The Ultimate Howard County Recycling Guide (2025)

Keeping Howard County clean and green is a community effort. Whether you're a long-time resident of Ellicott City or just moved to Columbia, understanding the local recycling rules can be a bit overwhelming. This guide simplifies the process, ensuring your unwanted items find their way to the right place.

1. Curbside Recycling: What Goes in the Blue Bin?

Howard County makes curbside recycling easy, but "wish-cycling" (tossing in items you hope are recyclable) can actually contaminate entire loads. Here is what is accepted at your curb:

• Paper & Cardboard: Newspaper, junk mail, cereal boxes (flattened), and shipping boxes.
• Metal Containers: Aluminum and steel cans, and empty aerosol cans.
• Glass: Jars and bottles (remove the lids).
• Plastic: Bottles, jars, and tubs (look for symbols #1 through #7).

2. Alpha Ridge Landfill: The County’s Hub

For items that aren't picked up at the curb, the **Alpha Ridge Landfill** in Marriottsville is your go-to resource. They have a massive Residents' Convenience Center that accepts:

• Electronics (Computers, TVs, monitors)
• Hazardous Waste (Paints, pesticides, household chemicals)
• Yard Waste (Branches, leaves, Christmas trees)
• Scrap Metal & Appliances

3. Bulky Item Disposal

If you have large items like sofas, mattresses, or old refrigerators, Howard County provides bulk trash pickup by appointment. However, these slots fill up weeks in advance, and there are strict limits on how much they will take.

4. Why Support Local Recycling?

At Grime To Dime, we prioritize the environment. Every load we haul is sorted to identify items that can be donated to local charities or processed at recycling facilities. Our founder, Sawyer Bauman, was raised in Howard County and is committed to keeping our community's waste out of landfills whenever possible.

Need help clearing out a large amount of debris? Get a free quote today and let us handle the heavy lifting and sorting for you.