Montgomery County is taking on CVS Pharmacy and Ross Dress for Less, in each case accusing a local store in the national chains of improperly disposing waste.
Two businesses are scheduled for hearings on Oct. 30:
» A CVS store at 10141 Colesville Road in Silver Spring faces charges of “failure to recycle as required” and “solid waste overflow.”
» Ross Dress for Less on Rockville Pike in Rockville is charged with “failure to recycle as required.”
County recycling officials declined to comment on the nature of their violations since both companies are the subject of ongoing investigations.
Many businesses receive warnings for failing to heed county recycling policy, county officials said, but few continue to disregard regulations long enough to be dragged into court.
Although 638 county businesses received warnings between July 2006 and July 2007, only 44 received citations resulting in fines for failing to heed the initial warnings. And the county has only had to take eight businesses to court over violations since the recycling regulations took effect in May 2005.
Terrilyn Brooks, associate county attorney and counsel to the division of solid waste services, said CVS and Ross could face fines of $500, but the county really is seeking compliance.
Representatives from both companies admit that recycling was a problem in the past but say they are cooperating with the county.
“There have been problems, but none since I started eight weeks ago,” said Mohammad Meraz, manager of the Ross Dress For Less store in Rockville. He said he believed the store previously mixed cardboard with other recyclable items.
“We have a compactor for cardboard recycling and a container outside the Dumpster for everything else that is a recyclable,” he said. “There’s no way we can mix up the cardboard anymore.”
CVS spokesman Mike DeAngelis said the citations occurred during a change in trash vendors.
“With our new vendor now in place, we have addressed those violations,” DeAngelis said, “and we will work cooperatively with the county to resolve any outstanding issues.”
According to Eileen Kao, chief of recycling for Montgomery’s division of solid waste services, the county employs three investigators to evaluate suspected recycling violations such as when recyclables end up in the trash, containers are overflowing or if a business lacks a recycling plan entirely.
“Usually people get their act together after the first warning,” Kao said. “They do take violations very seriously. …”
