Special Collections
Yard Waste & Bulk/Special Trash Collections
Woody & Soft Yard Waste - weekly curbside collection resumes!
Soft yard waste includes grass, leaves, flowers, weeds and soft clippings that are less than ½ inch diameter; is collected separately and processed into Smartleaf® compost.
- Soft yard waste is picked up on your regularly scheduled collection day from mid-January until the end of October.
Woody yard waste includes branches, brush, shrubs and small logs greater that ½” in diameter; these are processed into wood mulch.
- Woody yard waste is collected year-round on Thursday and Friday by appointment only. Please email publicworks@collegeparkmd.gov or call 240-487-3590 to schedule a collection. Christmas trees are considered a brush collection. Schedule an appointment; remove all decorations and place the tree at the curb for collection.
How to properly prepare your material for collection:
- Separate soft (green) material from woody (brown) material; and place each type of source separated material in a separate container.
- Use paper yard waste bags, the beige yard waste cart, or personal reusable containers* for either type of material. *Personal containers must have a yellow City yard waste sticker; free stickers are available at the Department of Public Works.
- Bundle and tie woody brush (brown) with string, or place in a container; bundles should be less than 5 feet long and weigh less than 75 pounds
- Put at the curb by 7:00 am
- Do not use plastic bags, or City issued refuse or recycling carts, or material will not be collected.
Bulk Trash and Special Trash Collection
The City collects four different types of special trash on Thursdays and Fridays, by appointment. Each source separated collection is performed by a different crew and truck.
- Bulk trash (furniture, mattresses wrapped in plastic, large bulky items, etc.)
- White goods & metals (washers, dryers, mowers, bikes, metal file cabinets, etc.)
- Electronics for recycling (TVs, computers, printers, etc.)
- Brush and Logs
You may see a truck on your street and wonder why they didn’t stop to pick-up your collection; it may be because they are collecting a different type of item. These different types of items should be separated to facilitate collection.
Don’t place items at the curb until you have scheduled an appointment. Call early in the week to assure a collection, because appointments are scheduled on a first call-first-serve basis. Contact the Department at publicworks@collegeparkmd.gov or 240-487-3590 to schedule a collection. Have your items at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your scheduled day.