Introduction to Recycling And Refuse in The City of Rockville - Pt. 1 of 5

It really isn't garbage till you mix it all together. It really isn't garbage till you throw it all away. Just separate your paper plastic compose glass and metal. And then you get to use it all another day. Let's get into why recycling and proper disposal of refuse and other household materials is so important to Rockville, its residents and the environment! In this 5 part video series about the residential recycling and refuse program in Rockville, Maryland, you'll discover why Rockville's highly advanced recycling system depends on you. How to set up refuse and recycling service if you're new to town... What to recycle, what to put into your refuse and yard waste, AND how to dispose of materials such as bulk refuse, scrap metal, electronics, and hazardous waste. Remember when recycling meant separating bottles, cans, and paper? Today, Rockville offers the state's most advanced single-stream recycling. Cans, bottles, paper, and most plastics go into a single container. So it is easier than ever to recycle in Rockville. Plus a LOT of what WAS refuse BEFORE isn't refuse anymore. Finally, recycling earns money for the City and keeps the collection rates lower. Ever wonder how it all works? Every week, after we pick up your recycling we take it to Gaithersburg, where we consolidate it into larger trucks to make transportation more efficient. Then we take your recycling to Elkridge where your materials are sorted. We're proud to be a partner with the City of Rockville. So, residents put all of their commodities in one bin. It get's collected, it comes to this location where we separate it out by commodity...newspaper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum, steel cans, glass. We separate all of those commodities, and then we sell them. The City of Rockville also benefits in the fact that then they get revenues from the sale of those commodities, which helps offset some of the collection costs. Refuse, on the other hand, consists of items that aren't remanufactured into something else. We take refuse to the Montgomery County transfer station, where they put it on a train known to insiders as the refuse train. Seventeen miles away, in Dickerson, the refuse is incinerated. The long and short of it is, The City earns money when we recycle, and spends money to burn refuse. So the more you know about recycling, the better for all of us. That goes for yard waste, too. Our yard waste is made into mulch and available to County residents. So, bottom line number 1: increasing your recycling will improve Rockville in many ways. Bottom line #2: creating less refuse is just as important. Here's what we recommend. Use cloth napkins instead of paper. Use reusable shopping bags instead of the store's plastic or paper. Bring home restaurant leftovers in your own reusable food containers. Compost non-dairy and non-meat food scraps and you'll greatly reduce your weekly refuse. Mulching your grass is much better for your lawn and for the environment, but if you don't mulch, bag your grass as yard waste. Finally, buy recycled goods whenever possible... clothing, home furnishings, countertops, and office supplies. You'll help ensure the demand for recycling. How can you find out more about helping Rockville recycle and reduce waste? Give us a call at the City of Rockville Recycling Program, 240-314-8568, or write to us at REFUSE@ROCKVILLEMD.gov Also, check out our Recycling and Refuse Guide online, and thank you for caring about Rockville! It really isn't garbage till you throw it away. Separate your paper, plastic, compose, glass and metal. Then you get to use it all another day.