Spring has finally sprung! To mark the official start of spring, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) is pleased to offer a springtime lineup of cleaning and greening opportunities. Baltimore City residents, neighborhood and civic groups are urged to sign up for the Mayor’s Spring Cleanup. An annual tradition, this year’s Spring Cleanup will take place on Saturday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

To participate, groups should organize now and provide their cleanup location(s) and anticipated numbers of participants when calling 311 to sign up. The registration deadline is Monday, April 22. 

Registered communities will receive bags to help with their cleaning efforts, and DPW will collect debris from identified locations.  Registrants can pick up bags starting Wednesday, April 17 from DPW's 2840 Sisson St. and 111 Kane St. locations.

Earth Day Celebration!

In honor of Earth Day, DPW will host a recycling trifecta on Saturday, April 13. In addition to free shredding for City residents, recycling bins will be on sale for discount prices. Plus, we will host a plastic bag take-back, exchanging five or more plastic bags for one reusable tote.

 For the shredding, residents are invited to bring up to two 32-gallon trash bags of papers. Bags with other types of recyclables or trash will not be accepted. 

The event will take place at the Edmondson-Westside High School, 501 N. Athol Ave. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event is for Baltimore City residents only.

The GROW Centers are Back! 

DPW’s Grow Centers (Green Resources & Outreach for Watersheds) are popping up – again!  In addition to the GROW Center pop-up events, we’ve added four stand-alone workshops to our schedule. At the GROW Center events, residents can get free trees and mulch, purchase recycling bins, talk to greening experts like master gardeners, and attend workshops and demonstrations. To pre-register for GROW Center activities: visit Baltimoregrowcenter.eventbrite.com or call 410-396-0732.

Pop-ups:

April 6, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Easterwood/Sandtown Park - 1537 McKean Ave., 21217
April 13, 9 a.m. -12 p.m., Oliver Community Farm - 1400 N. Bond St., 21213
April 27, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., HEPP Park - 2301-2399 Pinewood Ave., 21214
May 4, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., Bethel Playscape - 1500 N Bethel St., 21213

Recycle bins will be on sale for discount prices at the Grow Center pop-up events listed above.

Workshops:

April 4, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - Rain Barrel Workshop, Civic Works Center for Sustainable Careers - 3501 Brehms Lane, Suite B, 21213
April 9, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - Social Justice & Greenspaces, Langston Hughes Community Business Resource Center - 5011 Arbutus Ave., 21215
April 25, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - Mindfulness & Greenspaces, Patterson Park Pagoda, E. Lombard St., 21224
April 30, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. - Composting Workshop, Filbert Street Garden, 1317 Filbert St., 21226

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Season

Springtime marks the start of Household Hazardous Waste Collection Season, which runs from April to October, and occurs on the first consecutive Friday and Saturday of the month. 

This year’s collection kicks off on Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6. Collections take place at the Northwest Citizens' Convenience Center, 2840 Sisson St.  

This is an opportunity for Baltimore City residents to dispose of hazardous household materials such as oil-based paints, pesticides, herbicides, car and household batteries, drain cleaners, pool chemicals, and many other items. Latex paint is NOT hazardous waste, it can be dried up and the cans put out for regular trash collection. For a list of items accepted during DPW Household Hazardous Collection, please visit the Recycling Services webpage.