Parks Recycling Pilot Program

Help keep our parks clean and green! As part of Rockville’s commitment to sustainability, the Recreation and Parks Department is launching the Parks Recycling Pilot Program to evaluate the effectiveness of placing recycling containers in various parks across Rockville. This initiative aims to determine the best locations for recycling containers and encourage visitors to support sustainability by responsibly recycling during their park visits.

The pilot program will run from June to August 2025, and monthly review meetings will assess progress and determine adjustments. Results will be gathered to determine the effectiveness of implementing a permanent recycling program.

Participating Parks

Recycling containers will be installed in the following parks:

• Horizon Hill Park
• Isreal Park
• Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park
• Twinbrook Park
• Woodley Gardens Park

Each park will receive five standardized, lockable blue recycling containers, strategically placed near existing trash containers and key amenities, including:

• Playgrounds.
• Picnic shelters.
• Sports courts and athletic fields.
• Along pathways and high-traffic areas.

These containers feature a single opening designed specifically for plastic bottles, glass bottles, and aluminum cans, which are the only materials being recommended for collection. Each container is clearly labeled with stickers to help guide proper recycling.

Data Collection

Recycling collection will coincide with regular trash pickup—either one, three, or five times per week—based on the park’s usage level. During each collection, city staff will monitor and report the types of materials being recycled to help evaluate the program’s effectiveness.

Data will be collected using ArcGIS Survey123. Each recycling container will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Photo Documentation: A photo of the container’s contents.
• Contamination Assessment: Recorded as either:
  • Yes (if any non-recyclable items are present).
  • No (if the contents are fully recyclable).
• Type of Contamination (if applicable):
  • Dog waste.
  • Food waste.
  • Plastic bags.
• Estimated Volume of Recyclables:
  • 0–25%
  • 25–50%
  • 50–75%
  • 75–100%

Note: There is a potential for contamination because the containers are located in public spaces. If non-recyclable items are placed in the containers, the materials will not be recycled and will instead be collected as trash.