Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for North Bethesda
Trash Day
Collection runs Monday through Friday depending on your neighborhood route. For single-family homes in County collection districts, trash is picked up weekly on your designated route day; residents outside County collection districts or in managed communities contract through private haulers.
Recycling
Recycling is collected once per week on your designated collection day (Monday through Friday).
Yard Waste
Yard trim (grass, leaves, and bundled branches) is collected weekly year-round on the same day as your recycling.
Set Out Time
By 7:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Montgomery County solid waste, leaf vacuuming, and recycling charges are included as non-tax items on your annual Montgomery County property tax bill.
Billing Cycle
Included in Property Taxes
Accepted Methods
Online, Mail, Phone
Pro Tip / Discount
Eligible low-income and senior homeowners may qualify for property tax relief via the Maryland Homeowners' Property Tax Credit and County property tax credits.
Resident-provided (Color varies by private hauler or personal choice) Bin (Trash)
Trash must be secured in heavy-duty cans with tight-fitting lids (maximum 32 gallons or 45 pounds if manually lifted) or tightly tied heavy-duty plastic bags. Place at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Everyday household refuse
- ✓Bagged food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging and wrappers
- ✓Up to 5 bags or cans of trash per pickup
Blue (County-provided bins and carts) Bin (Recycling)
Dual-stream separation is required. Commingled items (glass, plastic, metal) go in the blue bin. Mixed paper must go in a blue paper recycling cart, small paper bags, or tied with twine. Set out by 7:00 a.m.
Accepted Items
- ✓Mixed paper, newspaper, and cardboard
- ✓Plastic bottles, containers, and tubs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and steel food/beverage cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam (polystyrene)
- ✕Hazardous chemicals or paint cans
- ✕Greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Electronics and batteries
Yard Waste Bin
Must be placed in compostable paper lawn bags, reusable containers marked with a county 'Yard Trim' decal, or tied into bundles with twine. Plastic bags are strictly prohibited. Set out by 7:00 a.m. on recycling day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Small brush and bush trimmings
- ✓Tree branches (under 4 feet long and 4 inches in diameter)
- ✓Live Christmas trees (all decorations removed)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Up to five (5) free scheduled bulk collections per calendar year for homes serviced by the county.
Placement
Set bulk items adjacent to your regular household trash by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day. Ensure they are kept physically separate from your yard trim, recycling, and scrap metal.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Non-metal furniture (couches, wooden chairs, tables)
- ✓ Rolled and tied carpet
- ✓ Mirrors or glass table tops (must be taped and covered in cardboard)
- ✓ Large plastic toys
Not Accepted
- ✕ Items 51% or more metal (schedule as Scrap Metal)
- ✕ Propane tanks and hazardous waste
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Items wider than 4 feet that cannot be disassembled
Standard bulk collection is free (up to 5 times a year) for residents with county-provided trash service. Residents in Subdistrict A who use a private hauler must contact their hauler directly, which often requires an additional fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Montgomery County utilizes a 'holiday slide' schedule. If a county-observed holiday falls on or before your regular collection day, your pickup will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Because yard trim is collected on the same schedule as your recycling, it also follows the one-day slide delay during holiday weeks.
If a major holiday falls on a weekend, it typically does not impact the weekday curbside collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring/Summer
March - AugustDuring peak landscaping season, yard trim is collected weekly on your normal recycling day. Ensure that all heavy brush is securely tied with twine into bundles that weigh no more than 45 pounds, or it will be left at the curb.
Fall
September - DecemberNorth Bethesda generates a massive amount of fallen leaves. All leaves must be bagged in compostable paper sacks or reusable bins. The county processes this material into Leafgro compost, making the 'no plastic bags' rule strictly enforced.
Winter
January - FebruaryLive Christmas trees are collected year-round on your normal recycling day, provided they are free of tinsel, ornaments, and metal stands. During severe winter snowstorms, monitor the MC311 portal closely, as ice can severely delay collection trucks on hilly neighborhood streets.
Local Tips & Community Info
Turn Your Bottles and Cans into Cash Around North Bethesda!
Did you know Maryland has a bottle deposit program? While you won't find a dedicated buyback center right in North Bethesda, keep an eye out for collection points at local grocery stores. For bulkier scrap metal items or if you're looking to responsibly offload larger quantities, check out nearby scrap yards in the wider Montgomery County area. Places like Metal Management in Hyattsville or Sims Metal Management in Baltimore often pay for metals like aluminum, steel, and copper. It's a great way to make a little extra cash and keep those items out of the landfill.
Give Your Gently Used Stuff a Second Life in North Bethesda
Before you toss out items that are still in decent shape, consider donating them! For furniture, housewares, and building materials, Habitat for Humanity ReStores are fantastic options. There's one conveniently located in Silver Spring. You can also drop off clothing and household goods at the Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, with locations in nearby Rockville and Silver Spring. These donations not only help the environment but also support important local causes and provide affordable goods for your neighbors.
Keeping North Bethesda Clean: Tackling Dumped Stuff and Community Efforts
Seeing trash piled up where it shouldn't be is frustrating, right? While North Bethesda itself doesn't have specific frequent community clean-up events listed on their main sites, Montgomery County often organizes larger clean-up days. Keep an eye on the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection's website for announcements about these. If you spot illegal dumping, it's super important to report it. You can usually do this through the county's 311 service or their dedicated online portal. Reporting it helps keep our neighborhoods beautiful and safe for everyone.
Drop-off Facilities
Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station
16101 Frederick Road, Derwood, MD 20855
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
My North Bethesda home uses a private trash hauler. Does the county still collect my recycling?
Yes. Montgomery County manages residential recycling and yard trim collection for all single-family homes in North Bethesda, even if you reside in Subdistrict A and must hire a private company to collect your household garbage.
Can I put all my recycling out in one large single-stream cart?
No. Montgomery County mandates a dual-stream recycling system. You are required to separate your mixed paper and cardboard from your commingled glass, plastics, and metals into distinctly different bins or carts.
How do I get rid of an old lawnmower or refrigerator in Montgomery County?
Because these appliances are made mostly of metal, they cannot be collected as standard bulk trash. You must request a specific 'Scrap Metal Recycling' pickup via MC311. For lawnmowers, be sure to drain all oil and gas before placing them at the curb.
Where can I drop off hazardous chemicals like old paint or pesticides near North Bethesda?
Household hazardous waste cannot be thrown in the trash. North Bethesda residents should take these materials to the Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station in nearby Derwood, which operates a dedicated hazardous waste drop-off area.