- Home
- Government
- Departments
- Public Works
- Refuse & Recycling
- Household Recycling Collection
Household Recycling Collection
Recycling Collection Schedule
The Village recycling program is also under private contract. Collection of recyclable metals, plastics, glass and mixed paper occurs every Wednesday for the west side of Connecticut Avenue and every Thursday for the east side of Connecticut Avenue. As with household refuse, this collection is from the rear door.
The Village participates in a "single-stream" recycling program, meaning that all recyclables can be commingled and placed in the Green recycling toters, pictured to the right. (Recycling materials must not be placed in plastic bags.)
The Village recycling program is also under private contract. Collection of recyclable metals, plastics, glass and mixed paper occurs every Wednesday for the west side of Connecticut Avenue and every Thursday for the east side of Connecticut Avenue. As with household refuse, this collection is from the rear door.
The Village participates in a "single-stream" recycling program, meaning that all recyclables can be commingled and placed in the Green recycling toters, pictured to the right. (Recycling materials must not be placed in plastic bags.)
The list of acceptable recyclable materials is constantly growing and a current list follows:
All non-recyclable materials should be placed with the regular trash.
1. NO WISH CYCLING. Only put items that you know can be recycled into the Recycling Bin. And remember the three “R”s: Reduce first, Reuse/Repair, and finally Recycle, in that order. Try to avoid single use anything.
2. No Plastic Bags! They are the biggest hindrance in the automated sorting process and can gum up the works, taking machines out of service or requiring labor intensive sorting. Plastic bags can be taken to most grocery stores for processing or disposal. Contrary to popular belief, only a small percentage of this single use plastic can be effectively recycled. Much of it escapes into the environment, contaminating stream banks, waterways and food webs.
3. No Soiled Materials. Do not put heavily soiled/contaminated material in the recycling bin since those have to be removed manually. Soiled items should go in the trash. Minimally soiled containers (less than 5% contamination) are ok, but bottles and cans should be rinsed. Greasy pizza boxes go in the trash.
To discard of bulk or scrap metal items, please contact the Village's 24-hour Communications Center at 301-654-7300 to schedule a special pick-up. Special pick-ups are collected every Wednesday by our in-house Public Works Department. Requests for pick-up must be received by 2 p.m. on the immediately preceding Tuesday.
Commingled Glass, Metal & Plastics
- Glass: All jars and bottles (all colors). Not of much value but unbroken jars and bottles accepted and passed along to specialty processors. Remove tops and dispose of separately in trash.
- Metal: All aluminum and steel food and beverage cans and aluminum foil products such as balled foil wraps, and foil cookware. Please empty and rinse cans and foil products. Other scrap metal items are accepted at the Shady Grove Transfer Station and can be collected under the Village’s Special Pick-Up Program (call or schedule online to arrange a pick-up).
- Plastics: Plastic bottles and containers labeled #1-2 are the most valuable; plastics #3-7 are accepted but must be sent to specialized processors, so less desirable. DO NOT PUT Styrofoam, packing peanuts or other plastic-based packaging material in the bin. Please empty and rinse containers. No plastic bags, film or shrink wrap.
Mixed Paper
- Newspaper and all advertising inserts
- Magazines and glossy paper products, mail order catalogs, etc.
- Cardboard: cereal boxes, packing boxes, etc. (Please flatten large cardboard boxes, remove the plastic sealing tape, and set with/beside the bin.) Styrofoam must be removed prior to recycling shipping boxes.
- Telephone books, paperback books
- Plain paper, unwanted mail, computer paper
- Do not recycle greasy or dirty paper products; boxes lined with foil, metal or plastic, paper/plastic combinations like mailing envelopes with bubble-wrap inside. These items should be disposed of with your regular household trash.
Non-Recyclable Materials
All non-recyclable materials should be placed with the regular trash.
1. NO WISH CYCLING. Only put items that you know can be recycled into the Recycling Bin. And remember the three “R”s: Reduce first, Reuse/Repair, and finally Recycle, in that order. Try to avoid single use anything.
2. No Plastic Bags! They are the biggest hindrance in the automated sorting process and can gum up the works, taking machines out of service or requiring labor intensive sorting. Plastic bags can be taken to most grocery stores for processing or disposal. Contrary to popular belief, only a small percentage of this single use plastic can be effectively recycled. Much of it escapes into the environment, contaminating stream banks, waterways and food webs.
3. No Soiled Materials. Do not put heavily soiled/contaminated material in the recycling bin since those have to be removed manually. Soiled items should go in the trash. Minimally soiled containers (less than 5% contamination) are ok, but bottles and cans should be rinsed. Greasy pizza boxes go in the trash.
To discard of bulk or scrap metal items, please contact the Village's 24-hour Communications Center at 301-654-7300 to schedule a special pick-up. Special pick-ups are collected every Wednesday by our in-house Public Works Department. Requests for pick-up must be received by 2 p.m. on the immediately preceding Tuesday.