Press Releases
Montgomery County Continues Aiming for Zero Waste through Expanded Recycling and Waste Reduction and Diversion; Existing Municipal Solid Waste Contract to be Extended During New Program Implementation
For Immediate Release: Monday, November 25, 2024
Montgomery County continues to Aim for Zero Waste with several ongoing waste diversion programs focused on increased recycling and food composting, as well as reducing the amount of waste being generated in the first place.
Montgomery County, in partnership with residents and businesses, is recycling more and keeping more materials out of the trash. Recycling rates in Montgomery County continue to improve, and the County’s 45 percent recycling rate outpaces the national recycling rate of 32 percent. Through community engagement and education, the County is reducing waste as the population grows. From 2018 to 2022, waste per person has decreased by 11 percent and between 2020 and 2022 plastic recycling increased by 110 percent.
Montgomery County is making recycling easier with expanded recycling programs, including the launch of the Food Scraps Recycling drop-offs at community farmers markets across the County, where residents can bring leftover cooked food like meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetable scraps to be recycled. Approximately 27,000 pounds of food scraps have been collected from approximately 3,800 residents to date. The County also continues to expand the types of materials accepted for recycling at the Shady Grove Processing Facility & Transfer Station to include more types of electronics, batteries, durable medical equipment, plastic bags and film, mattresses and box springs. In 2023, the County recycled over 500,000 pounds of mattresses and box springs and 36,000 pounds of durable medical equipment.
New technologies will also improve recycling and waste processing and allow the County to close the Resource Recovery Facility, which converts waste to energy. Simultaneously, the County is evaluating and implementing advanced recycling and waste processing technologies aimed at increasing efficiency and minimizing the volume of waste ultimately processed for disposal. The County is upgrading the County’s Recycling Facility to add technologies aided by artificial intelligence, such as advanced optical sorters, which will significantly increase efficiency, better separate materials, reduce contamination and increase material quality and marketing value.
The County is also evaluating and implementing alternative waste processing technologies and systems that will reduce the remaining total volume of waste for disposal. Once an alternative waste processing system is implemented, the County plans to close its Resource Recovery Facility. However, because this transition cannot be fully implemented before the current solid waste processing contract expires in April 2026, Montgomery County will continue to rely on the County’s Resource Recovery Facility and Transfer Station to manage waste until those systems are operational.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has recommended the approval of a short-term extension to the current Service Agreement with Reworld Montgomery for the continued operation of the County’s existing mixed solid waste facilities. This agreement extension will ensure the acceptance, transfer, processing and disposal of mixed solid waste generated in the County until April 2031, with an option for early termination by the County.
“We are committed to finding innovative solutions to waste management and enhancing sustainability in Montgomery County," said County Executive Elrich. "This extension allows us the time needed to evaluate and implement the best available new technologies that will help us transition to a more sustainable future while ensuring that we maintain the safe, efficient operation of our waste management system in the interim."
The County is proceeding with evaluation and implementation of zero waste programs in order to handle waste in a more sustainable manner.
“I appreciate Montgomery County's work towards a zero-waste future and am committed to collaborating with the County to get there,” said Maryland Delegate Lorig Charkoudian. “It is crucial that we continue to set up the infrastructure and processes to massively reduce our waste and develop sustainable ways to process what remains, rather than sending our waste into other communities.”
The extension will include capital investments over the next four years needed to maintain the safe and compliant operations of the Resource Recovery Facility and Transfer Station. Those investments are critical to ensuring that the County can meet residents’ waste disposal needs, while the County works toward more sustainable, long-term solutions.
“Montgomery County is actively evaluating alternative waste processing technologies which aim to divert materials from the waste stream and minimize the volume of residual waste. A comprehensive evaluation will guide the County in selecting the most suitable waste processing system for the future,” said Department of Environmental Protection Director Jon Monger. “Additionally, the County continues to aim for zero waste by planning new waste diversion and recycling programs to significantly reduce the amount of solid waste sent for disposal.”
For more information about sustainable materials management in Montgomery County, visit the County’s Recycling Overview and Aiming for Zero Waste websites.
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Media Contact: Danielle Moxley
Categories: Environment