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As of May 7, 2026, the City of Laurel Department of Public Works is inviting residents and city businesses to its October Recycling Drop-Off Event on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. The drop-off will run from 8:00 a.m. to noon at Public Works, located at 305-307 First Street in Laurel, MD. This single-stop event covers electronics recycling, secure paper shredding, Styrofoam collection, wet and dry paint, and lightly used household donations.
Here’s a quick look at the event details:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, October 17, 2026 |
| Time | 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (noon) |
| Location | Department of Public Works, 305-307 First Street, Laurel, MD |
| Eligibility | City of Laurel residents and city businesses only |
| Proof of residency | Driver’s license or mail addressed to a city business |
| Electronics fee | Free of charge |
The electronics part of the event covers entertainment electronics, so think televisions, stereos, computers, game systems, and their accessories. City officials say that if the item plays music, video, or video games—or is an accessory to something that does—it qualifies.
Not every electronic belongs in this pile. Microwaves, coffee makers, and other non-entertainment appliances will not be accepted. Those items should be handled through regular appliance recycling or another county-approved program.
All electronics accepted at the event will go to Securis, a recognized local electronics recycling and data destruction company. That is useful for businesses and individuals dealing with old hard drives and sensitive files, since Securis also handles hard-drive shredding. For anyone cleaning out an old home office, the event is a practical way to safely dispose of outdated technology without putting personal data at risk.
Chesapeake Paper Systems will be on site with a shredding truck. You can either drop off your documents or stand nearby and watch them go into the shredder. The truck will also take old X-rays and other medical film, although those are not shredded on site; they are collected for off-site processing.
A few paper-shredding rules matter:
This makes the event a solid option for anyone dealing with years of bank statements, tax paperwork, and medical records.
GreenDrop will have a vehicle on site to collect lightly used clothing and small household appliances. If you bring items that GreenDrop cannot accept, you must take them home—they cannot be left at Public Works. A full list of acceptable and unacceptable items is available on the GreenDrop website at https://www.gogreendrop.com/.
Receipts for charitable contribution deductions will be available, which means you can donate usable goods and potentially claim the donation on your taxes. Since GreenDrop operates as a charity collection partner, this is a good chance to clear out closets without making an extra trip to another donation center.
Styrofoam is actually a brand name for expanded polystyrene, also called EPS. EPS Industry Alliance will be at the event to recycle EPS packaging and food containers. Packing peanuts will not be accepted, so leave those out.
When EPS is recycled, it can be turned into products such as surfboards, picture frames, construction materials, and new packaging. It is also one of the harder items to deal with through normal curbside programs, so having a designated drop-off is helpful. Clean, food-container EPS is much easier to process, so do your best to remove obvious surface food residue before arriving.
The city’s announcement also lists wet and dry paint as accepted items. If you are planning to bring paint, consider separating it from other drop-offs and keeping containers upright during the drive. For any questions about paint packaging or what the city can accept, it is best to reach out to DPW before the event.
One important detail: not every address with “Laurel, Maryland” is actually inside the City of Laurel. Public Works will be verifying that each visitor is a city resident or a city business. Bring a driver’s license or mail addressed to your city business. People who live outside city limits will be turned away at the gate.
Areas and counties that are not eligible for this event include:
If you are unsure whether your neighborhood falls inside the official city boundary, call Public Works before driving over. The staff can also tell you about other disposal options if this event does not apply to you.
All vehicles must enter through the First Street entrance. You can approach the site from Main Street or Laurel Avenue, but do not attempt to enter from US Route 1 and Little Montgomery Street. The city will alternate vehicles from either direction to move cars into the yard as quickly as possible.
There is limited space inside the yard, so long lines are likely—especially at the 8:00 a.m. opening and again right before the noon closing. For the fastest experience, the city suggests arriving near the middle of the event, roughly around 10:00 a.m.
To keep things moving, residents are asked to:
Crew members will assist with unloading items from trunks if needed.
Electronics recycling is not just about making space at home. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recovering materials from used electronics reduces pollution, conserves natural resources, and avoids sending hazardous components into the waste stream. Paired with secure paper shredding, the event gives residents a safe way to dispose of documents that could otherwise be misused.
Styrofoam and paint also create disposal challenges at home. Paint should never go down the drain or be tossed casually in normal trash, and EPS recycling gives some of that bulky material a second life. The combination of shredding, electronics recycling, donations, and EPS recycling in one location makes the Oct. 17 event a convenient one-stop solution for a long list of household items.
If you have questions about the event or any other Department of Public Works services, call 301-725-0088 or email DPW@Laurel.md.us. The department can confirm whether an item will be accepted, explain the residency rule, or direct you to an alternative program if you are outside city limits.
Mark Saturday, October 17, 2026, on your calendar. Sort your electronics and paper ahead of time, gather any lightly used clothing or small appliances for GreenDrop, and verify your eligibility before heading to 305-307 First Street. With entry limited to city residents and businesses, having the right ID and clear items ready will make the drop-off process much faster. Arrive mid-morning if you can, and you are more likely to avoid the longest waits.
The October Recycling Drop-Off Event is a practical opportunity for Laurel residents to clean out their homes in one trip while making sure that electronics, sensitive documents, Styrofoam, paint, and usable household goods are all handled responsibly.
