The Midshore Regional Recycling Program (MRRP) is a cooperative partnership proposed in 1991 and formed in 1993 by and between the Maryland Counties of Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot. This program provides many free recycling opportunities to more than 137,000 residents.

Through sharing of resources and cooperative marketing, the MRRP provides full or partial financial and other support for:

• Recycling of newspaper, magazines and catalogs, office and other paper, plastic bottles and jugs, glass bottles and jars, metal household cans, scrap metal, lead acid batteries, appliances, cardboard, motor oil, antifreeze, yard waste, tires, clothing and textiles, boat shrink wrap, electronics and other materials when outlets can be developed;
• The Midshore Consolidation Facility in Easton - Recyclables are collected and stored until they are transported to market.
• Operation of the “Igloo” program serving about 40 of the region's recycling drop-off sites; In FY 2011 the Igloo program collected 3,429 tons of recyclables and generated $262,395 in revenue, a new record. Queen Anne’s County annually bales and markets over 800 tons of cardboard.  From an analysis undertaken in February 2012, the net cost for the drop-off program was $88,896.58.  This equates to $0.64 per person per year to have access to the recycling drop-off sites.
• Capital equipment for recycling programs - Igloos, Igloo collection trucks, curbside collection trucks, rolloff containers, storage areas, walking floor trailer, and other equipment;
• Transportation of recyclables to market for all four counties - mostly by cooperative hauling using County resources;
• Removal of Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants from appliances;
• Grinding of yard waste;
• Tire recycling and alternate disposal arrangements;
• Education and recycling and waste prevention awareness, information and promotion to students, residents and businesses.
• Municipal recycling program grants;
• Marketing of recycled material collected in the region; Paper is sold to a local firm that supports 30 local manufacturing jobs;  Glass bottles are sent to PA for 100% bottle to bottle recycling, not used as landfill cover as done by some recyclers. 
• Record keeping and reporting of recycling rates for the region;
• Two Igloo Collection Operators and the Regional Recycling Coordinator.
• Coordination of the Midshore Region's Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program initiated in 1998 and an electronics recycling program initiated in 2002.

The Midshore Regional Recycling Program is funded primarily through a surcharge on solid waste disposed at the Mid-Shore Regional Landfill in Ridgely, Maryland. Sale of recyclables and grants are other revenue sources.

The Midshore Regional Recycling Program consistently achieves one of the top three highest Maryland Recycling Act (MRA) recycling rates in the State of Maryland. The four counties report the recycling rate as a region to the State of Maryland Department of Environment. Since 1993, the region has consistently exceeded the 15% recycling rate required by the Maryland Recycling Act. In 2010, the MRA recycling rate for the Midshore region was 50.28%, the second highest in MD! Two food-processing industries contributed significantly to this rate. Excluding the two large commercial recycled tonnages, the region’s rate was still an impressive 35.12%.  The 14,443 tons of recycling generated from residents avoided over $814,894 in landfill fees!

In 1994, the Midshore Regional Recycling Program received the "Outstanding Small Government Recycling Program" award from the Maryland Recyclers Coalition. Because of the region’s cooperative marketing approach, the Midshore Regional Recycling Program was the subject of a national case study in 1993 by the Minnesota Project.

In May 1998, the Midshore Regional Recycling Program received a highly competitive $38,000 grant to establish a pilot Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program. Funding was initiated from the EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program’s Small Watershed Grants program. Currently the Counties fund the program with events planned on a Spring & Fall schedule, at alternating sites throughout the four-county region. As of March 2012, 27 events have been held where 7,908 participants have disposed of 243 tons of material. Typical materials collected include fuels, lawn & garden pesticides, paint thinner, non-latex paints and other materials.

Electronics recycling was initiated in 2002 as part of an EPA pilot eCycle project.  MRRP was awarded over $60,000 in grants from Maryland Department of Environment.  These funds were provided by electronics manufacturers to meet Maryland’s electronics recycling requirements.  This is a unique example of extended producer responsibility (EPR) which has directly benefitted Midshore residents. A portion of these funds were used to establish on-going computer recycling drop-off stations in all four counties at six locations accessible during regular operating hours.  In addition, 6,415 participants at 20 Spring and Fall “eCycle” events generated 338 tons of electronics that will be recycled, rather than landfilled.

Please choose from the menu on the left for more information about the MRRP program.

The Midshore Regional Recycling Program is a cooperative partnership by and between the Maryland Counties of Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot.