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The amount of materials recycled by businesses in Montgomery County is increasing — but so is the number of fines for recycling-related violations handed out to businesses, nonprofits and other employers, which produce most of the trash in the county.

Is there a correlation? Not by design, said Alan Pultyniewicz, recycling coordinator with the county's Division of Solid Waste Services.

"We work on getting compliance through education and outreach efforts. We don't want to write citations," Pultyniewicz said. "We're trying to form a partnership with businesses."

Still, the number of citations given to businesses and multifamily properties for infractions — such as not recycling required materials and allowing materials to overflow out of stored containers — in fiscal 2008 more than tripled from fiscal 2007, according to county figures. The county issued a relatively low 167 citations in fiscal 2008, compared to 719 notices of violation handed out in the same year.

Notices of violation are warnings telling businesses how to comply and giving them time to do so, Pultyniewicz said. The large majority of businesses comply without having to be cited. Fines start at $100 for the first citation, he said.

"We want to see businesses comply," Pultyniewicz said. "But sometimes going to a citation is not the best approach. We want to make sure businesses receive ample notification."

Nonresidential recycling in the county increased to about 231,000 tons in fiscal 2007 from 217,500 in 2006. Single-family recycling by ton actually went down slightly in 2007, though it is projected to rise in fiscal 2009.

It's hard to pinpoint why residential recycling has slowed, while commercial has risen, Pultyniewicz said. Residents might be doing more composting and reducing yard trimmings, he said. Single-family homes recycled a slightly higher percentage of their waste in 2007, according to the county.

Fines paid on the recycling-related citations totaled almost $15,000 in fiscal 2008, according to county figures. That amount refers to the money actually paid for citations during the fiscal year, not the total number of fines issued. There is normally some lag time between when the fines are issued and paid, Pultyniewicz said.

While the 2008 figure was up from $6,450 in fiscal 2007, the amount pales compared with how much the county and some area cities bring in from speeding and red-light camera violators.

In fiscal 2008, the county hauled in an estimated $15.6 million from speed-camera and red-light citations, more that double the amount in fiscal 2007, according to the latest budget report. That figure is expected to rise to almost $21 million in fiscal 2009.

The city of Rockville, which also employs speed and red-light cameras, saw citation revenues from them leap from $82,000 in fiscal 2007 to an estimated $4.9 million in fiscal 2008, according to its most recent budget report. The cities of Gaithersburg and Chevy Chase Village, which use speed cameras, have also seen substantial revenue increases.

Many residents have accused county and city officials of using the speed and red-light cameras as revenue generators in tight budget times, even causing two county council members to pose that question to police officials at a recent public meeting. But not many have similarly faulted the county solid waste division for fining recycling violators to raise revenue. The solid-waste division took in much more money in selling recycled materials, $4.65 million, in fiscal 2007, than in fines.

Awards another part

of recycling program

Since 1993, Montgomery County has enforced mandatory recycling requirements for businesses, as well as for single-family residents and multifamily properties. The county also annually recognizes companies, multifamily managers and residents in an awards program to recognize those employers and individuals doing excellent jobs in recycling.

Most other Maryland counties encourage businesses to recycle without mandating it. New York City, Pittsburgh and some other cities mandate business and residential recycling.

New York City, which mandated its program in 1989, starts fining recycling violators on its first notice of violation and increases that to as much as $500 per bag, according to the city Internet site.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in Rockville is among local employers that have been awarded by the program for its recycling efforts. The nonprofit organization's 2007 recycling rate — the percentage of total solid waste the company generates that is recycled — was 83 percent, up from 78 percent in 2006.

That was significantly higher than the overall county business rate of 37 percent in fiscal 2007. Single-family homes recycled 56.2 percent of waste that year, while multifamily households only recycled 13.5 percent. All total, the county recycled 43.2 percent of its trash in 2007, up from 41.7 percent in 2006, but still below the goal of 50 percent.

The speech association has a "green" corporate philosophy that has long encouraged recycling, said Chuck Cochran, chief staff officer for operations of the nonprofit. Late last year, the association moved into a new building on Research Boulevard that was recently awarded a gold designation, a superior rating, from the U.S. Green Building Council.

"Our employees really buy into that philosophy," Cochran said.

Recycling bins are placed at each of the association's 250 employees' desks, and there are larger bins throughout the 134,000 square feet of space, he said. Different bins are allocated for aluminum cans, bottles, paper and other materials.

The association also encourages employees to use refills for toner cartridges, rather than purchase new cartridges each time, Cochran said. Recycling cell phones and other products is also encouraged. Computers are usually sold to staff members after their useful life, he said.

A committee organizes regular events to educate employees on various recycling measures, including how to set up a composting system at home, Cochran said.

Other businesses recognized by the county include Fitzgerald Auto Malls, which recycled 66 percent of waste in 2007 and added fluorescent light bulbs and toner cartridges to its materials; Strosniders Hardware in Bethesda, which recycled 70 percent, including batteries, motor oil and packing materials; and Daly Computers in Clarksburg, with an 81 percent rate.

Businesses and other employers have to submit an annual recycling report to the county and comply with recycling regulations within 30 days of opening to the public. Other materials companies have to recycle include foil, metal, yard waste and Christmas trees.