Aiming For Zero Waste

Aiming for Zero Waste

Montgomery County is committed to serving as a model for both the state and country through continuous improvement of our materials management system. To this end, the County Executive has proposed to close the incinerator and change how Montgomery County handles its solid waste and recycling in an ongoing effort to aim for zero waste that will:

Manage solid waste materials in an environmentally and socially responsible manner
Continue to provide exceptional, reliable, and cost-effective solid waste materials management services to the County now and in the future
Modernize our solid waste materials management system through a process that is robust, independent, data-driven, and transparent

The purpose of this website is to provide a resource where the County can keep residents and other stakeholder apprised of developments, progress, and information relevant to the County's Aiming for Zero Waste (AZW) initiative.

Public Engagement

Trash collector moving black trash container off of curb. Behind him is the open end of a blue trash truck. In March 2026, DEP held a series of public open houses to provide information on the future options for solid waste management, answer questions, and receive public input.
DEP also conducted a public survey to collect more detailed public input on solid waste options, zero waste initiatives, and the public’s priorities for our waste system.
Documents from the public engagement effort are provided below.

HAVE A COMMENT ON THE COUNTY’S PLAN ON AIMING FOR ZERO WASTE?: Email Us

Current Actions

Request for Proposals for Municipal Solid Waste Long-Haul and Disposal

On September 19, 2025, the County issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for operation of the transfer station and long-haul and disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW). The issuance of the RFP is an important step in the County's efforts to transition to a system of improved MSW management.

Why is the County Issuing an RFP for Long-Haul?

The County's current contract for operation of the Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) expires in April 2031. To ensure a MSW management system is in place by that date, the County has two options: procure a new long-term contract for operation of the RRF, or transition in the near term to long-haul of MSW to a landfill.
Long-haul is an important part of a transition to system where there is less waste for disposal. If a new RRF contract is procured, it would lock the County into major, fixed investments in the facility. A transition to long-haul, with a per-ton rate for transportation and disposal, would give the County the financial flexibility to pursue additional technologies and programs to divert more material from the MSW stream. This includes technologies that sort and recycle valuable materials from the MSW stream, as well as organics recycling.
Proposals under the RFP are required to address a variety of factors, including operational and logistical details for the transition, climate change, waste diversion potential, and environmental justice. Concurrent with this RFP process, we will continue to explore potential advanced waste processing technologies and enhanced programs to further reduce the MSW stream requiring disposal.

Additional information on the RFP can be found on the County's Procurement website.

Analysis of Alternatives

The County undertook a robust analysis of alternative options for solid waste materials management and developing a number of expanded and new recycling and waste diversion programs. The analysis quantified and compared the lifecycle costs, as well as qualitative advantages (benefits and opportunities) and disadvantages (including constraints/limitations and risks) associated with each of the operational options being considered; and documented the assumptions and data on which the analysis is based.

The final report of the alternatives analysis (PDF) is now available.

The County awarded a contract task order to a national engineering firm, Arcadis, to conduct this independent and comprehensive analysis of viable options for the County's solid waste management system. In its report, Arcadis evaluated three options:

Long-term continuation of the Resource Recovery Facility, with upgrades to the facility.
Long-haul of solid waste to an out-of-County landfill for disposal.
Development of an advanced materials processing facility to extract recyclables and organics from the waste stream for recycling, prior to disposal of the residual in an out-of-County landfill.

Arcadis' analysis concluded that the third option, advanced materials processing technology, was the top ranked option because it offered the potential to significantly increase waste diversion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

If you have questions or comments about the report, please email us.

How the Analysis Will be Used

The analysis will be used to support consensus discussions with the County Council regarding decision-making on future improvements to the County's solid waste management system, and will also inform budget and resource planning. In addition, the analysis will inform changes required to the County's Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan that will be required to be approved by the County Council prior to submission to the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Why the County Extended the Resource Recovery Facility Contract

Background: Extension of the Resource Recovery Facility and Transfer Station Operations Service Agreement

An emergency extension (pursuant to COMAR 14.13.01.12) of the Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) and Transfer Station (TS) Service Agreement was necessary because no other processing and disposal methods for municipal solid waste (MSW), including any alternative technology systems or facility modifications currently under evaluation by the County, is expected to be in place by April 2026, which was the termination date of the previous Service Agreement for operating the facilities.

Montgomery County (County), led by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority (the Authority) reached an agreement on a short-term extension of the current Service Agreement with Reworld Montgomery for continued operations of the County's RRF and TS for the acceptance, transfer, processing, and disposal of MSW generated in the County.

The County Council and the County Executive received a Notice of Intent from the Authority on November 25, 2024. The County Council had 120 days from the date of this formal notice to object to the extension of the Service Agreement and notify the Authority. There was no objection during that period, and the contract extension has gone into effect.

What is the Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility, and where is it located?

The RRF processes waste using mass burn technology to reduce waste and produce electricity. Reworld Montgomery, Inc. runs the facility for the County and the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority (NMWDA). The facility is in Dickerson, Maryland, on 34 acres next to the former GenOn Dickerson power station. It has three furnaces that each burn 600 tons of waste per day, producing steam that powers a turbine to generate 63 megawatts of electricity. NMWDA funded the construction of the facility and paid off the loans in 2016. It also manages the contract with Reworld Montgomery for the operation of the facility and related services. The County has an agreement with NMWDA for waste disposal and service fees. The RRF began operations in August 1995 and processes about 1,800 tons of waste each day.

How Long is the Extension? And when will Montgomery County Close the RRF?

The County is working toward closing the RRF as soon as practicable, and alternative MSW processing technologies and systems are currently under evaluation and procurement processes by the County.

The current Service Agreement with Reworld has been extended to April 1, 2031, with the County retaining the option for early termination. The County plans to implement an alternative MSW processing technology and system as quickly as possible during the extension period. The objective and purpose of these system changes are to modernize the County's materials management system, increase waste diversion and recycling, and transition away from incineration. The associated changes to the overall solid waste management system to comply with state regulatory requirements will be reflected appropriately in amendments to the County's Solid Waste Management Plan, which is reviewed and approved by the County Council and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE).

Why is the County spending money on a facility it is planning to shut down?

Certain investments must be made to continue the safe and regulatory compliant operations of the RRF during the short-term extension. There are also investments in the TS that need to be made to continue the operational functionality and transfer capacity of the facility.

What about the Transfer Station?

The extension of the Service Agreement with Reworld extended operations at both the RRF and TS.

Projects Under the Aiming for Zero Waste (AZW) Initiative

To achieve the goals set forth for the AZW initiative, there are multiple projects and changes the County is assessing and planning to implement in the future, including the following:

Enhanced Organics Collection and Processing, including County-wide residential food scraps collection
Save-as-You-Throw program
Enhanced recycling of construction and demolition debris

Meetings, Presentations, Reports & Correspondence

Information regarding AZW projects and related analyses and reports can be found here:

HAVE AN AIMING FOR ZERO WASTE QUESTION? : Email Us