Public Works is happy to bring back our April Recycling Drop-Off Event. Gather up your old, important papers, old electronics, lightly used home goods, certain Styrofoam products and your wet or dry paint - and come down to Public Works, 305-307 First Street, on Saturday, April 19, 2025, from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm (noon).
If you have questions about the event below or other Department of Public Works services, please call at 301-725-0088 or email DPW@Laurel.md.us.
Returning This Year! Paint Recycling
Yuck Old Paint will be on site to collect cans of old latex paint, oil-based paint, and wood stains – wet or dry! However, this drop-off is not free. Paint and stain will cost $5 per container (quart, 1-gallon) or $10 (5-gallon). Paint must be in its original container. Yuck can accept cash, check, or charge (credit and debit).
The $5 charge is to facilitate Yuck’s mission: Good, reusable paint is distributed to international humanitarian construction projects, stateside theater groups and local licensed contractors. Paint that is not usable is appropriately processed for proper legal disposal per Virginia DEQ regulations so that it is no longer a threat to the water and soil tables.
Electronics Recycling
Entertainment Electronics such as televisions, stereos, computers, game systems and their accessories can be dropped off free of charge. If it plays music, video, video games, or an accessory to something that does - it counts! Items such as microwaves, coffee makers, or other non-entertainment electronics will not be accepted. Electronics will be recycled by Securis – a recognized local electronics recycling, data destruction and hard drive shredding company.
Paper Shredding
Chesapeake Paper Systems will be on site with their shredding truck to shred your documents safely. You can drop your documents off or stand by and watch them get put into the shredder truck! The shredding truck will accept old X-rays and other film, however it does not get shredded on site. Please make sure no non-paper items are mixed in with your documents, such as plastic floppy disks. Residents are limited to five boxes per trip. Residents and businesses are welcomed to make multiple return trips to drop off additional paper for shredding.
GreenDrop Charity Donations for Lightly Used Home Goods
The GreenDrop charity will have a vehicle on site to collect lightly used home goods. Residents can drop off clothing and small household appliances for GreenDrop. However, items rejected by GreenDrop must be taken home and cannot be left at Public Works. Receipts for charitable donation deductions for your taxes will be available. A full list of acceptable and unacceptable items can be found on the Greendrop Website: https://www.gogreendrop.com/.
EPS/Styrofoam Recycling
EPS Industry Alliance will be on site to recycle your EPS products (Expanded Polystyrene products, commonly known by the brand name "Styrofoam") such as packaging, food containers, and packing peanuts. While we all would love to remove all polystyrene from the waste stream – with the recycling alternative EPS can recycle the products into things such as surfboards, picture frames, construction material, and new packaging.
Verifying Addresses
Public Works will be verifying that you are a City resident or City business so please bring a driver's license or mail addressed to your City business. Not all addresses in "Laurel, Maryland" are in the City Limits so please verify you live within the City Limits if you plan to attend. Residents from outside of the City limits will be turned away at the gate.
Locations and neighborhoods NOT within The City of Laurel and are ineligible for this event:
- Montpelier
- The Russet
- Maryland City
- Burtonsville
- South Laurel
- North Laurel
- West Laurel
- Howard County
- Anne Arundel County
- Montgomery County
When You Arrive
All vehicles must enter through the First Street entrance and can approach from Main Street or Laurel Avenue. Vehicles cannot enter from US Route 1 and Little Montgomery Street. We will alternate from either direction to get cars into the yard as quickly as possible. Only a limited number of cars can enter the yard at the time so there may be long lines and long waits to get into the yard, in particular at the event opening (8 am) and again right before closing (noon). For the fastest experience we encourage residents to arrive near the middle of the event. Our laborers will assist with removing items from the trunks of your car for this event if needed.
Residents are asked to:
- Follow staff direction
- Stay in their vehicles
- Encouraged to wear masks
- Have ID ready
- Put items for drop off in the trunks of their cars (where possible).
