Celebrating America Recycles Day, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) is pleased to unveil its Recycle Right web feature. When residents are in doubt about what to place in their recycling container, a quick visit to the Recycle Right web feature can point them in the right direction.

This new web feature helps residents quickly figure out which items to set out for single-stream curbside recycling collection or to drop off at one of DPW’s convenience centers, the Quarantine Road Landfill, or on a Household Hazardous Waste collection day.

“With the new Recycle Right web feature, residents can help make sure that accepted items are placed in weekly single-stream recycling collections, helping to reduce the City’s recycling contamination rate,” said DPW Director Rudolph S. Chow, P.E.

Contaminated recycling further increases the City’s processing costs at a time when the recycling market faces economic pressure. Plastic-bagged recyclables account for the majority of the City's recycling contaminants.

“The best way to reduce the City’s recycling contamination rate is to keep plastic bags out of recycling containers,” the DPW Director said. “Don’t use plastic bags as your recycling containers, and please don’t dispose of plastic grocery bags and plastic films in your containers.”

Additional sources of contamination include clamshell containers, Styrofoam, and bottles and jars that are not empty, tanglers (i.e., electrical cords, hoses, Christmas lights), and clothing.

Plastic Bag Takeback, Recycle Bin Sale

Continuing its celebration of America Recycles Day, DPW is also hosting a plastic bag takeback event and recycling bin sale on Saturday November 16 at Baltimore Community Toolbank (1224 Wicomico St. 21230) from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The plastic bag takeback provides residents with a way to clear out their plastic bag collection, ensuring that these items will not enter the City’s single-stream recycling collections. We will be accepting plastic bags for recycling, each resident that brings us five or more plastic bags will be given a reusable bag in exchange (limit 1 per resident).

Recycling bins will be on sale at the discounted price (25-gallon with lid for $10, 18-gallon for $4); cash or check only.

Recycling bins are NOT required to recycle in the City of Baltimore. Residents can use any type of container to hold recyclables — paper bags, cardboard boxes, or a labeled plastic container. JUST NO PLASTIC BAGS, please! Residents can call (410) 396-4511 for a sticker to label old trash cans and storage totes as recycling containers.

America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day that is dedicated to raising awareness and hosting events for recycling. Whether there is an individual committing to #RecycleRight or an organization taking the America Recycles Pledge, everyone can do their part to support recycling in the United States.