Talking Trash

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Bicycles help Transfer Station staff get around

What is the best way to get around the nearly 50 acres of the Solid Waste Transfer Station / Recycling Center complex?

For some staff members, the answer to travelling between the various buildings and program areas in the complex is... a bicycle!

On the topic of bicycles, if you have one you no longer want, our curbside scrap metal recycling program includes bicycles, and provides convenient pick up at no charge on your recycling day.

Comment on this post

CATEGORIES: Recycling , Transfer Station
POSTED: 11:52:00 PM |

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Our Summer 2008 SORRT Newsletter is available

The Summer 2008 issue of our SORRT Network Newsletter is available on our website.  Our Non-Residential Recycling Program publishes this quarterly newsletter. 

This issue's topics include:

• Celebrating Recycling Awareness Week in Montgomery County
• Annual Business Recycling Awards
• Focus on: Mixed Paper

Interested in reading back issues?  Visit our SORRT Network Newsletter Archive. 

 Comment on this post

CATEGORIES: Business recycling (SORRT) , News , Recycling
POSTED: 11:51:00 PM |

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Are tofu containers recyclable? Yes.

Is it, or isn't it accepted in our expanded plastics recycling program?  In this case, the object of our affections here in the Division of Solid Waste Services office was... a tofu container!

We learned that, unlike our clamshell container, this tofu container is accepted in our new program. 

For the curious -- yes, we count ourselves among them! -- this white container was stamped with #2, which is high-density polyethylene or HDPE.

Comment on this post

CATEGORIES: Plastic , Recycling
POSTED: 4:42:00 PM |

Monday, July 21, 2008

More on recycling berry and other "clamshell" containers

Last Thursday, I wrote about  recycling (or not) "clamshell" containers used for packaging berries.

Over the weekend, we received this note:

You stated in your answer that berry containers can't be recycled because they are polystyrene (#6). However, some, including one I planned to recycle, are PETE (#1). Can these #1 clamshell containers be recycled?

Thanks, S., for the opportunity to clarify this topic further.  Sorry, we cannot accept the #1 clamshell containers either.  So, in summary: no clamshell containers in your blue bins, please.

On Saturday morning, my family and I went blueberry picking.  I noticed that one of the fellow berry-pickers near us was carefully depositing his harvest into... a large, clear clamshell container.  There were still lots of blueberries ripening on the bushes, with blackberries available, too, and the promise of raspberries to come!  So, there is time yet to refill your own berry containers with some tasty summer goodness before retiring them to the trash.

Comment on this post

CATEGORIES: Mailbag , Plastic , Recycling
POSTED: 4:55:00 PM |

Thursday, July 17, 2008

New electronics recycling community drop-off event added - October 19, 2008

We just added an October date to our electronics recycling community drop-off event schedule.

Sunday, October 19, 2008
Noon to 4 p.m.
Montgomery Blair High School
51 University Blvd, East
Silver Spring, MD 20901

The event will be in the parking lot on the Colesville Road side of the school property.

Map and electronics recycling drop-off event details

Sign up to receive electronics recycling event reminders and schedule updates by email

Reminder: we have an electronics drop-off event at the Comus Park-N-Ride Lot this Sunday, July 20, 2008, from Noon to 4 p.m.  And, we accept electronics at our Solid Waste Transfer Station every day.

CATEGORIES: Computers / Electronics
POSTED: 4:56:00 PM |

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Are berry containers recyclable? No.

Thank you for the many questions you've been asking us about our newly expanded plastics recycling program!  The program details are new to us, too, and we've been learning a great deal about the finer points of plastics recycling do's and don't ourselves.

We will continue to tweak our plastics guidance to you so that it is easy to use and understand.  And, we'll be sharing advice on specific plastic items here in our blog.  So, on to our first item...

One of the top questions has been "Can I recycle my strawberry / blueberry / raspberry containers?"  Sorry, to the extent that you don't have a reuse for these, please put your clear "clamshell" containers from berries into the trash.

Yes, it is a food-grade container.  But, it is made from polystyrene, which we cannot accept in this form.  How do you know that it's made from this resin?  Look for the "6" on the container.

Check back with our blog (or subscribe to our feed) as we navigate the plastics landscape.  And, visit our plastics photo set for a handy reference.

Comment on this post

CATEGORIES: Plastic , Recycling
POSTED: 10:11:00 AM |

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Hazardous Waste Collection announced for October 18, 2008

Our first Fall 2008 Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) community collection event is on the calendar!

Saturday, October 18, 2008, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Silver Spring International Middle School
313 Wayne Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(Dale Dr. & Wayne Ave.)

In addition to the HHW "satellite" events, we have our Household Hazardous Waste dropoff at the Solid Waste Transfer Station. That's open to you daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Details about our Household Hazardous Waste program

Comment on this post

CATEGORIES: Hazardous Waste , News
POSTED: 1:22:00 PM |

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

We've moved to the Department of Environmental Protection

Effective today, we -- the Division of Solid Waste Services -- are part of the Department of the Environmental Protection. All contact information remains the same. 

CATEGORIES: News
POSTED: 12:00:00 AM |