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Facility Update and Changes
What's Changing Fee Wise
Starting July 1st 2025 here's what to expect:
- All transactions, both at our scale house and Citizens Convenience Center (CCC), will be subject to a $10 minimum transaction rate and then charged per 20 lbs. at the current Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Construction and Demolition (C&D), or other posted rate.
For example, Freddy Frederick has a pick-up truck with three garbage bags of Municipal Solid Waste that weigh under 240 pounds. Freddy Frederick will be charged a minimum of 10 dollars.
At the same time, Marge Middletown has a trailer full of MSW that weighs 1,000 lbs. Marge will meet the $10 minimum and will be charged the MSW rate per 20 lbs, as usual, and will not pay an extra rate.
Finally, Willy Wolfsville brings his dump truck full of MSW, which weighs over 2,000 lbs. Willy will meet the minimum and be charged the MSW rate per ton, then per 20 lbs as usual, and will NOT pay an extra rate. - Yard Waste not meeting the restrictions of the recycling center (please see next tab for details) will be subject to the $10 minimum rate and a $25 per ton fee thereafter.
- The cash and check discount will be phased out over the next few months.
Here's Everything That's Changing At The Recycling Center
Beginning July 1st, 2025
- Only yard waste bagged in brown paper (I.E., 30-gallon yard waste bags purchased from area stores) will be accepted at our recycling center at no cost.
- A limit of Five-30 gallon yard waste bags per resident per day will be enforced.
- Those with more than the above yard waste, or yard waste that is not bagged, will be asked to cross the scales and pay the new yard waste rate.
- Textile Recycling Bins are now available for use during regular recycling center hours! Read the full list of accepted items. Please also bag all textiles in garbage bags. No loose textiles will be accepted.
- Undamaged, unattached, removable, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries of any size will be accepted at the recycling center at no cost. (Electronics, such as laptops, tablets, and phones, that have lithium-ion batteries but cannot be removed, can be disposed of at the CCC for a flat rate.)
We've seen prices everywhere going up, and this may seem like another frustrating increase. However, these changes are long overdue. Here's why:
- The Division of Solid Waste and Recycling (DSWR) is "enterprise funded," which means we operate as a business-like entity under the county government umbrella. To serve the way we need to serve, we must raise enough revenue to cover expenses each year.
- We have not established new fees or increased existing fees since 2008. Over the last few years, a detailed cost analysis has been conducted to determine that changes were necessary to maintain a stable program.
- This analysis identified the need to upgrade its software infrastructure. This upgrade will enable better data gathering, measurement, and processing, ensuring Frederick County can expand its integrated waste services with data-driven decisions.
- This upgrade will also provide a new payment portal for account holders and a more streamlined billing system, which will save time and increase convenience for commercial account holders.
- The analysis also pointed to Frederick County being one of the few counties in Maryland that do not charge for yard waste. To continue providing this heavily used service, stem misuse, and evolve current programs to serve the public, Frederick County needed to establish a yard waste fee.
- Expanding programs or offering new programs can be expensive. With limited space and the desire to make the best use of that space, while also reducing the trash burden through waste diversion.