Westminster, MD, Thursday, July 2, 2020 - The Maryland legislature recently passed a statewide ban on expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) food service materials, which results in Carroll County being unable to accept Styrofoam for recycling. The county will continue to accept Styrofoam for recycling at the drop off center through July, but beginning August 1, 2020, residents must dispose of Styrofoam materials in the trash.  

The ban and the pending decrease in recyclable Styrofoam products caused Carroll County’s Styrofoam recycling vendor Dart Container to discontinue providing Styrofoam recycling services for local government customers, effective August 1, 2020.  Dart Container has limited resources for recycling, and these resources cannot be supported by a reduction in the amount of Styrofoam being generated for recycling.

Carroll County staff will continue to search out other opportunities for Styrofoam recycling and will notify residents of any changes made to the program.