Can I recover a valuable item from recyclables or trash?

Return to Recycling and Trash Service for single-family homes

Every year the Montgomery County Transfer Station and Material Processing Facility receives more than 740,000 tons of municipal solid waste, construction and demolition waste, block, brick, concrete, dirt, rubble, and other materials from County collection contractors, commercial businesses, and residents.

Occasionally, we receive reports from residents and businesses that due to various circumstances, items may have been inadvertently discarded in their trash or recycling containers.

While we have allowed limited in-person searches on the tipping floor to look for items that have been reported as being improperly disposed of or discarded by mistake, due to increased safety concerns we have stopped the rare practice of residential load searches as they present a highly dangerous situation for our residents, employees, and contractors on the tipping floor, impact our operations, and cause increased traffic delays.