Maryland county looks to update MRF

Montgomery County, Maryland, has issued a "Request for Industrial Real Estate and Facilities" for a new material recovery facility (MRF) that the county says could significantly increase its processing capacity for recyclables.

The county presently operates two recycling facilities, both of which are processing more tonnage than what they were built to handle. The MRF, which has been in operation for nearly 30 years, was designed to handle 80 tons of commingled materials per day but is currently receiving between 130 and 170 tons per day.

Montgomery County also operates a paper processing facility that has been designed to process 25 tons of mixed paper and old corrugated containers (OCC) per hour and is currently receiving more than that designed capacity.

To meet its future goals, the county says it is in the middle of determining options to ease the overcapacity situation by either expanding or relocating county operations to sites in and around the region.

To accomplish this, the county has initiated a planning process to develop its Aiming for Zero Waste Plan. That process is underway, according to the county, and is expected to result in a draft master plan that will be released within the next several months.

Along with increasing the processing capacity of commingled recyclables, the county also is looking at opportunities to address food waste and construction and demolition debris.

The plan details a number of key objectives:

• “develop a clear and realistic future vision of the county’s solid waste and recycling program and operations with the goal of maximizing waste reduction, reuse/repair, recycling and sustainable management of materials;
• develop actionable strategies to achieve this goal; and
• identify impacts on existing solid waste management programs, facilities and operations, including new investments, initiatives, changes in methods of operations and retiring or replacement of existing facilities.”

To view the request, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DGS/Resources/Files/OPD/RequestforIndustrialRealEstateandFacilities-MRFSolicitationFINAL.pdf.