Here at Riderwood there are lots of way to recycle!

During the 2023 Earth Festival, the Recycling Committee hosted a panel with representatives from three contractors who recycle materials at Riderwood (Waste Management, Compost Crew, and A Better Way Computer Recycling): Earth Month Panel Video.

Recycle to Other Uses

For useful items that can be reused, consider giving them away:

• Treasure Chest Store – Donations of household goods and jewelry support the Benevolent Care Fund.
• Chatterwood – Send an email describing the item to give away to another resident.
• Riderwood Lions Club – Collects used clothing.
• Value Village, Planet Aid, ReStore Store, Interfaith Works – Local organizations collect clothes, linens, household goods, and furniture.  Check the websites for locations and details of what they accept.
• PhoenixComputers.info and Lazarus.org – Repurpose recent model computers, printers, and accessories for non-profit uses.

Riderwood Weekly Collections

General Services Housekeeping collects recyclables twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Clean plastic containers and metal cans are recycled using the blue BINS; paper is recycled using the blue BAGS.  For details, view “How to Recycle at Riderwood” on Riderwood TV.  Also check out the latest Recycle Flyer and Recycle/Trash Collection Handout.

Currently GLASS is not collected because it is incompatible with Riderwood’s contractor’s separation processes. But our local Target has bins for recycle near the front doors, one of which is for glass containers.

The other locations for recycling glass are on the University of Maryland College Park campus. There are purple containers located near each of the  three purple icons on this campus map  (behind Annapolis Hall, near Gate E of Maryland Stadium across from Ellicott Hall, and in the Golf Club parking lot).

STYROFOAM is also not recyclable here at Riderwood, but there is a drop-off facility in Crofton, Maryland.

Riderwood Recycle Rooms

There are containers in the Cart Rooms in each neighborhood.

Large containers for

• Paper and cardboard
• Plastic containers and metal cans
• Plastic bags and other plastic film
• Scrap metal (tools, utensils, pots & pans, small kitchen appliances, lamps, vacuum cleaners)
• Sensitive documents to be shredded
• Batteries

Small hanging bins for

• Inkjet cartridges
• fluorescent light bulbs
• Sharps (needles, lancets, syringes)

Recycling Food Scraps

Collect your kitchen food scraps for composting, instead of adding them to your trash or putting them down your garbage disposal.  The Resident Recycling Committee is working with General Services to support a three-month pilot program at Riderwood.  Resident volunteers are available to help interested residents get started collecting their food scraps and also to monitor the weekly drop off locations. Visit the RiderwoodLife FoodScraps page for more information.

Expired and Unused Medicines

Arbor Ridge collects medicines once a month, on the first Wednesday of the month. View the details here.

There is a Drug Disposal Box, accessible 24/7, at the local Montgomery County District 3 Police Station, located near the intersection of Route 29 and New Hampshire Avenue.

Electronics Collection

The Recycling Committee and Riderwood General Services are now sponsoring Electronics Collection Days twice a year. A collection truck from A Better Way Recycling parks near the VSQ main entrance and accepts an assortment of used electronic equipment for recycling.  The next collection day will be Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 10AM-1PM.   In the meantime, if you have electronics you need to recycle, check out the RiderwoodLife E-Cycle page.