Recycling in Maryland

Recycling is a key part of proper trash removal. The problem often becomes that recycling is different in every county so people are confused on what they can recycle, if items need to be separated or if the items need to be clean before they are recycled. These points of confusion can lead to people deciding not to recycle because it is easier to throw the items in the trash or it can lead to incorrect recycling, which is sometimes just as bad as not recycling at all. Below we are providing some links and information for those of you that live in Maryland and want to make sure you are recycling correctly in your home.

In Anne Arundel County you can mix together all of your paper, plastic, metal and glass into one container each week. You can not put yard waste in those containers though. Don’t worry, you can recycle as much as you want, just make sure the containers aren’t too heavy to lift.

Montgomery County on the other hand wants to you seperate your paper items out from the rest of your recycling. Their county website has a great resource if you have a question about how to recycle anything. All you have to do is type in the item and they will find the answer. Use this tool and request a recycling bin from the county website.

In Charles County Maryland curbside recycling is only picked up every other week. All the basic paper, cardboard, metal, glass and plastic items can be recycled but they need to be placed in the recycling cart or a clear plastic bag.

Baltimore is another county where everything can be mixed in the same bin. However, you should not use plastic bags to recycle your items as they get jammed into the machines. All of the items should be lightly rinsed before they are placed in the recycle bin. You may be surprised about what you can and can’t recycle. For example, tissues, napkins and paper towels cannot be thrown into the recycling bin.

Howard county allows all recyclable items to be mixed together in their recycling cart. If you are trying to avoid throwing out food scrapes as well, you can learn how to compost from the county.

If your county isn’t listed, make sure you look into recycling guidelines. If you are going to recycle anyway, you might as well be doing it correctly to ensure that it is actually helping your community and environment.