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Recycling and Economic Development in Washington, DC

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to administer the recycling programs in the District while ensuring sanitary public space.  We also strive to promote source reduction, litter reduction; buy recycled procedures, policies of energy conservation, environmental protection, economic productivity, and cost/effectiveness in the District.

POLICY

The DC Office of Recycling was established in 1989 as a single administrative unit within the executive office of the Director of the Department of Public Works to administer the recycling program in the District.  The office employs 7 full time employees. The recycling goal for the District’s overall waste stream is 45 percent.  The District has a mandatory source separation program for all commercial and residential establishments. These include office buildings, churches, retailers, warehouses, apartment buildings, cooperatives, condominiums, bars and restaurants, as well as museums, associations, non-profit organizations, schools, universities and single-family homes.  The office encourages recycling through education, technical assistance and enforcement.

Contact Information:

William Easley, Recycling Program Officer
DC Department of Public Works – Office of Recycling
3220 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20022
Telephone:       202-645-7191
Hotline:            202-645-8245
Fax:                 202-645-8518
E-mail:             recycle@dc.gov
Website:          www.recycle.dpw.dc.gov

About the District’s Office of Recycling

The services provided by the DC Office of Recycling are designed to balance today's needs with tomorrow's obligations by fostering both environmental sensitivity and economic sensibility. The Office of Recycling promotes sustainable resource management throughout the District by campaigning for residents and businesses to: Rethink. Reduce. Reuse. …And then Recycle.

• rethink how actions affect the amount of waste produced and what can be done to positively change behavior
• reduce the amount of solid waste generated and the amount of materials used by trying to reuse as much as possible
• ...and then recycle as well as buy things made from recycled material.

We work at minimizing waste by affecting attitudinal and behavioral change through:

• education and public awareness campaigns
• cross-sectoral partnerships
• environmental resources and information provision
• training and events
• research and policy development
• enforcement

Public Service Programs

Electronics Recycling – The Department of Public Works operates two weekly electronic recycling drop-off sites at the Benning Road Trash Transfer Station (3200 Benning Road, NE) and the Fort Totten Trash Transfer Station (4900 Bates Road, NE). Both are open on Saturdays, except holidays, 8 am to 3 pm. These weekly drop-off sites replace the semi-annual HHW/e-cycling collection events. Residents may bring televisions and audio-video equipment, cell phones, home office equipment, computers, computer parts and computer components for end-of-life disposal or recycling. All computer monitors and TV screens must be intact—not cracked, punctured or shattered. A certified recycler properly recycles all electronics. Some equipment is donated to non-profits to be reused.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection – The Department of Public Works operates two weekly household hazardous waste (HHW) sites at the Benning Road Trash Transfer Station (3200 Benning Road, NE) and the Fort Totten Trash Transfer Station (4900 Bates Road, NE). Both are open on Saturdays, except holidays, 8 am to 3 pm. All HHW is handled by professionally licensed hazardous waste hauler to collect and dispose of the materials properly at an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved hazardous waste facility. At the collection site, a professional hazardous waste handler accepts residents’ material. After the materials are collected, they are put in special containers. As the containers are filled, they are transported to facilities where the materials can be recycled or disposed of properly.

Public Space Recycling – DPW, in partnership with the Capitol Hill and Downtown DC Business Improvement Districts (BID), began two public space recycling pilot programs in 2008. There are six recycling cans in the Capitol Hill BID and 25 in the Downtown DC BID, which are blue and are co-located with trash receptacles. These initiatives target busy commercial areas where significant amounts of recyclable materials are being deposited in trash receptacles and entering the waste stream. The recycling receptacles look similar to the current street litter cans but have a special lid with signage indicating they are for recycling only. The containers will accept paper, aluminum cans, and plastic and glass bottles.

Other New Initiatives – The District recently expanded its list of items for recycling to include film plastics like grocery, produce, and dry cleaning bags, as well as aerosol cans and a variety of rigid plastic including plastic lawn furniture, toys and flower pots.

The District also became the first jurisdiction in the region to offer free weekly document shredding for residents, which is offered at sites at the Benning Road Trash Transfer Station (3200 Benning Road, NE) and the Fort Totten Trash Transfer Station (4900 Bates Road, NE). Both are open on Saturdays, except holidays, 8 am to 3 pm. This service is provided by Shred-it, and the paper is later recycled off site.

Curbside Recycling – Recycling is collected from residents living in single-family homes and apartment buildings with 3 units or less via Department of Public Works trucks and personnel. Residents are provided with one free, 32-gallon, blue rolling cart for this purpose. A second cart is available upon request.

Recycling Hotline – District residents can call the Recycling Hotline or the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center at 311 to report missed recycling collections, request a bin, report a business not recycling or to speak to a staff member.

DC School Environmental Education and Outreach - The DC Office of Recycling provides Environmental Education support to all District schools. Our program includes the use of an award winning, multidisciplinary environmental curriculum, Project Learning Tree (PLT). We assist educators in setting up school recycling programs, provide support with service-learning activities, and conduct environmental education training workshops.

Neighborhood Cleanup Program – The DPW Helping Hand Program provides tools and trash bags to community groups organizing neighborhood clean-up projects. Free graffiti removal kits are also available. DPW will even send trucks to pick up the bagged trash collected by volunteers.

Internet Resources

Washington, DC’s Recycling Homepage

Washington, DC’s Homepage

Washington, DC Department of Public Works Homepage

Economic Development in Washington, DC

This office oversees and coordinates execution of the District's economic development programs and projects; represents the Mayor to businesses, developers, and other government agencies; and manages the executive agencies responsible for economic development. The DMPED website describes key initiatives and provides information about doing business in the District of Columbia.

For information please contact:

Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 317
Washington, DC 20004  
(202) 727-6365
(202) 727-6703