DPW provides curbside recycling and drop off recycling options to residents in Baltimore to dispose of material that can no longer be reused or donated. Recycling items is preferable to putting them with your trash and helps:

• Conserve natural resources
• Protect the local environment
• Prevent pollution
• Decrease emissions of greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change
• Reduce what gets dumped into our landfills
• Limit the number of items that need to be incinerated
• Download Recycling Guide 
• Descargar la Guía de Reciclaje

Know your recycling collection week

DPW uses an alternating A and B cycle for curbside recycling pickup:

Week A: Northeast and Northwest neighborhoods are scheduled for recycling pickup Tuesday through Friday. 
Week B: Southeast, Southwest and Central district neighborhoods are scheduled for recycling pickup Tuesday through Friday.

• View the recycling schedule and neighborhoods to find your pickup week. 
• Download: Recycling weeks and neighborhoods
• Review: Trash and Recycling Collection Updates 
• Questions? Read Recycling FAQs

If your collection day falls on a holiday, please keep your recycling items until the makeup collection day. This is typically the following Saturday. 

Put your recycling at the curb

Use your city-issued recycle cart or any container you want: paper bags, cardboard boxes, old laundry baskets – you can even use a trash can (just mark it “recycling”). There is only one rule: Do not place recycling in plastic bags! We won't collect recyclable items that are in plastic bags.

Fill your container with any of the approved recycling materials: paper, cans, cardboard bottles, etc. 

There is no limit on the amount of recyclable materials that you put out for collection. 

Acceptable items for curbside recycling collection 

Note: Items should be empty, clean and dry when you place them in your recycling cart or container. 

Paper

• Office paper (all colors)
• Newspaper, magazines and catalogs
• Mail (including junk mail, flyers, etc.)
• Books (including paperbacks, textbooks, and hardbacks)
• Brown paper bags
• Cardboard and paperboard boxes

Cardboard

• Cardboard egg containers
• Non-metallic wrapping paper
• Clean pizza boxes (not soiled with grease)
• Food and beverage cartons (e.g. milk, juice, or stock)

Plastic

• Plastic bottles (e.g. water and soda)
• Plastic jugs such as milk (other than for motor oil, pesticides, and herbicides)
• Plastic jars (e.g. peanut butter)
• Tubs (e.g. sour cream or yogurt)
• Prescription bottles (including caps)

Hint: If the top (opening) of the bottle is narrower than the bottom, it is accepted.

Metal

• Aluminum cans
• Metal food or beverage containers
• Clean aluminum foil/ foil pans
• Empty aerosol cans

Glass

• Glass bottles and jars (all colors)

Not accepted for curbside recycling collection 

• Soiled recyclables
• Polystyrene (Styrofoam) of any type
• Plastic bags
• Clamshell containers (e.g. deli or salad bar containers, to go food boxes, berry containers)
• Plastic film of any type (e.g. 6 pack rings, case wrap, dry cleaning bags, food storage bags)
• Plastic cutlery and straws
• Potato chip and snack bags, candy wrappers
• Take-out food containers
• Non-packaging plastic (e.g. toys, toothbrushes, pens)
• Paper towels, toilet paper or tissue paper
• Wax or parchment paper
• Non-packaging glass (window and mirror)
• Cords, hoses, string and other “tanglers”
• Compostable materials or yard waste
• Trash such as cigarette butts, diapers, food waste, needles, bags with pet waste, etc
• Electronics and appliances
• Clothing, shoes, and textiles
• Cookware

Additional recycling services

Note: Items like hard plastics, scrap metal, household hazardous waste, and electronics can be recycled in Baltimore City, just not with your curbside recycling. They must be taken to one of the Residential Drop-Off Centers. 

• Household Hazardous Waste
• Electronics Recycling
• Rigid Plastics Recycling
• Yard Waste

Items like leaves can only be recycled curbside at certain times of the year.

You must show proof of city residency, e.g. a driver's license, telephone bill, or tax bill in order to leave items at a Drop-Off Center.

Questions or concerns?

We're here to help. Please call 311 or visit 311 online to connect with us. You can also email your recycling questions and feedback.