Baltimore Cancels Recycling; 14 Community Collection Centers Open

BALTIMORE, MD — Baltimore City has suspended recycling pickup until at least Nov. 1. The public works department redeployed its recycling collection crews starting Monday, Aug. 31, to handle trash pickup due to staffing shortages during the coronavirus pandemic.

To accommodate those who want to recycle, the city is offering 17 drop-off locations.

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works established community collection centers — one in each of the 14 City Council Districts. There are three additional drop-off centers around the city.

14 Community Collection Centers

Most community collection centers will operate from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday, starting Aug. 31.

A roll-off dumpster or trash vehicle will be placed at these 14 community collection centers:

• District 1: DPW Maritime Operations Facility, 3311 Eastbourne Avenue
• District 2: DPW Eastside Sanitation Yard, 6101 Bowleys Lane (open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday)
• District 3: Hamilton Elementary School, 6101 Old Harford Road
• District 4: Chinquapin Middle School, 900 Woodbourne Avenue
• District 5: Former Police Academy, 3500 W. Northern Parkway
• District 6: Greenspring Middle School, 4701 Greenspring Avenue
• District 7: Westside Elementary School, 2235 N. Fulton Avenue
• District 8: Westside Skills Center, 4501 Edmondson Avenue
• District 9: DPW Meter Shop, 200 N. Franklintown Road
• District 10: DPW Southwest Sanitation Yard, 701 Reedbird Avenue (open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday)
• District 11: Digital Harbor High School, 1100 Covington Street
• District 12: Dunbar High School, 601 N. Central Avenue
• District 13: DPW Property Management Facility, 1825 Edison Highway
• District 14: Mergenthaler (“Mervo”) High School, 3500 Hillen Road

Officials say that Baltimore Department of Public Works employees will staff the drop-off centers.

“We know Baltimore must recycle, and many of our residents want to do so," Acting Director of Public Works Matthew W. Garbark said in a statement. "That is why we are establishing Community Collection Centers."

Convenience Drop-Off Centers Open

Residents can also dispose of trash and recycling at the following Convenience Drop-Off Centers:

• Sisson Street Citizen Drop-Off Center, 2840 Sisson Street, open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday
• Northwest Transfer Station, 5030 Reisterstown Road, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday
• Quarantine Road Landfill, 6100 Quarantine Road., 9 am. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday

Source Of Staffing Shortage

According to the Baltimore Department of Public Works, a minimum of 210 workers is needed to perform trash and recycling collections. Over the past few weeks, officials said 133 workers a day on average were reporting for duty.

"We have several cases of COVID," Garbark said. In mid-August, he said 19 employees were isolated due to the coronavirus and 12 had confirmed cases. There were 75 people out on sick leave in the Baltimore Solid Waste Bureau, including on extended sick leave and family medical leave.

Having so many people out "hampers operations tremendously each day," Garbark said, as far as staffing shortages. "The overall strategy is to look at getting some more contractors on because, again, COVID is not going anywhere."

City officials said they tried to get outside contractors to fill vacancies but were unable in part because the contractors' trucks could not fit in Baltimore's alleyways.

Public works personnel will monitor daily operations "in hopeful anticipation that operations will stabilize and can resume prior to November 1," city officials said in a statement.

"I'm frustrated too," Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young said at an Aug. 19 news conference. "My trash don't always get picked up on time either." He said neighbors came knocking on his door about their trash. "I'm frustrated ... but I understand why we are where we are."

Said Young: "People are testing positive, and people are afraid to come to work. Simple as that."

People have no reason to dump their waste illegally when there are places they could take their recyclables and trash, the mayor added.

Hearing Planned About Trash, Recycling During Pandemic

Council President Brandon Scott said he was concerned opening the centers for people to drop off their recycling is not going far enough. He has redeployed his office to help public works.

“For my part, I will be out there to help alongside our solid waste workers and will be mobilizing my office to support in that effort until regular services can resume," Scott said. “While COVID-19 has created unprecedented challenges for our city, it is unacceptable for us to be at this point, and more must be done to ensure seniors, people with disabilities, and people without personal vehicles can access basic city services."

At his request, the Housing and Urban Affairs Committee will hold a hearing with public works personnel and the administration to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on basic trash and recycling services. The hearing will be at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15. People can stream the hearing online, watch live on CharmTV (Channel 25/1085HD), or call in to 408-418-9388 (Access code: 129 735 5191).

"I am frustrated that Baltimore continues to struggle with regular trash pickup, a problem that predates this pandemic. Even as we navigate challenging and unprecedented circumstances, the City has to find a way to complete its most basic responsibilities on behalf of our constituents."