Trash Pickup Moving to Once a Week on June 4
May 8, 2012 
2 Comments
John Sale of Riva doesn't like the way the decision was made.
John Sale of Riva doesn’t mind the decision to move trash collection to once-a-week in Anne Arundel County. He said sometimes he doesn’t even put his trash out twice in the week. But one thing he doesn’t like is that the decision seems to have come out of nowhere.
“Nobody bothered to ask anybody,” Sale said. “I don’t want to sound rational, but they skipped the part where they ask and that really bothers me.”
Well, if it bothers Sale—too bad. It’s happening. And in less than three weeks’ time.
Back in January, the announcement was made in a media releasethrough the Anne
County Executive John Leopold (R).
Arundel County Department of Public Works. The release heralded County Executive John Leopold’s “Recycle. More. Often” campaign. Leopold said that citizens were recycling up to 40 percent of their trash (as compared with 31 percent when he took office).
The once-a-week change was announced in the same document.
“Recycling has paid off for Anne Arundel County,” Leopold said. “We are confident that savings from fewer trash pickups will allow us to reduce the fee charged to residents for trash collection.
The Department of Public Works (DPW) has issued brochures and recently sent a postcard to every house in the county outlining the change.
Trash and recycling will be picked up on your current recycling day.
DPW said that county residents sometimes put their recycling items out in the regular trash for convenience, and that the once-a-week schedule should allow the county to boast even higher numbers of recycling going forward.
There are promised savings for waste collection in county homeowner taxes too.
“We are confident that savings from fewer trash pickups will allow us to reduce the fee charged to residents for trash collection,” Leopold said in January.
In addition, fewer trash collection vehicles will be out and about, reducing emissions and wear on county roads.
Items accepted for recycling include:
- PAPER: Sheets of Paper, Newspapers/Inserts, Junk Mail/Catalogs, Pizza Boxes, Food Boxes, Books, Cardboard, Cardboard Egg Cartons, Milk and Juice Cartons, Juice Boxes.
- PLASTIC: Plastic Bags and Shrink Wrap (secure in plastic bag), Plastic Cups, Plates and Utensils, Plastic Buckets, Storage Totes, Plastic Flower Pots, Plastic Furniture, Trash Cans and Old Recycling Bins, Plastic Toys, Pools and Playsets, Bottles, Jars, Jugs, Tubs, and Trays
- METAL: Aluminum Foil and Pans, Aluminum Cans, Tin/Steel Cans, Empty Aerosol Cans, Wire Hangers
- GLASS: Bottles and Jars (any color)
Residents can put out as much recycling as they needed each week. DPW has a recycling page on Facebook with over 1,200 members. Join to stay up-to-date on news about recycling.
If you need additional recycling bins, pick them up from the Sudley Convenience Center, 5400 Nutwell Sudley Road in Deale or at the recycling office, 2662 Riva Road in Annapolis.
And stop putting your trash out twice a week, either now or after June 4.
Once a week is fine. It’s not like county residents have any say in it. But, if you want us to recycle more, then how about providing EVERYONE with the option to get the large rolling recycle bins. And, no, I do not want the option to get another large recycle bin without wheels. I have asked the county and they say they are only testing them in certain areas. Stop testing and let the people who need them, have them.