Shiny New Recycling Bins Appear on West County Curbs

Monday morning, while many in Odenton were out working or dropping kids off at school, hundreds of large recycling bins showed up at residences across town.

The new, 65-gallon containers are the same kind that were distributed to other areas of Anne Arundel County in 2011 in an effort to bolster recycling efforts.

The new containers are a big upgrade to the previous bins—they have wheels and a lid, not to mention double the space.

As the theory goes, the more space one has, the more recycling they'll do. County Public Works spokesman Matt Diehl said since the county began upgrading recycling containers from 32-gallon to 65-gallons, they've seen "a marked increase," in recyclables.

"It's simpler, it's easier, there's obviously more space, and people really like that lid," Diehl said.

Residents can keep their old containers for overflow recyclables, or put them out for collection. County workers will retrieve any unwanted old containers, clean them and reissue them to other residents. If they are in poor condition, they will simply be recycled.

Diehl said the department hopes to give all county customers the option of having the 65-gallon containers by the end of the next fiscal year in 2015.

For more information on the county's recycling program, cal 410-222-7951 or visit http://carts.recyclemoreoften.com.