Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste Services

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Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste
Services
Expanded Plastics Recycling Program

• COG Recycling Committee
• September 18, 2008

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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

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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
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What Types of Plastic Can I Recycle?
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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Media Campaign

• Radio
• July 1 August 31
• WASH-FM 97.1
• WBIG-FM 100 FM
• Cable Television
• July 7 August 31
• Comcast (AE, 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

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Kick-Off July 1 Media Event
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July 1 Media Event
Bale of flower pots ready for market
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DSWS Website
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Printed Materials

• New Brochure

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Update Existing Materials

• Flyers and Labels

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Print Ads
English
Spanish
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Transit Ads
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Cable Television Campaign
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Educational Awareness
Montgomery County Agricultural Fair and Comcast
Film Festival
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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.

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Questions?

• Montgomery County
• Department of Environmental Protection
• Division of Solid Waste Services
• 101 Monroe Street, 6th Floor
• Rockville, MD 20850
• [phone] phone [phone] fax
• Website www.montgomerycountymd.gov/recycling
• Email recycle_at_montgomerycountymd.gov