Residents' Convenience Center

Air conditioners and refrigerators contain Freon and must be placed in a designated area. Small metal appliances, such as toasters, toaster ovens, mixers, etc., and other appliances, such as dishwashers, ovens and microwaves can be placed in the scrap metal dumpster for recycling.

Representatives from the American Legion Adams, Hanna, Moore Memorial Post 156, retrieve the flags and dispose of them in a dignified fashion as required by the U.S. Flag Code. Ceremonies are conducted in coordination with local Scout troops.

Uncontaminated antifreeze only (not mixed with oil or other substances). Please leave container for attendant to empty. DO NOT EMPTY YOURSELF.

Did you know? Each year thousands of dogs and cats are poisoned by improperly discarded or leaking antifreeze? The sweet taste attracts pets.

A metal barrel for fireplace, grill and cigarette ash is located next to the clothing donation box. Please be sure that ash has cooled before disposal.

Acceptable batteries include lead-acid batteries for automobiles, boats and motorcycles as well as those commonly found in ATVs and kid's powered vehicles.

Rechargeable batteries - see Household Hazardous Waste below. 

Bring your bicycles to Alpha Ridge and give those bikes another life! Look for the Reusable Bicycle shed.

Adult bikes are collected by Bikes for the World and distributed to partner programs located in Barbados, Burkina Faso, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ghana, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sierra Leone. Youth bikes are collected by Free Bikes 4 Kidz Maryland and distributed to local children in need. Even if your bike isn't in good condition, these volunteers can often refurbish it or use parts from it to refurbish other bikes.

Bring your gently used hard & soft cover books to Alpha Ridge. In partnership with BookDrop, all books are diverted from the landfill. Check out their website for more information.

Items Accepted: Moving boxes, appliance boxes, storage boxes, and shipping boxes, etc. Please flatten.

Items Not Accepted: Pizza boxes (with grease) or waxed cardboard.

Artificial: Undecorated artificial trees and wreaths can be recycled in the scrap metal container at the Convenience Area year-round.

Live: Undecorated live Christmas trees, wreaths and garland can be recycled at the Alpha Ridge Landfill Wood Waste Area or curbside and drop-off locations during our Merry Mulch season.

Must be clean, dry in bags and tied closed.

Items Accepted: Clothing, curtains/drapes, sheets, blankets, towels, tablecloths, handbags, hats, belts, and paired shoes and socks. Have items that aren't wearable? Donate them! Many donation organizations partner with rag manufacturers.

Fire extinguishers, propane, helium, & oxygen tanks (empty or filled) are accepted. Also consider returning tanks to the seller.

Any type of liquid vegetable oil (peanut, corn, canola, olive etc.) is accepted. Please make sure that the cooking oil is not mixed with other fluids (water, petroleum products, soaps, etc.). Place the cooking oil in a container with a tight-fitting lid, metal or plastic containers are preferred. Vegetable oil that is mixed with small amounts of animal fats can be recycled as long as the amount of added animal fat has not caused the liquid to solidify.

Items Accepted: Computer monitors, CPUs, televisions, mice, keyboards, computer wires/cords/cables, cell phones, printers, small electronic appliances, laptops, scanners; miscellaneous circuit boards, chips, and cards, radios, VCRs, and other computer and electronic related accessories. Businesses may bring a max of 10 electronics per day (2 CRT devices). 

Residents can drop-off food scraps and compostable items for composting at the Alpha Ridge Landfill Composting Facility.

HHW material is collected only on SATURDAYS ONLY from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm from April through November.

Items Accepted: Mattresses and box springs of all sizes. Please load vertically in trailer. No wet mattresses due to mold possibilities.

In coordination with the Loan Closet of Howard County residents can drop-off durable, reusable medical equipment. 

Items Accepted: Bathing Aids (shower & bath), Canes, Ramps (modular/portable), Therapy Aids, Toilet Aids, Walkers and Manual Wheelchairs. 

Items Not Accepted: Hospital Beds, Items missing pieces, Broken Items, Oxygen Tanks, Prescription medications, Expired medical supplies, Mattresses, Items containing mercury or Items requiring calibration. 

Batteries must be removed from any lawnmowers, scooters, or other battery-operated devices.

Items Accepted: Appliances, furnaces, air conditioners*, dehumidifiers*, auto parts, bicycles, swing sets, mowers, furnaces, window frames, copper piping, brass fixtures, aluminum siding, tire chains, light fixtures, microwaves, refrigerators*, sheet metal, tire rims, fencing, cable, aluminum foil/bakeware, water heaters. NOTE: Drain motors of oil and fuel.

*Remove doors and drawers from refrigerators. Please place refrigerators, air conditioners and dehumidifiers in designated area, not in scrap metal container. These items contain coolants that must be removed. Once coolants are properly removed by our licensed contractor, the items are recycled with scrap metal.

Items Accepted: Motor oil, oil filters and hydraulic oils (brake, transmission or power steering).

Paint is accepted at the Household Hazardous Waste Area from April-November on Saturdays only. Solidified paint of any kind may be disposed with your household trash.

Did You Know? Paint can be solidified in the can at home by adding an absorbent material such as cat litter, shredded newspaper, leaves, sawdust or dirt. Or, if there isn't much paint left in the can, leave the lid off to air dry the paint. Once solidified, the paint can be disposed with your normal household trash, but remember the 40 pound limit for trash containers.

Curbside recyclables are also accepted at the Residents' Convenience Center. Items must be empty. Lids, caps and labels can stay on containers. 

NEW! We no longer accept items for recycling bagged in plastic. If you choose to transport your items in a plastic bag, please empty your items into the recycling compactor and take the bag with you.

See our Rigid Plastics poster for a list of accepted items.

Items Accepted: Automobile and truck tires only. (Commercial haulers see Landfill Fee Schedule)

Items Not Accepted: Tires on rims, tires over 4' in diameter or over 15" in width.

NOTE: Rims can be recycled in the scrap metal container. 

Residents disposing of trash are required to show their driver's licenses as proof of residence each time they enter the landfill. The new Maryland Driver's Licenses no longer indicate the county of residence and staff may need to use an address checker to confirm residency.

Items Accepted: Upholstered furniture, non-recyclable paper, heavy metal cable, pizza boxes, broken toys.

Items Not Accepted: Recyclable materials such as rechargeable batteries, bottles, cans, paper, cardboard, yard trim, reusable building supplies, etc.

Residents disposing of unusually large quantities of household trash using a greater than 3/4 ton vehicle, or disposing of waste for someone else, may be required to obtain a Special Exception Permit.

Residents disposing of construction, demolition and home improvement waste will be charged the commercial tip fee. This includes deliveries mixed with household waste.