Expanded Recycling Options

The Department of Solid Waste Management facilities (at 9031 Reichs Ford Road in Frederick) accept much more than just bottles, cans, boxes, and jars. The recycling drop off center at this site is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and accepts an expanded array of recyclable materials in addition to regular, single-stream household recyclables.

By entering at the "Recycling Road" entrance (just before the main site entrance), you may bring in, for no fee, any of the regular recyclables accepted for curbside recycling as well as:

• Appliances: “White goods” such as refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, air conditioners, hot water heaters, etc. (Not Accepted: small, mostly plastic appliances such as blenders, alarm clocks, etc.)
• Automotive Materials: Motor oil (up to 5 gallons per day) and filters (no empty oil bottles), antifreeze, diesel fuel, hydraulic and transmission fluids, and lead-acid batteries. There are additional sites for motor oil and antifreeze recycling located across Frederick County; view locations. For information on tires, see below. (Not Accepted for Recycling: any other automotive components.)
• Bulky/Oversized Rigid Plastics - The only accepted items are: plastic crates, buckets, plastic furniture, storage tubs/totes, drum/barrels, water cooler bottles, plastic pallets, outdoor play sets, trash cans, laundry baskets. No other large plastic items are accepted.
• Flexible Foam: Foam carpet padding, foam couch cushions, foam-only mattresses. (NOT accepted: Jute/fiber carpet padding, Styrofoam, regular mattresses.)
• Scrap Metal: Anything made of at least 75% metal, such as bicycles, fencing, lawn mowers, wire coat hangers, grills, swing sets, aluminum lawn chairs, barbeque grills, pots and pans, file cabinets, metal shelving, etc.
• Vegetable Oil: Up to 5 gallons per resident per day can be dropped off. Your container will be left behind, so, please bring oil in something you are prepared to lose. No animal fats.
• Yard Waste: Our primary yard waste recycling site is accessed via the main facility entrance (see below), however, small amounts of material may be brought to the recycling drop off center where a collection dumpster has been placed for convenience.

The main facility entrance is used for any transactions requiring presentation of a driver's license, transactions that incur a fee or for bringing in large amounts of yard waste. This includes:

• Yard Waste: Limbs and pruned branches smaller than 8-10’ long and 6-8” diameter, grass clippings, weeds, fallen leaves, etc. There is no fee to drop off yard waste. (Not accepted as yard waste: mulch, soil or root balls, construction debris, lumber, plastic bags. These materials may be brought in for regular disposal.)
• Tires: Tires are brought through the main entrance, not the recycling entrance, for a cash/check fee of $.72 per 20 pounds or a credit/debit fee of $.79 per 20 pounds. Residents may bring in 5 tires per year. (For more information on scrap tire disposal, click here.)
• Electronics: There is a cash/check fee of $.72 per 20 pounds or a credit/debit fee of $.79 per 20 pounds of electronics being recycled. For complete details and items accepted, visit https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/5598/Electronics-Recycling

Municipal Drop-Off Centers

In addition to the County's primary recycling site on Reichs Ford Road, several municipalities offer additional drop-off recycling options. Please see their websites for information:

• The City of Brunswick
• The Town of Thurmont
• The Town of Walkersville