Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste Services

COG Recycling Committee

September 18, 2008

Expanded Plastics Recycling Program

County Statistics

• 497 square miles• Almost 1,000,000

residents– 210,000 households– 700 multi-family

properties– 111,000 multi-family

dwelling units

• Approximately 35,000 businesses– 520,000 employees

Residential Curbside Collection

• County contractors collect from 210,000 households weekly

• Weekly recycling collection – Mixed paper– Commingled materials– Yard trim

• On request– Scrap metal

• Special– Christmas trees

Weekly refuse collection is provided to approx. 87,000 households in the southern portion of the County

“What Types of Plastic Can I Recycle?”

Planning for Change• In 2006, only one vendor showed interest in recycling

plastic containers, tubs and lids– Limited market

• In early 2008, DSWS directed Maryland Environmental Service (MES) to research markets– Additional plastic recycling markets now interested in tubs and

lids

• Vendor interest in receiving additional plastics and market prices remained strong in late winter/early spring

• Initiated discussions with interested vendors on material specifications

• In early spring, DSWS made decision to proceed with expanding curbside recycling program

“Pilot Program”

• Initiated in May 2008 at the Montgomery County Recycling Center– Sorting of materials already

entering the system from residents– Bale materials– Select representative samples of

materials for identification purposes and photograph to send to markets

• A significant amount of material was collected during the pilot (no education provided to residents from DSWS)

• Response from vendors was very positive

Planning for Change• MES issued request for bids in June 2008

to recycle plastic tubs and lids and flower pots– Plastic containers, jars, lids, food-grade tubs,

pails/buckets, and flower pots

• Received bid proposals from several vendors to recycle tubs and lids and flower pots– Best prices:

• $220/ton – plastic containers, tubs and lids• $240/ton – flower pots

Planning for Change

• Minor modifications made to Recycling Center processes

– Added two stations (flower pots and plastic containers, tubs and lids)

– Additional sorter

• No change had to be made to collections contract

– Educational materials were provided to contractors

– Conducted training sessions for collection contractors to identify acceptable types of plastics

• Provided education to DSWS customer service staff, outreach staff, and recycling center staff

• Formally announced program on July 1, 2008 with the County Executive and County Council

Education• Media Event with the County Executive/County Council

at Recycling Center on July 1, 2008

• Develop brochure to highlight change and list examples of acceptable and non-acceptable items

• Develop multi-media education campaign to educate residents– Cable television– Radio– Print notifications– Staff/volunteer participation at numerous community events to

raise awareness• Montgomery County Agricultural Fair• Comcast Film Festival

Media Campaign

• Radio– July 1 – August 31

• WASH-FM 97.1• WBIG-FM 100 FM

• Cable Television– July 7 – August 31

• Comcast (A&E, ESPN2, Food Network, Fox News, Headline News, History Channel, The Weather Channel, TNT)

• Movie Theater Preview– July 15 – August 15

• Print– June 24 – July 31

• The Gazette, Express, Washington Examiner, Washington Hispanic

• Civic Loop Community and Civic Leader Newsletter

Kick-Off July 1: Media Event

July 1 Media Event

Bale of flower pots ready for market

DSWS Website

Printed Materials

• New Brochure

Update Existing Materials

• Flyers and Labels

Print AdsEnglish Spanish

Transit Ads

Cable Television Campaign

Educational AwarenessMontgomery County Agricultural Fair and Comcast Film Festival

The Results?

• As of August 31, 2008, DSWS shipped one load (22.8 tons) of plastic containers, tubs and lids ~ 32 bales of plastic.

• A shipment of flower pots is not anticipated until after Spring 2009.

Questions?

Montgomery County

Department of Environmental Protection

Division of Solid Waste Services

101 Monroe Street, 6th Floor

Rockville, MD 20850

(240) 777-6400 phone; (240) 777-6465 fax

Website: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/recycling

Email: recycle@montgomerycountymd.gov