Guide: Special Collections | College Park, MD

What are Special Collections?

Special Collections refer to any recycling or refuse that don’t belong in your green or blue carts. This includes woody and soft yard waste, bulk trash (furniture, appliances, etc.), tires, electronics or motor oil.

What is considered bulk trash?
Appliances (dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, dryers, etc.), hot water heaters, boilers, radiators, sinks, basins, tubs, toilets, vehicle parts, furniture, bikes, grills, etc.

Are there any disposal fees?
Tires incur a $4 per tire fee.

Appliances that have refrigerant like refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and heat pumps may incur a fee. Per household, the first unit picked up in a calendar year is free, and only $35 per unit thereafter.

Schedule an Appointment

Special and bulk trash are collected on Thursdays and Fridays by appointment only. Appointments fill up fast - make sure to call early in the week to ensure an appointment. There is no charge for special collection pickups.

You can call or email the Department of Public Works to schedule.

Collections are appointment only so that our Department of Public Works is aware of large pickups and has an appropriately sized crew and machinery. Appointments also prevent trash from sitting in our neighborhoods collecting vermin or becoming unsightly.

Help keep our City beautiful by making your special and bulk trash appointments prior to setting out the items to the curb.

What is Soft Yard Waste?

Soft yard waste consists of any soft vegetative yard waste such as grass, leaves, vines, weeds, small trimmings (no thicker than a pencil), and clippings.

When is Soft Yard Waste Collected?
Soft yard waste is collected on your regular refuse/recycling day from mid-January through October.

During curbside leaf collection season, November through mid-January, soft yard waste will only be collected when the leaf collection crew is scheduled to come through your neighborhood. For more information about curbside leaf collection, including the calendar and map, please click here or see below under Curbside Leaf Collection.

What is Woody Yard Waste?

Woody yard waste includes brush, branches, logs, shrubs, bamboo, sticks, and twigs.

When is Woody Yard Waste Collected?
These items are collected year round on Thursdays and Fridays by appointment only.

Prior to placing at the curb, make sure to bundle them and tie with rope or string (do not use wire or put in plastic bags) or use reusable containers. Items must be less than 5 feet long and weigh less than 75 pounds.

How can I schedule an appointment?

Contact the Department of Public Works to Schedule a pickup.

TIPS

Do not use City issued refuse or recycling carts for yard waste or it will not be collected.

Do not put animal waste, trash or recycling in with your yard waste. Flower pots, plastic bags/wrappers, toys, balls, animal waste and other non-vegetative materials do not belong in with your yard waste. We will not collect yard waste containing these contaminants.

Do not use plastic bags. The City will not accept yard waste in plastic bags. You must use a brown paper bag, a City Yard Waste container, or any reusable container*.

If you use your own reusable container, it must not exceed 32 gallons or 75 pounds. *Reusable containers MUST have a City yard waste decal. Decals can be picked up for free at any City building. You may want to drill small holes in the bottoms of containers for water drainage.

Keep grass out of the street. Grass and leaves pushed into the street wash into storm drains and storm sewer lines, potentially clogging them and causing flooding. This debris ultimately reaches waterways and the Chesapeake Bay, threatening aquatic health. Mulch your grass clippings or compost them instead. To learn how to set up a backyard compost, click here.

Yard Waste Carts Available for Purchase

The City is offering beige yard waste carts for $25 for City residents. The cart can be used for either “soft yard waste” or “woody yard waste”. The two products are collected on separate days and processed into different products.

This sturdy 65-gallon cart has wheels and a lift-bar for easy collection. Using the new yard waste cart can save time and money – single use paper lawn bags become expensive over time and can tear or fall apart when wet.

To purchase, contact the Department of Public Works.

Curbside Leaf Collection is an annual City service that begins in November and ends in early January depending on weather conditions. This annual collection diverts leaves and other soft yard waste from the landfill and is used to make SMARTLEAF compost.

During Curbside Leaf Collection, signs are posted in your neighborhood in advance of the scheduled collection dates. The collection calendar posted here will be updated as the collection schedule changes.

Please note: once the trucks have left your road they won't be back through until the next scheduled date (usually about 2 weeks later).

TIPS – THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF LEAF COLLECTION!

Bagging is not necessary during leaf collection with vacuums. Grass can be included in your leaf piles, but no sticks, branches, vines, or woody materials (as these items require a special collection).
Rake leaves to the curb but do not put them in the street. Pile leaves away from cars and storm drains as the leaf vacuum cannot reach around cars.
Remove tree limbs, rocks, trash, and other debris from leaves to be collected. These items damage the equipment and cause delays.
Noise and dust may be noticeable as dry conditions generate more dust. We apologize for any inconvenience.
If you put your soft yard waste (grass, leaves and weeds) in bags or containers they will only be collected when the leaf vacuum is scheduled to be in your neighborhood. Weekly yard waste collections on regular trash collection days are suspended during curbside leaf collection period.

SERVICE AREA DESCRIPTIONS

SA-1 Calvert Hills
Albion Rd north to Calvert Rd; U.S. Route 1 east to Bowdoin Ave.

SA-2 Old Town and West Side of Route 1
Calvert Rd north to Norwich Rd; Cornell Ave east to Columbia Ave.

SA-3 College Park Estates and Yarrow

SA-4 Lakeland and Berwyn
Pierce Ave north to Route 193, U.S. Route1 east to 54th Ave.

SA-5 West Side of Rhode Island Avenue
Route 193 north to Niagara Rd; Autoville Dr east to Rhode Island Ave Includes Cherry Hill area.

SA-6 East Side Rhode Island Avenue
Branchville Rd north to Narragansett Pkwy/Muskogee St; Rhode Island Ave east to Metro Line.

SA-7 North End
Narragansett Pkwy north to Paducah Rd; Rhode Island Ave east to 53rd Ave

SA-8 College Park Woods including Crystal Springs, Acredale Ct, and Patricia Ct