Every ten years, each County in Maryland is required by the State to prepare a solid waste management plan that covers ten years and to update the plans every three years. The Department of Environmental Protection recently submitted its draft 2020-2029 plan to the County Council on December 8th. The plan includes a number of new programs that will help increase waste reduction, recycling, reuse and repair, as well as food scrap composting.
New programs planned in the coming years include:
- Pilot curbside food scraps collection in two neighborhoods;
- Continuation of a pilot commercial food scraps collection program.
- Helping residents who want to backyard compost food waste safely.
- Adding recycling bins in downtown Wheaton.
- Fix-It/Repair Clinics and Sharing “Tool Libraries.”
- Curbside electronic and textile waste programs.
- Expansion of construction and demolition waste collection.
Sierra Club MC wants to see an end to the wasteful, polluting practice of trash incineration when the contract with Covanta expires in April 2026. To reach that milestone, the County needs to find a long-term solution to the problem of “what’s left,” after removing as much waste as possible from the waste stream. It also needs an updated and reimagined Transfer Station to handle more materials and reuse programs. Since food waste is 20 percent of the total and the lowest-hanging fruit, it makes sense to focus increased efforts on composting.
To learn about the waste composition makeup in Montgomery County, click here.
You can read the County Council staff report on the Draft 10-Year Solid Waste Management Plan here.
If you have suggestions or concerns about the draft plan, please contact Amy Maron, Zero Waste Lead at amy.maron@mdsierra.org.