How to recycle / dispose building materials - usable condition

What materials are accepted?

Items accepted in Montgomery County's "Don't Dump. Donate!" program for building material reuse include:

• appliances - 5 years old or less, and in working condition
• bricks and cinderblocks - See more detail about bricks and cinderblocks
• cabinetry - kitchen/bath sets and singles
• doors
• garden supplies
• flooring - ceramic, wood, and linoleum
• lighting and ceiling fans
• lumber, plywood, & molding - over 4 feet, no nails
• plumbing - toilets, sinks, tubs, radiators
• housing - gutters and downspouts
• tools
• windows - thermal pane

The collected materials will be assessed by non-profit organizations for reuse, and taken if acceptable. Therefore, the Division of Solid Waste Services reserves the right to refuse any items deemed unfit for reuse.

Not sure whether your materials are in reusable condition? Ask yourself whether you'd give them to a friend!

If you have any questions about what is acceptable, contact the Loading Dock online or at 410-558-DOCK (3625).

Where can I bring reusable building materials?

We accept building materials in usable condition at our Solid Waste Transfer Station and Processing Facility. The drop-off is in the Recycling Area (in the rear of the electronics recycling enclosure).

If you are a building material wholesaler or another group that has a large quantity of materials to donate, you may make special collection arrangements through the Loading Dock. Contact the Loading Dock online or at 410-558-DOCK (3625).

For other reuse and recycling opportunities for building materials, check the Builders' Guide to Reuse & Recycling, a directory for construction and demolition materials compiled by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

If bringing usable building materials by truck:

• Enter the Transfer Station from the Shady Grove Road entrance. (This entrance is closed on Sundays.)
• Tell the scale house attendant that you have materials for the "Don't Dump. Donate!" program. Also tell the attendant if you also have waste to dispose.
  • If you bring donations and waste in the same load, be sure to put the donations where they may be unloaded first.
• Follow the signs to the Recycling Area and carefully unload your donated materials.
• If you have waste to dispose, return to the scale house to have your vehicle reweighed before driving to the Transfer Station building.

What materials are not accepted?

Unacceptable items include

• appliances - non-working
• used carpets
• lumber under 4 feet long or with nails
• single-pane windows
• items with peeling paint
• items with lead paint
• paint - See details about paint disposal and reuse
• storm windows
• broken items
• partial packs of shingles

Can I get a donation receipt?

No, we do not provide receipts for tax purposes. If you need documentation that items were dropped off, go to the County administrative office in the Transfer Station building.

Why bring your items to our drop-off?

The Loading Dock is a nonprofit organization that gathers all types of usable building supplies and makes them available to nonprofit organizations and low income families at minimal cost. Located in Baltimore, MD, The Loading Dock serves the entire state as a clearinghouse for surplus building materials. For more information, contact the Loading Dock online or at 410-558-DOCK (3625).

Save money: Avoid all tip fees and disposal costs for usable materials by donating!

Conserve waste management capacity: the amount of material converted from waste-to-energy can be reduced by reusing building and construction materials.

Help others: Reused building materials help provide decent, affordable, low-income housing in Montgomery County and throughout Maryland.