Trash & Recycling in Gaithersburg, MD (2026)
6 verified trash & recycling rules for Gaithersburg, Maryland, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Bin Placement Rules
Gaithersburg bars solid waste from sitting outside an approved container for more than 24 hours and requires every container to be vermin-proof, waterproof, noncorrodible, and fitted with a tight-fitting lid at all times, with the property owner or occupant on the hook for enforcement.
Gaithersburg Residential Trash Container Rules
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 18-3(b)(1), (c)
It shall be the responsibility of the occupant and/or owner to provide a sufficient number of approved containers for storage of solid waste to prevent overflow between times of collection in single-family and townhouse residential dwellings..."Accumulate" shall mean to exist outside of an approved container for a period of time in excess of twenty-four (24) hours...(c)Container and maintenance...
Recycling Requirements
Gaithersburg's city manager runs a mandatory recyclable-materials program covering metals, glass, plastic, cardboard, motor oil, tires and more. Residents must set materials out for authorized city collection only; taking someone else's recyclables off the curb without city authorization is itself a code violation.
Gaithersburg Curbside Recycling Program Rules
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code §§ 18-7, 18-8
(a)The city manager must develop a recyclable solid waste program. This program may be established by regulations approved by resolution of the city council.(b)Under the recyclable solid waste program, the city will make arrangements to collect, separate and recycle, to the maximum extent practical, some or all of the materials listed in section 18-6, unless:(1)Recycling of that material is not...
Illegal Dumping
It is unlawful in Gaithersburg to throw, dump, or deposit garbage or solid waste on someone else's property, on public land or rights-of-way, or into another party's waste container without written consent, under City Code § 18-4(a). Operating an unpermitted solid waste facility and abandoning a hauling vehicle on a public street are separately banned.
Gaithersburg Illegal Dumping Prohibition
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 18-4(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person to throw, dump or deposit any garbage or other solid waste upon the land or property of another, or upon or onto any public lands or rights-of-way, or into the approved container(s) for storage of solid waste owned, rented or maintained by a collector on behalf of another without written consent first having been obtained from the owner or rightfully intended...
Yard Waste Collection
Gaithersburg classifies tree cuttings, bush trimmings, leaves, grass, and garden trimmings as recyclable solid waste under City Code § 18-6(b)(2), folding yard debris into the city's mandatory recycling program rather than ordinary trash pickup. Section 18-8 bars anyone but the city's authorized collector, or an owner-approved charity on a different day, from taking set-out yard waste.
Gaithersburg Yard Waste Recycling Rules
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 18-6(b)
In this article, recyclable solid waste means those materials in the solid waste stream which may be separated and reused. ... Recyclable solid waste includes: (1) Containers and other products made from metals, plastic or glass; (2) Tree cuttings, bush trimmings, plants, leaves, grass, garden trimmings and similar yard waste; (3) Anti-freeze; (4) Newspapers; (5) Corrugated cardboard; (6) Offic...
Dumpster Rules
Gaithersburg requires every non-residential development's dumpster to be fully screened on all four sides or built into an accessory structure, plus a reserved area for the collection truck that cannot double as a required parking space.
Gaithersburg Commercial Dumpster Screening Rules
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 24-6.6(A), (B)
(A)Applicability. The following refuse storage rules shall apply to all developments, except for residences containing single-family units, where refuse is not stored within a refuse structure.(B)Design of refuse storage facilities. Refuse storage facilities shall be designed as follows:(1)Must be entirely screened on all four sides or located within an accessory structure in conformance with s...
Collection Schedule
Gaithersburg requires garbage collection or approved private disposal at least once a week, or more often if needed to keep waste inside proper containers without overflow or odor, under City Code § 18-3(d). Medical and pathological waste can never go out for regular collection; it must be incinerated on-site or hauled to an approved disposal facility.
Gaithersburg Weekly Trash Collection Rule
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 18-3(d)
Removal schedule. (1) The frequency of collection and/or private disposal of garbage shall be at least once a week or of such greater frequency as is necessary to keep all solid waste in the proper containers without producing overflow or objectionable odors. (2) Medical or pathological wastes shall not be put out for collection, but shall be destroyed by proper incineration on the premises, or...
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