Montgomery County, MD Advances Zero Waste Goals with Expanded Recycling and Sustainable Waste Management Plans

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): Montgomery County has announced it is advancing its zero waste goals through expanded recycling and composting programs, improved waste diversion technologies, and community engagement, achieving a 45% recycling rate—significantly above the national average of 32%. The County plans to implement advanced waste processing technologies, close its Resource Recovery Facility, and transition to more sustainable systems while maintaining current operations through a short-term contract extension.

Montgomery County, in partnership with residents and businesses, is recycling more and keeping more materials out of the trash. Recycling rates in Montgomery County continue to improve, and the County’s 45 percent recycling rate outpaces the national recycling rate of 32 percent. Through community engagement and education, the County is reducing waste as the population grows. From 2018 to 2022, waste per person has decreased by 11 percent and between 2020 and 2022 plastic recycling increased by 110 percent.

Montgomery County is making recycling easier with expanded recycling programs, including the launch of the Food Scraps Recycling drop-offs at community farmers markets across the County, where residents can bring leftover cooked food like meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetable scraps to be recycled. Approximately 27,000 pounds of food scraps have been collected from approximately 3,800 residents to date.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com