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Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is to enhance the quality of life in our community by protecting and improving Montgomery County's air, water, and land in a sustainable, innovative, inclusive, and industry-leading way while fostering smart growth, a thriving more sustainable economy, and healthy communities.

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Budget Overview

The total approved FY25 Operating Budget for the Recycling and Resource Management is $154,860,183, an increase of $12,209,190 or 8.56 percent from the FY24 Approved Budget of $142,650,993. Personnel Costs comprise 10.38 percent of the budget for 76 full-time position(s) and one part-time position(s), and a total of 117.90 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal or temporary positions and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 89.62 percent of the FY25 budget.

In addition, this department's Capital Improvements Program (CIP) requires current revenue funding.

County Priority Outcomes

While this program area supports all eight of the County Result Areas, the following are emphasized:

  • A Greener County
  • Effective, Sustainable Government

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Program Performance Measures

Performance measures for this department are included below (where applicable), with multi-program measures displayed at the front of this section and program-specific measures shown with the relevant program. The FY24 estimates reflect funding based on the FY24 approved budget. The FY25 and FY26 figures are performance targets based on the FY25 approved budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY26.

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Initiatives

  • Add new funds and a position to implement zero waste initiatives that divert material from the traditional waste stream, like food scraps collection and processing and expanding the type of materials that can be recycled.

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Innovations and Productivity Improvements

  • Added a low-speed, high-torque shredder to reduce the size of yard trim material at the yard trim facility. While the average throughput per hour is lower than the high-speed, horizontal grinders, this unit has significantly more uptime and burns about 60% less fuel. The Material Management Section is focused on selecting capital equipment to increase operating efficiency and reduce operating and maintenance costs at both the grinding operation and the compost facility.
  • Implemented the Tire Tracking Application that allows staff to quickly gather and store necessary customer information along with the number of tires dropped off so that when that customer returns, their license is scanned and their record quickly appears, reducing the process time significantly. Previously, contractors at the transfer station would manually write down customer vehicle registration numbers and the amount of tires they dropped off in a ledger. Residents can drop off up to five tires a year.

  • Added unattended vehicle processing at the recycling scale house that does not require an employee to process. Custom built transaction kiosks were installed so that drivers can now process themselves in less than 20 seconds without a scale attendant being present. Lift gates were also installed that will raise automatically when the transaction is complete.

Program Descriptions

  Administration and Support

The Office of the Deputy Director provides for overall management of departmental programs to ensure safe and efficient operations, including contract administration management for the department, continuity of operations, oversight of operational programs for the County's Integrated Solid Waste Management System (ISWMS), and communications and public engagement. The Office provides...

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  Materials and Collection

This program provides for collection of refuse from single family residences in the southern parts of the County (Subdistrict A) and the funds to secure, administer, monitor, and enforce contracts with private collectors for collection of residential recyclables for the entire County. It also responds to residents' service needs. ...

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  Disposal

This program provides for the operation of the Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility (RRF). The RRF serves as the primary disposal facility for non-recycled waste generated in the County. Renewable energy in the form of electricity is generated and sold into the competitive energy market. This program also includes costs...

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Budget Trends
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Program Contacts

Contact Vicky Wan of the Recycling and Resource Management at 240.777.7722 or Richard H. Harris of the Office of Management and Budget at 240.777.2795 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

Related Links
Budget Summary
TitleActual
FY23
Budget
FY24
Estimate
FY24
Approved
FY25
%Chg
Bud/App
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages9020528.0010089242.00 9577121.00 11051142.009.5
Employee Benefits2343920.002881410.00 2735436.00 3174601.0010.2
Solid Waste Disposal Personnel Costs11364448.0012970652.00 12312557.00 14225743.009.7
Operating Expenses135628787.00115628349.00 115628349.00 123782286.007.1
Capital Outlay3053765.002685199.00 2685199.00 2718863.001.3
Debt Service Other0.000.00 0.00 1820000.000.0
Solid Waste Disposal Expenditures150047000.00131284200.00 130626105.00 142546892.008.6
PERSONNEL
Full-Time73.0076.00 76.00 72.00-5.3
Part-Time1.001.00 1.00 1.000.0
FTEs101.53104.52 104.52 106.121.5
REVENUES
Other Licenses/Permits13265.0014129.00 12000.00 12000.00-15.1
Other Charges/Fees221896.00155994.00 188000.00 188000.0020.5
Sale of Recycled Materials5500101.006566067.00 5323744.00 5718424.00-12.9
Solid Waste Disposal Fees/Operating Revenues26737595.0034454679.00 31677433.00 33700024.00-2.2
Systems Benefit Charge88010709.0088528968.00 87737275.00 93688259.005.8
Other Fines/Forfeitures25211.0043195.00 15000.00 15000.00-65.3
Miscellaneous Revenues18204617.00103913.00 95000.00 95000.00-8.6
Property Rentals5852.001128.00 5000.00 5000.00343.3
Investment Income3880707.005045640.00 6169940.00 5469990.008.4
Solid Waste Disposal Revenues142599953.00134913713.00 131223392.00 138891697.002.9
 
SOLID WASTE COLLECTION
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages1099443.001405341.00 1282979.00 1449944.003.2
Employee Benefits240615.00378476.00 350838.00 398447.005.3
Solid Waste Collection Personnel Costs1340058.001783817.00 1633817.00 1848391.003.6
Operating Expenses9223599.009582976.00 9717976.00 10464900.009.2
Solid Waste Collection Expenditures10563657.0011366793.00 11351793.00 12313291.008.3
PERSONNEL
Full-Time4.004.00 4.00 4.000.0
Part-Time0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
FTEs12.0812.08 12.08 11.78-2.5
REVENUES
Systems Benefit Charge11749529.0014882400.00 14830560.00 14963680.000.5
Investment Income-128113.00102960.00 203690.00 180580.0075.4
Miscellaneous Revenues0.000.00 10000.00 0.000.0
Solid Waste Collection Revenues11621416.0014985360.00 15044250.00 15144260.001.1
 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS
Total Expenditures160610657.00142650993.00 141977898.00 154860183.008.6
Total Full-Time Positions77.0080.00 80.00 76.00-5.0
Total Part-Time Positions1.001.00 1.00 1.000.0
Total FTEs113.61116.60 116.60 117.901.1
Total Revenues154221369.00149899073.00 146267642.00 154035957.002.8
FY25 Approved Changes
TitleExpendituresFTEs
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
FY24 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION131284200104.52
Changes (with service impacts)
Add: Zero Waste Program and Project Management (Program Manager II) [Disposal]30953551.00
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Increase Cost: Operations of the Resource Recovery Facility [Disposal]27942220.00
Increase Cost: Residential Recycling Collection Program [Materials and Collection]19189310.00
Increase Cost: Yard Trim Composting Equipment [Materials and Collection]18279060.00
Increase Cost: Anticipated Debt Service for Capital Projects [Administration and Support]18200000.00
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY24 Compensation Increases5232620.00
Increase Cost: FY25 Compensation Adjustment5066080.00
Increase Cost: Information Technology Support Costs [Administration and Support]1507400.00
Increase Cost: Operations of the Transfer Station [Disposal]945600.00
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY24 Lapsed Positions883310.00
Increase Cost: Recycling Center Operations [Materials and Collection]700000.00
Shift: Realign Positions Based on Workload (Disposal Fund) [Disposal]498570.25
Increase Cost: Oaks Landfill Maintenance [Disposal]458950.00
Increase Cost: Gude Landfill Maintenance [Disposal]358990.00
Shift: Realign Positions Based on Workload (Disposal Fund) [Administration and Support]345010.50
Increase Cost: Food Waste Reduction Effort [Materials and Collection]229400.00
Increase Cost: Multifamily and Commercial Recycling Programs [Materials and Collection]86620.00
Increase Cost: Recycling Outreach and Volunteers [Materials and Collection]61750.00
Increase Cost: Paper Recycling Program [Materials and Collection]60280.00
Increase Cost: Three Percent Inflationary Adjustment to Non-Profit Service Provider Contracts [Administration and Support]54930.00
Increase Cost: Printing and Mail28870.00
Increase Cost: Chargeback from Department of Housing and Community Affairs [Administration and Support]16500.00
Decrease Cost: Annualization of FY24 Personnel Costs-140.00
Decrease Cost: Chargeback from Department of Finance [Administration and Support]-16400.00
Decrease Cost: Adjustment to Wheaton Office Building Expenses [Administration and Support]-45240.00
Decrease Cost: Motor Pool Adjustment-53280.00
Decrease Cost: Retirement Adjustment-58570.00
Shift: Realign Positions Based on Workload (Disposal Fund) [Materials and Collection]-178070.00
Re-align: Elimination of Long-Term Vacancy (Disposal Fund) [Administration and Support]-19145-0.15
Decrease Cost: Out-of-County Haul Program Adjustments [Disposal]-224630.00
Decrease Cost: Yard Trim Outreach [Materials and Collection]-461250.00
Decrease Cost: Maintenance of Site 2 Property [Disposal]-636980.00
Decrease Cost: Elimination of One-Time Items Approved in FY24-1200000.00
Decrease Cost: Household Hazardous Waste Program [Disposal]-1264520.00
Decrease Cost: Risk Management Adjustment-2314190.00
Decrease Cost: Removal of Recurring Dickerson Master Plan Funding from FY24 [Disposal]-3327380.00
Shift: Oaks Landfill Leachate Plant Improvements to Capital Budget [Disposal]-8500000.00
FY25 APPROVED142546892106.12
 
SOLID WASTE COLLECTION
FY24 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION1136679312.08
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Increase Cost: Residential Refuse Collection Program [Materials and Collection]9025230.00
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY24 Compensation Increases702230.00
Increase Cost: FY25 Compensation Adjustment605630.00
Increase Cost: Printing and Mail440.00
Decrease Cost: Adjustment to Dept. of Finance Chargeback [Administration and Support]-8000.00
Decrease Cost: Retirement Adjustment-9260.00
Decrease Cost: Annualization of FY24 Personnel Costs-17610.00
Re-align: Elimination of Long-Term Vacancy (Collection Fund) [Administration and Support]-6382-0.05
Shift: Realign Positions Based on Workload (Collection Fund) [Materials and Collection]-137980.00
Decrease Cost: Risk Management Adjustment-198430.00
Shift: Realign Positions Based on Workload (Collection Fund) [Administration and Support]-43345-0.25
FY25 APPROVED1231329111.78
Program Summary
Program NameFY24 APPR
Expenditures
FY24 APPR
FTEs
FY25 APPR
Expenditures
FY25 APPR
FTEs
Administration and Support841373940.801049389541.10
Disposal6218527921.656759887725.65
Materials and Collection7205197554.157676741151.15
Total142650993116.60154860183117.90
Charges to Other Departments
Charged DepartmentCharged FundFY24
Total$
FY24
FTES
FY25
Total$
FY25
FTES
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
General ServicesGeneral Fund3898990.004171920.00
Alcohol Beverage ServicesLiquor202100.00216240.00
Parking District ServicesBethesda Parking752990.00805700.00
Parking District ServicesSilver Spring Parking1458930.001561050.00
Parking District ServicesWheaton Parking141190.00151070.00
Total6454200.006905980.00
Funding Parameter Items ($000s)
TitleFY25FY26FY27FY28FY29FY30
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
EXPENDITURES
FY25 Approved142547.000000142547.000000142547.000000142547.000000142547.000000142547.000000
No inflation or compensation change is included in outyear projections.
Annualization of Positions Approved in FY250.00000032.00000032.00000032.00000032.00000032.000000
New positions in the FY25 budget are generally assumed to be filled at least two months after the fiscal year begins. Therefore, the above amounts reflect annualization of these positions in the outyears.
Labor Contracts0.000000258.000000258.000000258.000000258.000000258.000000
These figures represent the estimated annualized cost of general wage adjustments, service increments, and other negotiated items.
Subtotal Expenditures142547.000000142837.000000142837.000000142837.000000142837.000000142837.000000
 
SOLID WASTE COLLECTION
EXPENDITURES
FY25 Approved12313.00000012313.00000012313.00000012313.00000012313.00000012313.000000
No inflation or compensation change is included in outyear projections.
Labor Contracts0.00000033.00000033.00000033.00000033.00000033.000000
These figures represent the estimated annualized cost of general wage adjustments, service increments, and other negotiated items.
Subtotal Expenditures12313.00000012346.00000012346.00000012346.00000012346.00000012346.000000