Montgomery County, MD Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)

The use of compost piles for the disposal of garbage is permitted only when the pile is completely rodentproofed. Compost piles consisting entirely of leaves and dirt do not require rodentproofing. (1981 L.M.C., ch. 37, § 1.)

Sec. 48-17B. Strategic Plan to Advance Composting, Compost Use and Food Waste Diversion in Montgomery County.

(a)   Legislative findings. The County Council finds that:

(1)   the County’s general goal of solid waste management establishes waste reduction as the most preferred management technique, followed by reuse, composting and recycling, then incineration with energy recovery, and, least preferred, landfilling;

(2)   food waste represents a significant percentage of the County’s solid waste stream;

(3)   educating food producers can reduce the generation of excess food that would enter the solid waste stream;

(4)   giving food that would otherwise be wasted to organizations that serve people in need is a means to reuse excess food;

(5)   composting, a means promoting the biological decomposition of organic material such as food waste into a stable, humus-like product, is a first step in the recycling of food waste;

(6)   the use of compost has been demonstrated to benefit soil health by:

(A)   suppressing plant diseases and pests;

(B)   reducing or eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers;

(C)   promoting higher yields of agricultural crops; and