• ➢Co-mingled Products: In 1989, Oakwood started city-wide weekly collection of co-mingled recyclables, and it continues to this day. It is a voluntary program, but nearly all Oakwood residents participate. At the outset of the program, about 60% of Oakwood residents participated. Based on a survey completed in November 2021, about 92% of Oakwood residents participate.
• ➢Recycling and Yard Waste Drop-off Facility: On November 30, 2021, the city opened a new facility for the 24/7 drop-off of green waste (yard debris), cardboard, and co-mingled recyclables such as glass, plastics and metal cans. The city recycling facility also accommodates the drop-off of seasonal items such as holiday string lights and provides space for Styrofoam drop-off under a new Montgomery County program conducted quarterly. The city works with the Green Oakwood citizen group to implement the holiday string light and Styrofoam programs. The recycling drop-off facility supplements Oakwood’s weekly recycling collection program conducted in conjunction with trash collection, and replaces a facility formerly operated from the Creager Dog Park parking lot. The new location provides for a more efficient drop-off operation and a much more user-friendly environment for facility users. The total project cost was about $380,000, with $72,000 paid through a grant from the Montgomery County Solid Waste District under the 2021 District Incentive Grant Program. The grant recognizes and acknowledges Oakwood’s continuing commitment to recycling.
• ➢Other: The city maintains numerous recycling containers at parks, in public natural areas, and in city buildings.
• ➢Recycling Numbers: In 2021, about 50% of the total waste generated in Oakwood was recycled.

Leaf Collection and Reuse: For over 30 years, the city has collected leaves throughout the community each fall, and converted the leaves to yard mulch. The yard mulch is offered to Oakwood residents each spring. In 2021, the city picked up over 7,000 cubic yards of leaves, an enormous amount of leaves for a city of just 2.2 square miles in total land area.

Green Waste Collection and Disposal: Oakwood residents have two convenient ways to dispose of green waste without adding it to the weekly household trash. For several decades, and in addition to the fall leaf pick-up, the city has operated a year-around green waste collection program. The program is heavily used for the disposal of brush, branches and all other types of yard waste. Residents can place the green waste behind the edge of roadway at their property frontage for pick-up by the city. The second way is for residents to drop off the green waste at the 24/7 recycling drop-off facility.