What is dual-stream recycling?
Return to Recycling and Trash Service for single-family homes
Montgomery County has a dual-stream recycling program for residents of single-family homes and townhomes. Put your mixed paper items (paper and cardboard) into your blue recycling wheeled cart (or in a paper bag, cardboard box, or bundle with twine), and place your commingled materials (glass/plastic/metal bottles, jars, cans and containers) into your blue bin. DO NOT mix these two groups of recyclable materials together in one recycling container. Place materials curbside by 7 am on your collection day. Download the flyer (PDF).
| Blue Bin | Wheeled Cart |
|---|---|
| glass, plastic, metal bottles, jars, cans and containers | paper and cardboard |
Why does Montgomery County place paper and cardboard into the wheeled cart, and bottles, jars, cans and containers into the blue bin?
- Dual-stream recycling results in less contamination and higher quality materials
- The County uses dual-compartment recycling collection trucks to collect recyclables from single-family homes and townhomes
- The County’s Recycling Center is designed to process bottles, jars, cans and containers separately from paper and cardboard products
- Montgomery County continues to successfully market the recyclable materials collected and processed because they are higher quality
- Contaminant-free recyclable materials are higher quality and increase the chances that these materials can be recycled into more new products.