Celebrating Recycling Leaders: Montgomery County Recognizes 22 Individuals and Organizations at 27th Annual Recycling Achievement Awards – Mocofeed

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the Department of Environmental Protection recently recognized 22 individuals and organizations for excellence in waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. The annual awards ceremony is a key part of the County’s Recycling Awareness Week, which has been celebrated annually since 1999. The awards highlight the County’s ongoing commitment to waste reduction and recycling, as well as its long-term goal of achieving zero waste.

“For 27 years, we’ve highlighted amazing community leaders who are committed to cutting waste, reusing more, and boosting recycling,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “As our environmental goals grow, it’s great to see the list of award winners grow too. I encourage everyone to check out what they’re doing and how their work will help us get that much closer to achieving zero waste.” 

“This year’s honorees were chosen for their creative ideas and ongoing efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle the right way,” said DEP Director Jennifer Macedonia. “I want to thank and congratulate our award winners for their dedication to helping the environment and pushing us toward zero waste. We celebrate their hard work, their projects, and the positive impact these people, multi-family properties and businesses are having on our communities.” 

A summary of the 2026 recycling achievement award winners: 

Multi-Family Property – Green Committee- Presented to a Green Committee representing a multi-family property that has shown exceptional leadership in advancing recycling and waste-reduction efforts. This award recognizes a team that has effectively engaged its community, implemented successful recycling programs and nurtured a strong culture of environmental stewardship.

• Fox Hill Senior Living, Bethesda 
• Parkside Condominium, Bethesda 

Multi-Family Property – Property Manager – The “Multi-Family Property Manager Award” is presented to property management staff who develop, expand, or enhance waste-reduction and recycling programs within a multi-family community. 

• Valerie Smallwood, Palladian Condominium, Rockville 

Multi-Family – Outstanding Efforts in Waste Reduction and Recycling – Awarded to multi-family properties that have adopted exemplary efforts to develop, expand, or enhance their waste reduction, reuse and recycling programs while aiming for Zero Waste. 

• Americana Centre Condominium Association, Rockville 
• The Carleton of Chevy Chase 
• Old Georgetown Village Condominium, North Bethesda 
• Silverton Condominium, Silver Spring 
• Whitley Park Condominium, Bethesda 

Business – Outstanding Efforts in Waste Reduction and Recycling – Awarded to businesses that have undertaken exemplary efforts to develop, expand, or enhance their waste reduction, reuse and recycling programs, striving to reduce waste and recycle more while aiming for Zero Waste.   

• GSK Shady Grove R&D, Rockville 
• Landow Building, Bethesda 
• National Institutes of Health, Bethesda 
• Northwest High School, Germantown 
• Pioneer, Potomac 
• Saint Luke Lutheran Church, Silver Spring 
• Samsung Biologics America, Rockville 
• Scrap Happy Art Supply Thrift at BlackRock Center for the Arts, Germantown 
• Starbucks – Plaza del Mercado, Silver Spring 
• The United States Pharmacopeial Convention, Rockville 

Business – Waste Reduction and Recycling Innovative Programs – This award recognizes businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and creativity in waste reduction and recycling through the development of an innovative program or practice. The recipients in this category have implemented forward-thinking strategies that significantly reduce waste and promote sustainable resource management. 

• GrillMarX Steakhouse and Raw Bar – Olney 
• King Street Oyster Bar of Potomac 

Business – Waste Reduction and Recycling Champions – Awarded to individuals who made a positive difference in their school or workplace to keep our land, air, and water clean. This individual goes above and beyond the efforts of others to maintain a healthy environment in their school or workplace working diligently to engage others to actively participate in their waste reduction, reuse, and recycling efforts.   

• John Anderson III – designDATA, Gaithersburg 

Commercial Recycling Partnerships – Awarded to commercial food scraps recycling partners who have significantly increased their recycling achievement by separating pre-consumer and post-consumer food scraps from the waste stream and recycling them through participation in the Commercial Food Scraps Recycling Partnership Program. 

• St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Potomac 

A complete listing of the awardees and details about their recycling efforts are available on the  Recycling Achievement Recognition Awards webpage. Photos are available on the DEP Flickr page.   

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Media Contact: Danielle Moxley, 240-712-8954, danielle.moxley@montgomerycountymd.gov