Montgomery County Maryland Operating Budget

Budget Year / Version:

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.

Budget Overview

The total recommended FY26 Operating Budget for the Recycling and Resource Management is $199,152,183, an increase of $44,292,000 or 28.60 percent from the FY25 Approved Budget of $154,860,183. Personnel Costs comprise 8.71 percent of the budget for 77 full-time position(s) and one part-time position(s), and a total of 117.34 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 91.29 percent of the FY26 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

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 FY25 estimates reflect funding based on the FY25 approved budget. The FY26 and FY27 figures are performance targets based on the FY26 recommended budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY27.

Innovations and Productivity Improvements

Established four Food Scraps Recycling Drop-Off collection points at existing farmers markets. Program provides residents convenient access to drop-off their food scraps for recycling. Markets are located in Silver Spring, Bethesda, Derwood, and Olney. Three of these markets operate year-round, one operates seasonally, and all operate during the weekends.
Continued Phase I and Phase II of the Single-Family Residential Curbside Food Scraps Recycling Pilot Program. Through this program, which was recognized with a 2024 Achievement Award by the National Association of Counties, over 1,126,000 pounds of food scraps have been recycled by 1,535 participant households in parts of Silver Spring, Potomac, Bethesda, and Rockville.
Coordinated and organized bulk volume sale of successfully tested rodent-proof backyard food scraps compost bins. Residents were provided the opportunity to purchase either the dual chamber tumbler or the stationary model at a discounted price. Almost 200 food scraps compost bins were sold, evenly split between the two options.

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...

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. ...

Program Performance Measures	Actual FY23	Actual FY24	Estimated FY25	Target FY26	Target FY27
Number of tons of Municipal Solid Waste accepted at the Transfer Station: Commercial and multi-family buildings	299,282	304,514	287,167	299,859	300,179
Number of business site visits to provide guidance and recycling support	6,619	7,988	5,917	6,841	6,915
Number of Multi-Family Building site visits to provide guidance and recycling support	2,653	2,568	2,086	2,436	2,363
Average number of refuse collections missed per week, not picked up within 24 hours	12	12	15
Average number of recycling collections missed per week, not picked up within 24 hours	25	18	22

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...

Program Performance Measures	Actual FY23	Actual FY24	Estimated FY25	Target FY26	Target FY27
Number of tons of County-wide yard trim and leaves collected	166,578	163,447	161,997	165,627	165,347
Number of tons of County-wide Commingled Recycling collected	33,701	31,885	33,136	33,239	33,085
Number of tons of County-wide Mixed Paper collected	113,695	108,382	109,796	111,722	111,084
Number of tons of County-wide Food Waste collected	8,822	14,444	15,000	15,000	15,000
Number of tons of County-wide Household Hazardous Waste collected	3,615	3,991	3,735	3,818	3,886
Number of tons of Municipal Solid Waste accepted at the Transfer Station: Residential, single family, and townhouse communities	197,838	190,642	199,757	198,077	198,139

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2026 RECOMMENDED Budget

Archives

Data

Budget Snapshot

199.2M FY26 Recommended
Operating Budget

117.3 Full Time
Equivalents

Budget Trends

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

Montgomery County MD Home Page

Budget Summary

Title	Actual FY24	Budget FY25	Estimate FY25	Recommended FY26	%Chg Bud/Rec
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages	10028445.00	11051142.00	10638800.00	12094227.00	9.4
Employee Benefits	2634389.00	3174601.00	3051855.00	3603268.00	13.5
Solid Waste Disposal Personnel Costs	12662834.00	14225743.00	13690655.00	15697495.00	10.3
Operating Expenses	129450751.00	123782286.00	125352286.00	165120511.00	33.4
Capital Outlay	6962323.00	2718863.00	2718863.00	2064295.00	-24.1
Debt Service Other	0.00	1820000.00	0.00	3304000.00	81.5
Solid Waste Disposal Expenditures	149075908.00	142546892.00	141761804.00	186186301.00	30.6
PERSONNEL
Full-Time	76.00	72.00	72.00	73.00	1.4
Part-Time	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	0.0
FTEs	104.52	106.12	106.12	107.56	1.4
REVENUES
Other Licenses/Permits	11506.00	12000.00	12000.00	12000.00	0.0
Other Charges/Fees	219808.00	188000.00	195005.00	190000.00	1.1
Sale of Recycled Materials	5639012.00	5718424.00	5639012.00	6403034.00	12.0
Solid Waste Disposal Fees/Operating Revenues	28718631.00	33700024.00	30338675.00	33551750.00	-0.4
Systems Benefit Charge	88432944.00	93688259.00	92505977.00	143340026.00	53.0
Other Fines/Forfeitures	22550.00	15000.00	22000.00	22000.00	46.7
Miscellaneous Revenues	174575.00	95000.00	37000.00	37000.00	-61.1
Property Rentals	0.00	5000.00	4000.00	4000.00	-20.0
Investment Income	6864611.00	5469990.00	3911410.00	3293820.00	-39.8
Other Intergovernmental	52200.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.0
Solid Waste Disposal Revenues	130135837.00	138891697.00	132665079.00	186853630.00	34.5

SOLID WASTE COLLECTION
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages	1322835.00	1449944.00	1388796.00	1285511.00	-11.3
Employee Benefits	300775.00	398447.00	382180.00	370981.00	-6.9
Solid Waste Collection Personnel Costs	1623610.00	1848391.00	1770976.00	1656492.00	-10.4
Operating Expenses	9700544.00	10464900.00	10464900.00	11309390.00	8.1
Solid Waste Collection Expenditures	11324154.00	12313291.00	12235876.00	12965882.00	5.3
PERSONNEL
Full-Time	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	0.0
Part-Time	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.0
FTEs	12.08	11.78	11.78	9.78	-17.0
REVENUES
Other Charges/Fees	24414.00	0.00	10000.00	0.00	0.0
Systems Benefit Charge	14835040.00	14963680.00	14830560.00	15000000.00	0.2
Investment Income	-1767436.00	180580.00	713720.00	601030.00	232.8
Solid Waste Collection Revenues	13092018.00	15144260.00	15554280.00	15601030.00	3.0

DEPARTMENT TOTALS
Total Expenditures	160400062.00	154860183.00	153997680.00	199152183.00	28.6
Total Full-Time Positions	80.00	76.00	76.00	77.00	1.3
Total Part-Time Positions	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	0.0
Total FTEs	116.60	117.90	117.90	117.34	-0.5
Total Revenues	143227855.00	154035957.00	148219359.00	202454660.00	31.4

FY26 Recommended Changes

Title	Expenditures	FTEs
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
FY25 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION	142546892	106.12
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Increase Cost: Resource Recovery Facility - Waste Management Contract [Disposal]	35500000	0.00
Increase Cost: Out-of-County Haul [Disposal]	4081975	0.00
Increase Cost: Residential Recycling Contracts [Materials and Collection]	1774780	0.00
Decrease Cost: Debt Service [Administration and Support]	1484000	0.00
Increase Cost: FY26 Compensation Adjustment	592444	0.00
Increase Cost: Adjust FTE Allocation to Better Align With Responsibilities (Disposal Fund) [Disposal]	328241	1.50
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY25 Compensation Increases	263164	0.00
Increase Cost: Site 2 Landfill Structure Improvements [Disposal]	250000	0.00
Increase Cost: Overtime Adjusment [Disposal]	210805	0.00
Increase Cost: Yard Trim Composting [Materials and Collection]	183492	0.00
Increase Cost: Recycling Center [Materials and Collection]	173169	0.00
Increase Cost: Household Hazardous Waste [Disposal]	158171	0.00
Increase Cost: Adjust FTE Allocation to Better Align With Responsibilities (Disposal Fund) [Materials and Collection]	138931	0.00
Increase Cost: Security Camera Installation [Administration and Support]	121775	0.00
Increase Cost: Oaks Landfill Planning and Monitoring [Disposal]	107499	0.00
Increase Cost: Adjust FTE Allocation to Better Align With Responsibilities (Disposal Fund) [Administration and Support]	101237	-0.06
Increase Cost: Motor Pool Adjustment	99322	0.00
Re-align: Central Duplicating Services - Mail Appropriation [Materials and Collection]	90000	0.00
Increase Cost: Paper Recycling [Materials and Collection]	58361	0.00
Increase Cost: Resource Recovery Facility Management and Routine Capital Replacements [Disposal]	54089	0.00
Increase Cost: Food Waste Residential Collection [Materials and Collection]	40082	0.00
Increase Cost: Retirement Adjustment	38309	0.00
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY25 Lapsed Positions	31937	0.00
Increase Cost: Engineering, Planning, and Construction Support Services [Disposal]	22646	0.00
Increase Cost: Gude Landfill Planning and Monitoring [Disposal]	21771	0.00
Increase Cost: Commercial Recycling [Materials and Collection]	18865	0.00
Increase Cost: Transfer Station Management and Routine Capital Replacements [Disposal]	14907	0.00
Increase Cost: Multifamily Recycling Program [Materials and Collection]	9994	0.00
Increase Cost: Recycling Outreach, Education, and Volunteers [Materials and Collection]	9963	0.00
Increase Cost: Communications and Public Engagement [Administration and Support]	6000	0.00
Increase Cost: Three Percent Inflationary Adjustment to Non-Profit Service Provider Contracts [Administration and Support]	5559	0.00
Increase Cost: Department of Housing and Community Affairs Chargeback [Administration and Support]	1700	0.00
Decrease Cost: Administration [Administration and Support]	-2348	0.00
Decrease Cost: Finance Chargeback Adjustment (Disposal Fund) [Administration and Support]	-5650	0.00
Decrease Cost: Risk Management Adjustment	-19825	0.00
Decrease Cost: Department of Environmental Protection Chargeback [Administration and Support]	-25000	0.00
Decrease Cost: Printing and Mail Adjustment	-27258	0.00
Decrease Cost: Lapse Adjustment [Materials and Collection]	-47667	0.00
Decrease Cost: Annualization of FY25 Personnel Costs	-185649	0.00
Decrease Cost: Reduced Staff Augmentation Needs [Materials and Collection]	-2040382	0.00
FY26 RECOMMENDED	186186301	107.56

SOLID WASTE COLLECTION
FY25 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION	12313291	11.78
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Increase Cost: Residential Refuse Collection Contracts [Materials and Collection]	827882	0.00
Increase Cost: FY26 Compensation Adjustment	57887	0.00
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY25 Compensation Increases	33101	0.00
Increase Cost: Motor Pool Adjustment	15642	0.00
Increase Cost: Printing and Mail Adjustment	5031	0.00
Increase Cost: Retirement Adjustment	3185	0.00
Decrease Cost: Outside Mail [Administration and Support]	-35	0.00
Decrease Cost: Risk Management Adjustment	-1700	0.00
Decrease Cost: Finance Chargeback Adjustment (Collection Fund) [Administration and Support]	-2330	0.00
Decrease Cost: Annualization of FY25 Personnel Costs	-22634	0.00
Decrease Cost: Adjust FTE Allocation to Better Align With Responsibilities (Collection Fund) [Materials and Collection]	-117065	-1.00
Decrease Cost: Adjust FTE Allocation to Better Align With Responsibilities (Collection Fund) [Administration and Support]	-146373	-1.00
FY26 RECOMMENDED	12965882	9.78

Program Summary

Program Name	FY25 APPR Expenditures	FY25 APPR FTEs	FY26 REC Expenditures	FY26 REC FTEs
Administration and Support	10493895	41.10	12588377	40.04
Disposal	67598877	25.65	0	0.00
Materials and Collection	76767411	51.15	79775164	47.15
Total	154860183	117.90	92363541	87.19

Charges to Other Departments

Charged Department	Charged Fund	FY25 Total$	FY25 FTES	FY26 Total$	FY26 FTES
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
General Services	General Fund	417192	0.00	956622	0.00
Alcohol Beverage Services	Liquor	21624	0.00	49584	0.00
Parking District Services	Bethesda Parking	80570	0.00	184748	0.00
Parking District Services	Silver Spring Parking	156105	0.00	357949	0.00
Parking District Services	Wheaton Parking	15107	0.00	34640	0.00
Total		690598	0.00	1583543	0.00

Funding Parameter Items ($000s)

Title	FY26	FY27	FY28	FY29	FY30	FY31
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
EXPENDITURES
FY26 Recommended	186186.000000	186186.000000	186186.000000	186186.000000	186186.000000	186186.000000
No inflation or compensation change is included in outyear projections.
Labor Contracts	0.000000	63.000000	63.000000	63.000000	63.000000	63.000000
These figures represent the estimated annualized cost of general wage adjustments, service increments, and other negotiated items.
Subtotal Expenditures	186186.000000	186249.000000	186249.000000	186249.000000	186249.000000	186249.000000

SOLID WASTE COLLECTION
EXPENDITURES
FY26 Recommended	12966.000000	12966.000000	12966.000000	12966.000000	12966.000000	12966.000000
No inflation or compensation change is included in outyear projections.
Labor Contracts	0.000000	3.000000	3.000000	3.000000	3.000000	3.000000
These figures represent the estimated annualized cost of general wage adjustments, service increments, and other negotiated items.
Subtotal Expenditures	12966.000000	12969.000000	12969.000000	12969.000000	12969.000000	12969.000000

Additional Documentation