Howard County does not supply trash containers. Reusable cans must be metal or tough plastic with handles and watertight, well-fitting lids; each item must weigh under 40 pounds. Residents set cans out only around collection day.
The Bureau of Environmental Services requires residents to buy their own cans, because the county provides no trash containers. Reusable containers must be made of metal or tough plastic, have handles, and carry watertight, well-fitting lids to keep out pests and rain. Disposable bags must be heavy-gauge plastic tied at the top so they can be lifted without tearing. Up to four cans, bags, or bundles are collected each week, and every item must weigh less than 40 pounds; a container larger than 40 gallons counts each interior bag as one item.
Improperly stored refuse that attracts vermin or spills can be cited as a health nuisance under Howard County Code Sec. 12.110 (Class E to Class B civil penalty).
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Howard County allows residential backyard composting and actively promotes it. The county runs a Feed the Green Bin curbside food-scrap collection and sells ...
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Howard County has no ordinance specifically prohibiting or requiring artificial turf for residential yards. Synthetic lawns are generally allowed, but becaus...
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Howard County places no restriction on planting native or pollinator gardens. Maryland's low-impact landscaping law (House Bill 322, 2021) bars homeowners as...
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Howard County does not ban rainwater harvesting. Rain barrels and cisterns are legal and actively promoted through the county's Live Green Howard and stormwa...
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Howard County has no year-round odd/even watering ban. Water use is limited only when the state declares a drought. Under Maryland's Level One Mandatory Rest...
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Howard County's adopted Property Maintenance Code requires exterior premises to be kept free of weeds and rank plant growth, but it applies only to rental an...
See how Howard County's trash bin storage rules stack up against other locations.
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