Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

Waste Disposal

Waste Disposal

When are my trash days, and how do I have my trash picked up?

Trash pickup is on Mondays and Thursdays.  Trash should be secured in a lidded trash bin and left out behind your townhome, outside of your fence.  Trash containers should be put out after 5 PM the evening before the pick-up, and returned (inside the resident’s fence, or next to their front door) by 10 PM on Monday or Thursday respectively.

Please visit the City of Bowie Household Trash page for details about which items are accepted, as well as which items are prohibited as they may be subject to change.

Does the City of Bowie recycle?  If so, how can I dispose of recyclable waste?

Recycling pickup is on Thursdays.  The City of Bowie will not accept any recycling contained in plastic trash bags, so please use paper bags or leave your recycling loose in your container.  As with trash containers, it is recommended to contain your recycling in a lidded container.  Recycling containers should be put out after 5 PM Wednesday evening, and returned (inside the resident’s fence, or next to their front door) by 10 PM on Thursday.

The City of Bowie will provide residents with one lidded recycling cart at no cost by contacting the Public Works Department at (301) 809-2344.  Please visit the City of Bowie recycling page for details about which items are accepted, as well as which items are prohibited as they may be subject to change.

Does the City of Bowie compost?  How can I compost biodegradable food waste?

Yes, through Green Bowie you can sign up to participate in the free Food waste collection program. Please visit the Green Bowie sustainability page for further information and announcements: https://www.cityofbowie.org/2309/Food-Waste-Collection

The City of Bowie also offers low-cost compost bins for 20$ each at City Hall.

Why should I use lidded containers for my trash and recycling waste?

Belair Town II is adjacent to wooded habitats for wildlife including foxes, raccoons, rabbits, owls, vultures, and deer.  We also have a spayed/neutered feral cat population in the neighborhood, and many fat and happy squirrel residents.  Many animals scavenge through our trash, and exposed trash bags are often torn open before waste pickup the following day.  Keeping your waste secured in a lidded container prevents trash from being scattered around the neighborhood.

As Belair Town II is a very pet-friendly neighborhood, your unsecured trash also becomes a risk for pets being walked through the neighborhood.  Cooked bones and spoiled food are a health hazard to your neighbor’s pets, and are often scattered in common areas where pets eliminate by the wildlife that pilfered from your trash.

If you subscribe to a “return it to the ground it came from” philosophy on biodegradable food wastes, please dispose of them properly by turning them into compost!  Don’t dump or throw bones and banana peels into alleyways, woods, and grassy areas!

I have something large and heavy that I’d like to throw out.  Can I have it picked up with my trash?

Large items may be placed at the curb next to your household trash containers on your normal collection day.  Large trash items include any items (excluding appliances) that are not all metal, such as wooden furniture, upholstered furniture, or plastic toys.  Residents may put these items out for collection without arranging an appointment.

Metal items, appliances, and tires must be collected via special pickup.  Pickups are completed on Wednesdays, and must be scheduled ahead of time.  To arrange a pickup, call the Public Works Department by Tuesday at noon for that week’s pickup at (301) 809-2344.  Some examples of metal items that require special pickup:

  • laundry machines
  • refrigerators and freezers (make sure door is removed or securely closed for child safety reasons)
  • grills
  • water heaters
  • metal cabinets or shelving

 I just did spring cleaning and I have a large volume of waste that can’t wait until trash collection day.  I also remodeled a room and have some hazardous waste.  Where is the nearest landfill?

Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill
1611 White House Road
Upper Marlboro, MD
(301) 833-5045

Hours of Operation:  Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM

Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill is open and free of charge to County citizens and residents who need to dispose of harmful household waste.  Non-commercial vehicles only, limited to one truckload of waste per year.  Some examples of hazardous waste:

  • antifreeze, gasoline, brake fluid, transmission fluid, and motor oil
  • fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides
  • photographic chemicals
  • unused paint, paint thinners, or solvents
  • car batteries

We are within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and improper disposal of these items is harmful to both the local environment and the ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay.

What should I do with my yard waste (i.e. leaves, trimmings, weeds, limbs, dead Christmas trees)?

Please do not dump your yard waste into the wooded spaces in the community.  Not only is it a potential eyesore, but some invasive species can regrown from cuttings and harm the local ecosystem.  The City of Bowie does curbside collection of yard wastes on Wednesdays.  Yard waste should be placed in paper bags or loose in a container weighing no more than 50 pounds.  Some branches may be accepted tied into bundles, and logs may be cut into short lengths (up to 24 inches) and placed at the curb, again with a weight maximum of 50 pounds per bundle/log.  Items should be placed at the curb after 5 PM on Tuesday night, and containers should be returned (inside the resident’s fence or at their front door) by 10 PM on Wednesday.

For more information about what items are accepted, as well as which are prohibited, please visit the City of Bowie yard waste page as these items may be subject to change.

What should I pick up my pet waste?

Everyone should be concerned with animal waste and the effect it may have on our health, our environment and the well-being of our pets. Several diseases can be transmitted to humans after contact with pet feces and we don’t want our children handling animal excrement. We want to protect our pets because they can contract canine parvo, whipworms and other diseases from fecal matter. The accumulation of feces in our yards can foul the air and create a public nuisance. Pet waste can also create a health hazard by polluting our storm water system or by providing a food source for rodents and other unwanted animals.

The Bowie City Code addresses the issue of animal waste:
• Sections 4-13, (c), 15-3 and 11-3. A public nuisance exists when an animal’s uncleanliness or deposit of excrement causes odor or unsanitary conditions.
• Sections 4-17 and 17-2. Anyone owning or keeping a companion animal shall immediately remove and properly dispose of the excrement deposited by the animal from private property, other than their own, or from public property, including City sidewalks, streets and City parks.

It is the responsibility of every pet owner or custodian to properly dispose of pet waste. No matter how large or how small the animal. 

It doesn’t matter the size of the pet!

Pet owners must frequently clean their yards of pet excrement. When walking your dog or cat, immediately clean up the waste. Do not toss your pet’s excrement into a storm drain or sewer and don’t expect it to dissolve into the ground. Carry a pet waste bag and dispose of your animal’s waste with your other solid waste.

We are lucky to have several locations to deposit our pet waste bags. Please do your part and pick up your pet’s waste. FYI – pooping NEAR the poop can is not picking up your pet’s waste. There are cheap “poop bag” holders that you can buy and hook right to you leash. Walmart has replacement bags at the cheapest price around!

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