Omar Khalid
Montgomery County, Maryland, is dedicated to recycling plastics and other materials to protect its land, air, and water, and preserve natural resources for the future. The county accepts plastic recycling numbers 1 through 5, but only recycles plastics numbered 1 and 2. The higher-numbered plastics are sent to landfills as there is no consumer or user for them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic numbers accepted for recycling | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Plastic numbers actually recycled | 1, 2 |
| Plastic numbers not accepted for recycling | 6 |
| Plastic items to keep out of recycling bins | Bags, wrappings, packing materials, hazardous materials, electronics, Styrofoam®, home medical supplies |
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What You'll Learn
Montgomery County accepts plastics numbered 1 through 5
Montgomery County, Maryland, accepts plastics numbered 1 through 5 for recycling. However, it is important to note that the county only recycles plastics numbered 1 and 2, with the higher-numbered plastics being sent to landfills due to a lack of demand for their recycled material.
The county's recycling program collects and processes acceptable materials through its County-provided curbside recycling initiative. These recycled materials are then sold to companies that further process them into new products. This recycling process is considered a key initiative by the county to protect the land, air, and water and preserve natural resources for the future.
To ensure the effectiveness of the recycling program, Montgomery County encourages residents to keep their recyclables "clean." This means refraining from placing items such as plastic bags, hazardous materials, electronics, Styrofoam, or home medical supplies in the blue recycling bins. Instead, these items should be disposed of separately through the proper channels.
The county also provides resources to help residents recycle correctly, including an A-Z list of how to recycle or dispose of various materials. Additionally, residents can refer to the Plastics Recycling Factsheet, which provides specific information about plastics that can be recycled in Montgomery County and those that need to be kept out of the recycling bin.
By following these guidelines and staying informed about proper recycling practices, residents of Montgomery County can play a crucial role in supporting the county's recycling efforts and contributing to a more sustainable future.
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Only plastics numbered 1 and 2 are recycled
Montgomery County, Maryland, is committed to recycling and considers it a key initiative in protecting its land, air, and water. The county's recycling program collects acceptable materials through its County-provided curbside recycling program.
However, when it comes to plastic, only plastics numbered 1 and 2 are recycled by the county. These typically include plastic bottles and containers, and they are placed in a separate bin from other recyclables like glass and cans. While plastics with other numbers may be accepted in the recycling bins, they ultimately end up in landfills as there is no market or consumer for these plastics.
It is important to keep the recycled plastics "clean," meaning that items like plastic bags, hazardous materials, electronics, Styrofoam, and home medical supplies should be kept out of the blue recycling bins.
The county sells the collected and processed recyclable materials to brokers on a monthly basis, and they are then further processed and recycled into new products.
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The rest are put into landfill
Montgomery County, Maryland, recycles plastics numbered 1 and 2, which include items such as plastic bottles and containers. However, it is important to note that the county only recycles a limited range of plastics, and other plastic items that are placed in recycling bins are ultimately destined for the landfill.
While the county accepts plastic recycling numbers up to 5, there is no market for the higher-numbered plastics. As a result, plastics numbered 3, 4, and 5 are separated from the recycling stream and disposed of as residual waste in landfills. This practice of landfilling higher-numbered plastics is a source of frustration for some residents, who feel that the county should be more transparent about its recycling limitations.
The county's recycling program also excludes certain types of plastic, such as plastic bags, thin plastics (like wrappings and packing materials), Styrofoam, and black plastic. These items should be kept out of the blue recycling bins and must be disposed of separately. Black plastic, in particular, is highlighted as an issue, as it is often labelled as recyclable but rarely actually recycled due to the challenge of processing it without introducing toxic chemicals.
Despite the limitations on plastic recycling in Montgomery County, the county values recycling as a key initiative for protecting the environment and preserving natural resources. The county continues to recycle all acceptable materials collected through its curbside recycling program and actively monitors recycling markets for opportunities to expand the range of materials it can process. This includes selling recycled materials to companies that will further process and repurpose them into new products.
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Black plastic is rarely recycled
Montgomery County, Maryland, recycles plastics numbered 1 and 2, although it accepts #1 clamshell (not #6) containers for recycling. However, black plastic, which is often labelled as recyclable, is rarely recycled. This is because the technology used by recycling facilities to sort plastics cannot detect the colour black. These materials reclamation facilities (MRFs) use an infrared light (Near Infrared or NIR) to sort plastics by colour, but since carbon black absorbs infrared light, black plastics are not registered and therefore not sorted for recycling.
Black plastic is also rarely recycled because it is often contaminated by other plastics. The black colour is created by adding a substance called carbon black to the plastic, which makes it harder to separate from other plastics during the recycling process. This means that black plastic often ends up in landfills or incinerators, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.
Furthermore, black plastic is often made with highly dangerous toxins, such as heavy metals and flame retardants, which can leach into food and pose a hazard to human health. There are currently no government regulations covering the safety of recycled black plastic items, so high levels of toxic chemicals that are prohibited in electronics are legal in black plastic utensils and toys. A 2018 University of Plymouth study found toxic chemicals present at up to 30 times the safe level in 40% of black plastic items tested.
The demand for black plastic is often met with e-waste (discarded electronics), which contains toxic chemicals such as phthalates, flame retardants, cadmium, lead, nickel, chromium, and mercury. When black plastic mixes with other plastics, the levels of poisonous ingredients and additives exceed legal limits, posing a danger to humans, animals, and the environment.
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Recycle bins are regularly monitored
The recycling bins in Montgomery County, Maryland, are regularly monitored to ensure that only acceptable materials are being collected for recycling. The county takes its recycling initiative seriously and considers it a key program to protect its land, air, and water, and preserve natural resources for the future.
The county accepts #1 clamshell (not #6) containers for recycling. This includes plastic bottles, containers, tubs, and lids marked with a 1 or 2. All other plastics are not currently recycled by the county and should be disposed of separately. This is because there is currently no market for higher-numbered plastics, and they are instead directed to landfills.
It is important that residents keep their recyclables "clean." This means that items such as plastic bags, hazardous materials, electronics, Styrofoam®, or home medical supplies should be kept out of the blue recycling bins. The county provides an A-Z list of how to properly recycle or dispose of materials, which can be found on their website.
The Montgomery County Recycling Center sorts and prepares materials for recycling markets. The county sells these processed materials to brokers on a monthly basis. They also regularly monitor the recycling markets and look for opportunities to recycle additional materials.
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Frequently asked questions
Montgomery County, Maryland accepts plastics numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 for recycling. However, they only recycle plastics numbered 1 and 2.
There is no consumer or user of the higher-numbered plastics. The higher-numbered plastics are separated from the 2-5 plastics and put into a landfill.
Plastic bags, hazardous materials, electronics, Styrofoam, and home medical supplies are not accepted in the blue recycling bins.
Montgomery County collects acceptable materials through its County-provided curbside recycling program. These materials are then sent to companies for further processing and recycling into new products. The County regularly monitors recycling markets and sells recycled materials to commodity brokers on a monthly basis.
You can refer to the Plastics Recycling Factsheet provided by Montgomery County or contact them directly at [email protected] to inquire about specific types of plastic.
