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Composting, Recycling, & Trees

Thank you

The Department of Public Works would like to thank the residents of College Park who extended holiday wishes and expressed their appreciation during the past year. We are proud to serve the residents of College Park.

Holiday Light Recycling

Holiday string lights, working or non-working, are accepted for recycling at MOM’s Organic Market, 9801 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park. The string lights are collected for recycling beginning in December and continuing through early January.

Please remove lights from bags/packaging and place in the designated holiday lights recycling bin located in the lobby when you enter MOM’s Organic Market.

Christmas Tree Recycling

Battery Recycling

A lot of batteries are replaced during the holidays. Please be sure to recycle them properly. Batteries should not be put in the trash.

All batteries can and should be recycled. If batteries, especially lithium-based, are thrown into the trash, they can cause a spark that could endanger individuals and surrounding property. Certain types of batteries, such as Nickel Cadmium rechargeable, can contaminate the environment if not properly disposed of. Batteries are valuable and recycling them can reduce the need to mine for virgin materials along with transforming reclaimable materials into other useable products. Consumer awareness is key to changing behavior and ensuring more batteries are recycled the right way and don’t end up in landfills.

MOMs Organic Market and IKEA accept single-use batteries. Home Depot and Lowes accept rechargeable batteries.

Styrofoam Recycling

A drop-off container is at the entrance to Public Works for block Styrofoam recycling. Only block Styrofoam is accepted. No peanuts, cups, plates, or egg cartons are accepted.

Special Collections

The City collects four different types of special trash by appointment on Thursdays and Fridays. Different trucks are assigned to each category. Please source separate items into:

  • Bulk Trash: furniture, carpet, large bulky items, lumber with nails bent, fencing, etc. Mattresses and box springs MUST be wrapped in plastic to be collected. All material must be less than five (5) feet long and weigh less than 75 lbs. Residents are allowed 4 collections per fiscal year and 20 items per fiscal year; registered rentals are allowed 4 collections per fiscal year and 29 items per fiscal year.
  • Appliances & Metals: Appliances include stoves, air conditioners, refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, hot water heaters and ovens and have a $20 fee per item for collection. Other metals such as bikes, file cabinets and radiators, do not incur a fee.
  • Electronics for Recycling: computers, printers, keyboards, modems, gaming consoles, etc. Please note that TVs, monitors, and microwaves have a $20 fee per item. Residents have the option of bringing these items to the electronics drop-off box at Public Works for free.
  • Brush, Branches, and Logs: All woody material must be bundled and tied in bunches no longer than four (4) feet in length, up to two (2) feet in diameter and no more than 50 lbs. Material can also be placed in City approved containers or bags. Individual branches cannot be wider than four (4) inches in diameter while logs must be cut into 12 inch lengths that are no more than 12 inches in diameter (a maximum of 25 logs will be collected per pickup).

Water Main Breaks

As it gets cooler, the risk of water main breaks increases. The first step to repairing a water main is YOU! Report it to WSSC Water 301-206-4002; please have the physical address of the water main break available when you call.

Electronics Drop-Off Location

City of College Park residents can bring electronics for recycling to the drop-off box near the entrance of the front doors to Davis Hall. No more than 3 items can be disposed of at no cost.

· Acceptable: TVs, monitors, microwaves, gaming systems, computers, hard drives, cell phones, printers, laptops, copiers, fax machines, cable, and circuit boards.

· Unacceptable: Light bulbs of any kind (LED, CFL, Fluorescent light bulbs or tubes) or batteries of any kind.

SmartLeaf Compost and Wood Mulch

Smartleaf® compost and wood mulch are both available! Purchase and pick up material at the Department of Public Works (9217 51st Avenue, College Park) Monday-Friday 8:00 – 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Deliveries are over for the season, check back in the spring.

Material can be loaded into open-bed pickup trucks or trailers. Don't have a truck? Bring a shovel and your own containers (bins, buckets, bags, etc.), and be prepared to load your containers yourself. We sell in 1/4 cubic yard increments:

  • ¼ cubic yard is approximately 50 gallons (10 five-gallon buckets, or 3 paper yard waste bags filled half full)
  • ½ cubic yard is approximately 100 gallons (20 five-gallon buckets, or 6 paper yard waste bags filled half full)

For more information on compost click here, or wood mulch click here. For further questions call 240-487-3593.

Bulk Trash Collection

For a single-family, owner-occupied residence: Up to four (4) bulky trash collections per fiscal year, with a maximum total of 20 bulky refuse items per year, will be free of charge to the resident.

For a single-family rental property that pays for City trash services: Up to four (4) bulky trash collections per fiscal year, with a maximum total of 29 bulky refuse items per year, will be free of charge.

For quantities and/or frequency more than stated above, a $20 collection fee per item over the allowable number of items will be imposed. A waiver may be available for a major extenuating circumstance on a limited basis.

Bulky trash includes items such as furniture, carpet, lumber, fencing, mattresses, etc. All bulky trash collections must be scheduled in advance and the caller must identify the quantity and type of items when scheduling a collection.

Bulky refuse items must be set out neatly for collection and separated by type.

Soft and Woody Yard Waste

Soft yard waste (grass, leaves, flowers, weeds and soft clippings that are less than ½” in diameter) is picked up year-round on your regularly scheduled collection day.

Woody yard waste (branches, shrubs, brush, and small logs) 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.

How to prepare your material for collection:

  • Separate soft yard waste from woody yard waste. Place each type of source separated material in a separate container.
  • All woody material must be bundled, tied, or placed in containers or bags. 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 on it; free stickers are available at DPW.
  • Bundles of woody material must be no more than 4 feet long and comprised of individual branches up to 4 inches in diameter.
  • Individual bundles must not exceed 2 feet in diameter or weigh more than 50 pounds and must be tied with biodegradable material.
  • Logs must be cut into 12-inch lengths and no more than 12 inches in diameter. A maximum of 25 logs will be collected at a scheduled pick up.
  • Do not use plastic bags
  • Do not include any trash or recyclable material with the yard waste
  • Do not use the city-issued refuse or recycling carts
  • Place at the curb by 7:00 am
  • Soft and Woody Yard Waste that is oversized and requires the use of a crane will be charged at a cost of $100 per hour, per collection. This would be arranged and scheduled prior to collection.
  • Material improperly set out for collection will not be collected

New Tree Permitting Requirements

Trees are a vital part of our ecosystem. A majority of the City’s tree canopy is in residential neighborhoods -- this means our residents can make a big difference in helping to maintain our tree canopy!

On May 10, 2022, the City Council approved Ordinance 21-O-09, which will require a permit to remove trees on residential land. Starting July 1, 2022, those who wish to remove or prune a tree must submit an application for a permit. Applications are available online at www.collegeparkmd.gov/TreeRemovalApp, and in-person at the Department of Public Works. There is no application fee to obtain a permit.

The ordinance was enacted to limit the removal of healthy, mature trees as a measure to maintain the City’s tree canopy. The Tree and Landscape Board and City Council held numerous public meetings and incorporated changes to address many concerns and suggestions from residents.

Residents, property owners, and tree and landscape companies may have many questions about this new permitting process. Visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/trees for a list of FAQs and for the application.

Year-Round Planning for Tree Planting

Are you interested in having a tree planted on your residential property?

The city is gauging interest in a potentially new tree planting program for residents. Planting is planned for the fall.

If you are interested in having a tree planted on your property by a contractor, please complete the interest form on the City website in the trees section. Select “Tree planting on residential property” and fill out the remainder of the form, or contact horticulturist@collegeparkmd.gov

Trees provide many benefits such as reduction of cooling and heating costs, interception of rainwater, increasing property values and improving air quality. The City offers a few ways to help:

  • REQUESTS FOR STREET TREES. The City has a program that provides for street tree planting in the right-of-way area, which includes the grass strip between the curb and sidewalk. College Park residents interested in requesting a tree can contact the horticulturist at 240-487-3595 or horticulturist@collegeparkmd.gov. The location will be inspected to determine if it is suitable.
  • TREE CANOPY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (TCEP). City of College Park property owners can apply for reimbursement of up to $150.00 annually, for approved tree(s) planted on their residential lot. The completed application should be sent to horticulturist@collegeparkmd.gov for review and approval. Click here for a link to the guidelines and application.

Tree Maintenance

The City is responsible for tree maintenance of street trees in the rights-of-way, City maintained buildings and parks, and on public property.