Talking Trash

Friday, August 29, 2008

A year in review from the Recycling Center

We continually examine our statistics to help us evaluate our program and facility performance. The end of a Fiscal Year is a good opportunity to step back for a look at the larger picture…

In Fiscal Year 2008 (July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008), our Recycling Center received 97,317 tons of blue bin materials and paper.

Here's how those blue bin materials stacked up by weight:

• Glass: 61.61%
• Plastic: 16.57%
• Aluminum cans and foil: 3.03%
• Steel cans: 6.55%
• Residue (material we cannot accept for recycling): 12.23%

(The numbers don’t quite add up to 100%, due to rounding.)

Want to see the Recycling Center operations for yourself? We welcome Recycling Center tours. We hosted almost 6,000 visitors in Fiscal Year 2008. If you can't come by in person, take our online tour.

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CATEGORIES: News , Recycling Center
POSTED: 2:04:00 PM |

Friday, August 22, 2008

Old refrigerators doors from Montgomery County become art at the National Building Museum

When the folks planning the U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR^® Recycle My Old Fridge Campaign Art Exhibition needed refrigerator doors earlier this summer, they came to us.  Specifically, they turned to our Solid Waste Transfer Station, the facility which receives refrigerators for recycling.  And, our Transfer Station staff was happy to assist with their request.

The refrigerator door art has been created, and the show, titled "The Art of Recycling: The Coolest Show in Town", opens this coming Monday!  It runs from August 25 through September 2, 2008, at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.

Calculate the amount of energy used by your refrigerator, learn about ENERGY STAR^® models, and more at the Recycle My Old Fridge Campaign.  If you decide it's time to replace your refrigerator, remember that we provide curbside pickups at no charge through our scrap metal recycling program.

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CATEGORIES: News , Scrap Metal , Transfer Station
POSTED: 4:54:00 PM |

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Labor Day Holiday 2008 - modified schedule

Monday, September 1, 2008 - Labor Day - is a recycling and trash collection holiday. After the holiday, all County-provided recycling and trash collections will be one day later than normal.

If you have any questions or concerns about your County-provided collection, please contact our Customer Service staff online or call 240-777-6410.

Note: if you (or your community) have a private contract for your trash collection, or if you live in a municipality,these schedule announcements may not apply to your trash service -- check with your hauler or community manager.

Solid Waste Transfer Station Holiday Closings

Solid Waste Transfer Station hours and other details

• Monday, September 1, 2008: closed
• Tuesday, September 2, 2008: will reopen with normal hours

Beauty Spot Holiday Closings

Beauty Spot locations, hours and other details

• Saturday and Sunday, August 30 and 31, 2008: closed

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CATEGORIES: Holidays , News , Transfer Station
POSTED: 2:41:00 PM |

Friday, August 15, 2008

Visit us at the Comcast Film Festival

Tomorrow, we're wrapping up our tent and displays at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair.  Tonight, we begin our evenings at the Comcast Outdoor Film Festival!  We look forward to meeting you at our booth there.

As with the County Fair, we have lots of information about all of our recycling programs to share with you at the Film Festival.  And, we would be happy to chat with you about our expanded plastics recycling program.  So, catch a free movie, enjoy dinner, and... get your recycling questions answered! 

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CATEGORIES: Volunteers
POSTED: 5:03:00 PM |

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

We're moving bins out to you as fast as you're requesting them

Our news this summer about being about to recycle more plastics has recycling at the fore in many of your households!  One result is that you are requesting lots of blue bins to hold and set out your recyclables for collection.

To help us fill your bin orders, we just received a shipment of 4,000 bins.  (That's about 3 parking spaces full.)   At the current order rate, this shipment will keep us supplied for about two months.

Do you need a new recycling bin for your single-family home?  (We have bins for offices and apartments/condos, also.)

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CATEGORIES: Notes from the field , Recycling
POSTED: 9:00:00 AM |

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

On Chocolate Zucchini Bread and plastics recycling

I was looking forward to the arrival of the season's first zucchini, so that I could use it in a batch of Chocolate Zucchini Bread.  This past weekend, I got that zucchini, whipped out my recipe, and set to work. 

In the process, I used the last of my baking cocoa.  Typically, I would have stood there in the kitchen, considering whether I had any possible uses for the empty cocoa container, generally decided that I already had more than enough empty plastic containers awaiting reuse, and then gently placed it into the trash. 

This time, I cheerfully rinsed the container and lid, and put them into my recycling bin (after taking this photograph for you!) for collection in our expanded plastics recycling program.  And, yes, the bread turned out well also.

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CATEGORIES: Plastic , Recycling
POSTED: 2:54:00 PM |