Cecil County, MD Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)

Chapter 285 regulates every commercial refuse hauler collecting more than 20 tons a year of residential waste, or 50 tons of any waste, in Cecil County. Section 285-4(A) requires a Cecil County commercial refuse hauler's license from the Director of Finance before collecting or transporting municipal solid waste or source-separated recyclables, though it expressly exempts homeowners who haul their own household waste to a county-designated facility, along with public agencies, scrap dealers, farmers, landscapers and tree services moving their own organic waste. As a licensing condition, § 285-4(E) sets the service floor residents actually receive: pickup of municipal solid waste at least once a month and pickup of single-stream recyclables at least once a month.

Section 285-5 layers on operating standards: collection vehicles carrying putrescible waste must be watertight and enclosed to stop leaks, odors and vectors, non-putrescible loads must be covered to prevent litter, every truck must carry legible signage naming the hauling company, and DPW representatives may inspect any vehicle at any reasonable hour without notice. Haulers must also give residential customers educational recycling materials at least annually under § 285-5(G). Licenses run July 1 to June 30 and must be renewed at least 30 days before expiration under § 285-7.