste cans. The problem is that those labels are not robust enough to stick or stand-up to moisture and come off readily.

Thanks for your comments, M.

Agreed. Getting the yard trim labels to remain on cans has been a challenge sometimes. We haven't given up! When we ordered our most recent batch of labels this Spring, we selected ones which are supposed to have better adherence and fade-resistance than our previous ones. We'd be happy to mail you replacement yard trim labels from our new stock.

We're also happy to make a house call with spray adhesive for yard trim stickers which refuse to stay stuck. To request a visit, please contact our Customer Service staff.

Our February 2009 and May 2009 TRRAC Newsletters are available

TRRAC is our program for recycling and waste reduction at apartment and condominium properties.

The February 2009 issue includes:

• Making Recycling Count - monitoring performance
• Keep Up the Great Work!
• Let Your Residents Help!
• Where Did You Get Those Baby Blues?
• Seminar Attendees Share Effective Recycling Program Strategies
• Special Recycling Education Requests? Please Ask

The May 2009 issue includes:

• Simple Ways to Recycle More Outdoors
• Montgomery County Celebrates Earth Month
• Innovation Highlight: The Gallery at White Flint Looks "Inside the Box"
• Recycling — Cost vs. Benefit
• Got Mercury? We’ll Take It!

Interested in reading back issues? Visit our TRRAC Newsletter Archive.

Recycling Awareness Week: Special recycling achievements honored

Isn't this plaque beautiful?! We gave this -- and others just like it -- to the individuals, and multi-family and business properties we honored during our Recycling Achievement Awards Recognition Program yesterday.

We were happy to honor our special recyclers with... an award made in the United States (Colorado, to be exact) from recycled glass.

Meet our honorees for Excellence in Recycling, Outstanding Achievement, and Outstanding Achievement (Individual) at multi-family and business properties, and from our Recycling Volunteer corps.

Congratulations to all!

Recycling Awareness Week: Poster contest winners

Our Recycling Poster Contest winners were announced on Tuesday: view the winning student posters in our Flickr set.

Here is a small random sample:

Memorial Day 2009 - modified recycling + trash collection schedule

Monday, May 25, 2009 - Memorial Day - is a recycling and trash collection holiday. All County-provided recycling and will be made one day later this week.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

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

Solid Waste Transfer Station Holiday Closings

Solid Waste Transfer Station hours and other details

• Monday, May 25, 2009: closed
• Tuesday, May 26, 2009: will reopen with normal hours

Beauty Spot Holiday Closings

Beauty Spot locations, hours and other details

• Saturday, May 23, 2009: open
• Sunday, May 24, 2009: closed

What's in the can? Labels are critical.

The issue challenges our collection crews throughout the year. But, it's especially acute in the spring.

Quick! What's in this can?

Since it *is* a trash can, there a good chance that the contents are trash. But, what if the resident has followed our advice on using reusable cans for yard trim, and has set out grass, leaves, or brush instead? It's hard to tell, right?

Our collection crews have the same problem! As they drive down your street, the only way they have of knowing the can contents of a lidded trash can for sure is stop, lift the lid, and peer inside.

Yard trim collection routes typically service approximately 1,500 homes per day. Stopping to check every trash can that's set out to see whether there are leaves, grass, or brush -- or trash -- inside slows the crew signficantly.

Please help your your yard trim collectors do their work efficiently and accurately by clearly labeling trash cans you set out with yard trim inside. Green labels are the collectors' best signal that a container's contents are for them. Make sure that the labels face the street when you place your can at the curb.

We are happy to send you yard trim decals at no charge. The decals are also available at local libraries.

Will your compost bin fit in my car?

Are you interested in picking up one of our compost bins, but concerned about how you'll get it home?

When set up for use, the bins are roughly 2.5 feet tall, and the same in diameter (the diameter is adjustable).

However, the bins come packaged as tight rolls of approximately 2.5 feet long, and 4 inches in diameter.

So, the roll fits easily into the truck, foot well, or seat of your car.

And, if you're using public transportation? Carrying one bin is no problem. Carrying multiple bins... well, that can get interesting, especially during the rush hour -- I've attempted it! And, while you're on the bus or Metro, you'll find your bin to be a good conversation starter.

Regardless of how you get your bin to your home, happy composting!

Please share your omposting success stories! And, what questions do you have about composting? We'd love to address them in future blog posts!

We celebrate compost every week

Last week, a colleague reminded me that May 3 through May 9, 2009 was International Compost Awareness Week. 

Oops!  Is this post a week late, then?  Not really: just as "Earth Day is every day," "Compost Awareness Week is every week" for us.

• We have compost bins available to you -- Montgomery County residents and businesses -- at no charge throughout the year, and our pickup locations are ready for your visit this Spring.
• The leaves and grass you set out for curbside recycling are composted year-round at our Compost Facility.
• The Compost Facility produces Leafgro and Compro, available for purchase at local home and garden centers. 

Do you compost?  Please share your success stories!  And, what questions do you have about composting?  We'd love to address them in future blog posts!

Thanks for making our Earth Day Celebration a big success!

Were you able to join us for our Earth Day Celebration on Saturday? If you were, thanks for coming out - you helped us set a new attendance record! If not, perhaps we'll see you next year.

A big round of applause and thanks to the many Recycling Volunteers who helped us at this event! We are so grateful to you all!

Some snapshots of the day...

How may I replace my cracked or broken recycling bin?

The photo in my last blog post had a badly cracked recycling bin in the foreground. If you have one in similar condition, how do you get a replacement bin?

You may order a new bin at no charge through our "web store", or by calling our Customer Service staff at 240-777-6410.

If you'd like us to take your broken bin when we deliver your new bin, just let us know during the ordering process. We send the broken bins we pick up to a recycler.

The bin deliveries and pickups are made by our staff, not the recycling collection crews. Therefore, while your new bin may arrive on your recycling day, it is possible that it will happen on another day.

Why are trash can lids replaced upside down?

We invite residents to share their comments via a survey about our recycling and trash collection service to them.

One recent survey respondent wrote:

Do not like that the can tops are "stuffed" inside -- but I guess that takes less time that putting them back on. Perhaps the crews should just leave the tops flat on the ground rather than stuffing them inside.

After collection, crews are not supposed to jam lids down into your containers. They are, however, supposed to place the lids back upside down.

Why upside down?

When crews replace the lids upside down, this signals their supervisors that the containers have been emptied. This way, the supervisors don't need to stop at a container, lift the lid, and check inside, which would be very inefficient, given that daily routes cover several hundred addresses, and many more containers.

Similarly, emptied wheeled paper carts are replaced with their handles facing the street, and recycling bins are replaced upside down after being serviced.

And regarding that badly cracked recycling bin in the photo and what to do about it, that's the topic of my next post!

It's National Poison Prevention Week

This week -- from March 15 to March 21, 2009 -- is National Poison Prevention Week.

Did you know these facts about poisons?

• Most poisonings involve everyday household items such as medicines, cleaning supplies, cosmetics and personal care items.
• 93 percent of all poison exposures occur in the home.
• 51 percent of poison exposures occur in children under the age of six.
• Over 70 percent of all poison fatalities occur in adults ages 20 to 59.

Where should you turn for help? The National Capital Poison Center serves our area. Have a poison emergency? Call 1-800-222-1222 immediately for help at no charge!

Some resources for poison prevention information:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (with podcasts)
• Poison Help (even includes a poison jingle ringtone for your phone!)
• US Environmental Protection Agency

If you find no-longer-needed or wanted poisons in your home, garage or garden, bring them to our Hazardous Waste program. Prevention is better than the cure!

May I put this plastic tub in my recycling bin?

A friend brought me this warehouse-store-sized plastic tub, made from plastic resin #1. She knew it wasn’t recyclable in our Montgomery County program, but hoped that maybe I’d have a (re)use for it.

I tried, but a few weeks later, it was still gracing the same spot in my office, untouched. Before I tossed it out, though, I had one more thing to do: photograph it for our plastics do’s and don’t gallery.

We do accept plastic containers, tubs and lids pails and buckets; we can’t take non-bottle items made from resins #1 (polyethylene terephthalate) -- like this tub and lid -- or #6 (polystyrene and Styrofoam™ products).

Are you unsure about whether to toss a plastic item into your recycling bin or trash can? Write to us with a description, and we'll share the answers here.

Transfer Station closed @ 5 p.m. today - March 2, 2009

Our Solid Waste Transfer Station closed at 5 p.m. today, due to icy conditions.

It's snowing! - Normal recycling / trash schedule today

What a start to the month of March, which is roaring in like a lion!  Snow is contining to fall as I write this.

If today is your recycling and trash collection day, please have your items out at the curb.  We are aiming for our normal recycling and trash collection schedule. 

Please have your items visible from the street and at the curb, so that they are not hidden by snow banks or parked cars.

Trucks may begin their rounds with a delay. If a hill or street is not passable, the crew will make another attempt later in the day or tomorrow.

How do we dispose of spray paint - latex & oil based?

From our mailbag:

How do we dispose of spray paint - latex & oil based?

Thanks for asking, B. We have information for oil-based paint and latex- or water-based paint on our website. But, that applies for products applied with brushes or rollers. For advice specific to spray paint cans, I put your question to our Hazardous Waste program manager.

Here is what I learned:

• Use up the spray paint product. Make sure the can no longer has pressure in it by holding down the valve until it is empty. Then, put the empty can in the trash.
• Or, bring the can to us at a Household Hazardous Waste drop-off site, and we'll extract any remaining product and depressurize it.

In addition to this advice... if there's an appreciable amount of product left in the can, and you no longer have a use for it, consider offering the can to your neighbors through your local Freecycle Network group.

Presidents' Day Holiday, February 16, 2009 - normal collection schedule

Monday, February 16, 2009 - Presidents' Day - is a regular recycling and trash collection day. All County-provided recycling and trash collections will be made on their normal schedule. Our Solid Waste Transfer Station will have its regular hours of operation.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

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

New compost bin pickup site... with weekend hours!

Given the snow that swirled around this morning, your thoughts may not yet have returned to gardening and composting. But, when they do, we're ready with a new pickup point for compost bins.

We just added the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Gaithersburg to our list of distribution sites. What's more, the ReStore is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.!

Our compost bins are available to County residents and businesses at no charge.

Compost bin pickup locations, and bin details