Greening Our Town

Greener Homes

Tips

• Be Cool! (July 2021)
• Compost to Reduce Greenhouse Gases! (June 2021)
• Recycling Made Easy (March 2021)

3R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Task Force

Sorting and disposing of household waste appropriately can be confusing, even for recycling enthusiasts! In addition, China’s recent waste management changes have resulted in a <1% acceptance rate of and dramatic price decreases for US recycling materials. In response, the Town of Chevy Chase’s recycling contractor, Goode Companies, has changed its policies for acceptable recycled materials. We are therefore writing to provide you with a brief refresher course in how to dispose of your household waste.

1. Only include authorized items in your recycling. This is a visual depiction of acceptable recycled items. If an item is not included on the list, it should be either composted (see below) or disposed of in the trash.
2. No plastic bags! This means you should neither enclose your recyclables in plastic bags nor include bags among the items to be recycled. Instead, recycle plastic bags and plastic films in the bag recycling bin in front of most grocery stores. Cut off any paper labels prior to recycling. Stuff one bag full of other bags, tie it up and pop it in!
3. Clean all items before recycling. Dirty items, including dirty bulky items, cannot be recycled. Also, dirty items often contaminate other items and prevent their recycling as well. Washing out recyclables including plastic lids, caps, aluminum foil and pans, and metal containers, also helps keep your recycling bins clean.
4. Separate paper and cardboard. Although we have single stream recycling, loose paper easily becomes contaminated, and small scraps get lost in the shuffle. Putting papers inside a cardboard box or paper bag helps prevent this. Ideally, shredded paper should be enclosed in a paper bag. You can recycle corrugated carboard that does not contain a wax coating, junk mail, magazines, newspapers, books, and wrapping paper.
5. Sign up for free curbside composting! A wide variety of organic materials are collected every Tuesday by our composting contractor, the Compost Crew, including pizza boxes. Every household can receive one composting bucket free of charge. You can sign up for this service through the Town’s website.
6. When in doubt, throw it out. Items not specified on either the recycling or the composting list, including cans or bottles of paint, chemicals, motor oil should be put in trash.

And remember, the best way to minimize waste is to reduce purchases, particularly of single-use plastics such as disposable cups and cutlery, and reuse items whenever possible.

Events

Bringing Climate Solutions Home Online Panel Discussion - April 30, 2020

A full audio recording of the panel is available here and the accompanying presentation is available to view here.

Resources

• You’re probably recycling wrong. This quiz will help you sort it out.
• Recycling, Composting and Trash & Treasures
• Household Hazardous Waste
• Montgomery Energy Connection
• Washington Gas - EmPOWER contractors
• Search Engine for Local Recycling Options
• Home HVAC Primer
• Induction Cooking Guide
• Renewable Electricity Guide