Gaithersburg, MD Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Yard waste status
- Recyclable solid waste, § 18-6(b)(2)
- Who runs the program
- City manager, § 18-7
- Scavenging ban
- Only city collector or approved charity
- Funding
- Recycling charge on county tax bill, § 18-10
- Exempt properties
- Commercial/industrial/multifamily, § 18-12
Summary
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.
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) Office paper; (7) Motor oil; (8) Lead acid batteries; (9) Motor vehicle tires; and (10) Large appliances.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 18-6 defines recyclable solid waste to include metal, plastic, and glass containers; newspapers; cardboard; office paper; motor oil; batteries; tires; large appliances; and, at item (2), tree cuttings, bush trimmings, plants, leaves, grass, garden trimmings, and similar yard waste. The city council can add to or shorten that list by resolution. Section 18-7 requires the city manager to run a recyclable solid waste program that collects, separates, and recycles the listed materials to the maximum extent practical, unless recycling a given material is not technically feasible at the scale proposed or would substantially raise the city's cost above other lawful methods.
Section 18-8 sets the compliance rules: a person may not dispose of yard waste or other recyclables in a way that violates the article or its regulations, and no one but the city's authorized collector may pick up recyclables set out for collection, unless the property owner has specifically authorized a charitable organization to take an item on a day different from the city's collection day. Section 18-8(c) has the city manager specify, by regulation, the containers, locations, and collection frequency for yard waste and other recyclables.
The program is funded through the recycling collection charge set annually under Section 18-10, billed on the Montgomery County property tax bill; Section 18-12 exempts commercial, industrial, and multifamily apartment properties from the recycling article altogether.
Violations & Fines
Setting out yard waste in violation of the recycling regulations, or scavenging recyclables that belong to the city's program, is a municipal infraction under City Code § 18-13, with a fine the city council sets for the first and each repeat violation and every day of continued violation counted separately. The city may also pursue an injunction or other court relief to stop unauthorized collection or disposal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I put leaves and grass clippings out with regular trash in Gaithersburg?
Can a landscaper haul away my yard waste in Gaithersburg instead of the city?
Does every Gaithersburg property get yard waste recycling?
How does Gaithersburg pay for yard waste and recycling collection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gaithersburg
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