Shady Grove Solid Waste Transfer Station

I was intimidated to go there on my first visit, but the signs make it easy to maneuver through the site. Easy place to drop off dried out paint cans, vintage televisions, rusted bicycles that even Craigslist can’t get rid of.
It can be crowded but it moves very quickly because of how well it’s organized.
It’s a fascinating place, so you’ll have no problem bringing the kids to help or even sending the teenage driver on that family recycling errand.

The recycling part of the station is great. I wish more of my neighbors took the time to take their items here instead of trashing them. My review is going to be about the tour that is offered for groups or individuals. My husband and I came on a Monday an hour before closing. There was no one at the front reception desk nor at the adjoining offices off to the side. We understand this is a self guided tour but there were no instructions as to where to start or go. After looking at the displays, someone did come by and said we were supposed to walk up the stairs behind the reception desk. This information would have been extremely helpful if there were signs. The informational display on the ground floor was educational and helpful. We would have liked to see more information on the composting display. Don’t forget to grab a pair of free ear plugs before heading up the stairs. Once inside, brace yourself for the smell. We saw the huge amount of sorting that is being performed and feel confident that the county is doing its part for the environment. My only suggestion is not to take pictures. These people are working hard doing a job most of us probably wouldn’t want to do. They’re not on display.

I think this place is awesome! They open early and close late. You can recycle boxes, paper, electronics, dump trash and its all free! Yea buddy!

This place rocks… and nope, I’m not the least bit ashamed to write a review of Montgomery County’s dump.
Fast, organized and open 7 days a week (5pm on weekends). They accept bulk trash, recyclables (electronics, commingled, etc.).

Be careful in general! I recycled 2 tvs, a monitor, a lot of cardboard. Cleaned out a friend’s basement and made 2 trips to the dump. It’s a lot of fun throwing things into the dumpster. But recycle what you can first! It gets really jammed pack here, follow the guys hand signals.
They close at 5PM on weekends, so very convenient, exit from shady grove road after 4:30PM.

Just a word of caution, stay away from the free compost/​mulch. It is just shredded yard waste and it loaded with weed seeds. Someone threw it away for a reason.
I know this sounds stupid but I love this place. Why throw it away when you can recycle it? They have different areas for trash, TVs and computers, books, cardboard and newspapers, old clothing, tires, old paint household chemicals, batteries, appliances, metal stuff, dead lawn mowers, oil (car and kitchen) and of coarse yard waste, you name it they take it! It is well organized, by your second or third visit you will know where each station is. Best of all, it is free!
I love taking my 10 yr old tomboy niece, she loves the big machines. Kids get a kick out of it.
Go early in the morning and it is not so crazy, on the weekends it is busy after 9 AM.

Yes… I am writing a review about the city dump. I would be hanging my head in shame… except 3 other Unilocalers — who obviously have the same sickness that I do — have beaten me to the punch. So I’m not alone in my madness. Heh.
First, the good:
1) Despite the stupid people that come on Saturday mornings and CLEARLY can’t read the sign, follow the car in front of them, or follow the direction of the guy in the orange vest pointing to where you need to go — the system is super efficent! Even when there’s a line, I’m usually in and out in 15 minutes!
2) The recycle section is really broken up into different types of recycables. Just really cool.
3) Free compost. Not that I’ll ever use it… I don’t do yard work and have NO idea what compost is… but I love that it’s free. YAY FREE!
4) Not as smelly as one might think! On hot days, it’s definitely more putrid, but it doesn’t smell nearly as bad as Farzan. Heh.
The bad:
1) Really confused as to why one can’t take any of the stuff that others have thrown away. I understand that there are certain safety issues… but the husband and I were looking for some wooden pallets to put boxes on (we wanted them off the basement floor) and saw a ton at the recycle center… but alas, we were not allowed to take them. SAD!
2) Really hate that there is only one lane going up to the dump site. But upon reflection… the number of stupid drivers that don’t read signs (backing up, turning around, making illegal turns) that come dump on the weekends… it’s probably for best that there aren’t additional lines.
So I guess… YAY dump! YAY!

Recyclable:
— Clean pizza boxes
— Dry pasta boxes and envelopes with plastic «windows.»
— Plastic bottle lids
Non-​recyclable:
— Milk cartons and juice boxes (b/​c of the wax & glue)
— «Clam-​shell» containers (that blueberries or take-​out comes in)
I came here with a group of kids today to take a tour of the Recycling Center, and these are some of the things I learned! We were looking for a field trip for a summer camp and found out that the Recycling Center gave an «award winning» tour, according to the website. So we made a reservation!
The information session that preceded the tour of the facilities was extremely informative, interactive and kid-​friendly! We were with kids from age 4 to 12, and everyone had a pretty good time. She talked about how recycling has changed over the years, how it helps the environment, and how we can help. In the middle of the 45−60-minute session, she had the kids get on their feet and follow along with a «Reuse, Reduce, Recycle» song with motions! Adorable.
After the session, we were invited to take ear plugs and go upstairs to the mezzanine that overlooks all the machinery and sorting. Had the machines been on (They turn on around 12:30), it would’ve been extremely loud. When I came to scope out the place a few weeks ago, it was pretty cool to see. The people doing the sorting, even in their face masks and rubber gloves, waved at their visitors, and despite the smell, made it seem like a pleasant place to work!
This is a pretty good field trip for kids of any age, and even informative to adults, too. Check out their website for more info about the tour or individual visits:

Free compost! Need I say more?
Aha! Now that I’ve got your attention, I’m going to tell you something very useful. You can bring everything here! Call it Solid-​Waste-​R-​Us or Nasty Garbage Solutions, Inc. or whatever, but this is one of the coolest places ever. I don’t know why I’m so excited to have found it, but I am. As a bonus, if you come here, you get service with a smile.
There are a ton of signs and instructions, so you have to pay close attention while you’re driving here with your recyclables and refuse. They have a lane for garbage and a lane for recyclables. I had some more electronics and a huge cardboard box to drop off and had some issues finding where to put them.
One of the nice gentlemen that was running the garbage disposal facility came over to help me sort through my items and drop them in the correct bins. I was feeling particularly blond after seeing the huge boxes with the «Computers» and «TV» signs but I think it being my first time there should cut me some slack. The guy helping me even took the plastic bin with my batteries in it to the garbage area since those were not recyclable and he noticed the broken light bulb still sitting in the back seat and took it out for me. What a sweetie-​pie! I feel bad I didn’t get his name because he was a genuinely friendly and helpful guy.
I was also out there to pick up some yard trimming bags for trash collection, (a fact that I forgot until I was going 2 miles down the road) but the office that distributes them is 9 – 5 so I had just missed them. If you don’t want to make the trek out there to get the bags, my inside source says you can buy them at your nearest hardware store.
I thought it was really neat to see the huge pile of free compost as well as the huge mountain of yard trimmings and composting fruits and veggie peels. I found it interesting that it smelled, but not REALLY bad like I expected, just kind of like rotting fruit and grass.
Visit their website to find out what they recycle, but as a service, I’ll list all that I can to help you out:
Books, cardboard, plastic bottles, cans, metals, scrap metals, rechargeable batteries, tires, computers, TVs, electronics and cords, yard trim, bikes, clothing and even vegetable oil.
**Also, don’t forget they have a hazardous waste program to help you deal with products like paints, oils, and other toxic materials.**
After coming here, taking out the trash never felt so good!

You may think that I’m crazy, but you MUST check out the Montgomery County dump (or, as we French like to call it, «Le Transfer Station»). This is a model of efficiency — of private citizen and public servant working in perfect tandem.
Drive into the entryway with your old batteries, lawn clippings, old computers, and toxic wastes in your trunk or back seat. Follow the clear signs down a simple U-​shaped road. Dump your computer into the dumpster for computers. Stop by the toxic waste area (during scheduled times), where workers will take the waste from you and pour it into separate bins. Circle around to the recycleables areas to throw out your old bed frame and organics. And finally segue into the separate area for regular trash, before you finally leave.
Behold and marvel at this model of efficiency that is the Shady Grove Solid Waste Transfer Station!