Montgomery County, Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) is committed to providing leadership which will foster conservation, protection and improvement of the environment by adopting a DPWT Environmental Sustainability Policy that includes reducing waste and pollution, recycling, reusing products and composting.

Zero Waste

• Solid Waste
• Office Waste Reduction, Recycling & Reuse

Hazardous Waste Reduction

• Vehicle Maintenance & Repair
  • Non Toxic Solvent Part Washer
  • Substituted Aerosols with Refillable Pumps
• Laboratory Asphalt Testing

Pollution Prevention

• Environmental Compliance Training
• Street Sweeping
• Roadside Litter Pickup
• Storm Drain Marking
• Adopt A Road
• Noise Abatement

Solid Waste

DPWT, Division of Solid Waste Services provides services that includes collection, and management of solid waste, recycling, hazardous household waste disposal, and small quantity business hazardous waste. The Division also operates the waste-transfer, drop-off recycling, and waste to energy sites in the County. The Division also provides countywide public education and outreach related to waste reduction, reuse, recycling and hazardous product substitution.

DSWS offers online filing of Annual Recycling Reports by businesses, which reduces paper use. Also, nearly all of the Division’s publications are available electronically.
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Office Waste Reduction, Recycling and Reuse

DPWT reduces office waste by purchasing products that are equal in performance to standard office products, but saves natural resources, conserves energy, or reduces or prevents the mission of toxic chemicals. DPWT purchases Energy Star office equipment such as computers, copiers, and printers that have been certified by the Federal Energy Star program as being among the most energy efficient in the market. DPWT orders in bulk or place orders in a consolidated manner as to avoid wasteful packaging and unnecessary use of fossil fuel in the transportation/shipping of orders. DPWT staff commonly uses electronic means to transfer of data and correspondences, prints on both sides, and limited subscriptions.

DPWT offices recycle mixed paper including corrugated cardboard, newspaper, office paper, shredded paper; commingled materials including aluminum cans and foil products, plastic narrow-neck bottles, and glass bottles and jars.

DPWT staff donates or exchanges surplus and reusable waste items with other County staff. (back to top)

Hazardous Waste Reduction

Vehicle Maintenance & Repair

Since 2002, DPWT Fleet Services has replaced all solvent parts washers in County operated auto repair facilities with microbial parts washers, reducing ozone forming volatile organic hydrocarbons (VOC’s) that were contributing to ozone (smog) formation. And, since 2004, DPWT has been substituted aerosol with refillable pumps. aerosol cans contain carbon dioxide, propane butane, and VOCs that contribute to green house gases that contribute to global warming. (back to top)

Substituted to non-toxic solvent part washer

• Pay-off in 2 years
• Cost: $1900 (one-time basis)
• Solution cost: $150/month ($1800/yr)
• Other Savings: reduced operating costs,
  regulatory burden and reduce liability (back to top)

Substituted aerosol with refillable pumps for brake cleaners, engine cleaner, penetrating oil (Yield), and glass cleaners.

• Cost Reduction: reduced operating costs (propellant & disposal costs), regulatory burden and reduce liability (back to top)

Laboratory Asphalt Testing - Substituted testing asphalt using Trichloroethylene with an ignition oven

Old Solution:

• Disposal Cost: $4,442 (one-time basis)
• Operation: $368.79 per test takes
  five (5) hours to run

New Solution:

• Cost: $8,750
• Savings: reduced operating costs
  $ 79.63 per test that takes only
  one (1) hour to run
• Other savings: regulatory
  burden and reduce liability (back to top)

Pollution Prevention

Environmental Compliance Training

DPWT raises environmental awareness among staff and others by delivering Pollution Prevention Training through variety of environmental courses. These courses help staff to understand the basic principles and concepts of pollution prevention in the public sector; understand the applicable regulations and eliminate or greatly reduce violations of these regulations; identify ways to reduce hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants; and, develop an action plan to prevent and manage pollution. (back to top)

Street Sweeping

During FY2007, DPWT has swept Countywide 4797 lane miles of residential and arterial roads. As of the beginning of June, 2007, 55-percent of these lanes roads were swept and over 2,100 tons of road debris were collected. (back to top)

Roadside Litter Pickup

DPWT has dedicated two dedicated litter collection teams to collect litter strewn along major arterial roadways throughout the County. As of the beginning of June, 2007, over 10.5 tons of trash/litter have been collected. (back to top)

Storm Drain Marking

DPWT provides free plastic markers to volunteers to affix to storm drain inlets in their community.  The markers, along with door hangers, educate residents to not dump pollutants into inlets. Read more. (back to top)

Adopt A Road

DPWT utilizes volunteers to clean roadsides of litter at least six times a year.  The program currently cleans more than 200 road segments throughout the county.  Read more. (back to top)

Noise Abatement

DPWT mitigates noise impacts from all roads built and maintained in Montgomery County as indicated in the Highway Noise Abatement Policy. (back to top)