Recycling Still Suspended In November, Centers To Open Saturday

BALTIMORE, MD — Months after Baltimore suspended curbside recycling due to coronavirus-related staff shortages, officials said Tuesday the service will not be restored anytime soon.

"Out of an abundance of caution, DPW will not resume curbside recycling collections at this time,” Acting Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Matthew W. Garbark said in a statement. "DPW expects to provide an update on plans to restart curbside recycling collections on Tuesday, Dec. 15."

The city announced it would stop curbside recycling collections over the summer. Originally the plan was for the suspension of service to run from Aug. 31 to at least Nov. 1.

“National health reports indicate that the COVID-19 virus is beginning to surge," Garbark said in a statement Tuesday, Oct. 27. "Some contributing factors to the surge include individuals moving from congregating outdoors to indoors."

Concerns over the surge in coronavirus cases corresponded with an uptick in hospitalizations in Maryland, where there were 471 people hospitalized due to the virus as of Tuesday, which was an increase of 140 coronavirus-related hospitalizations since the beginning of October.

Those who visit recycling centers should wear face coverings and maintain 6 feet of distance between themselves and others.

The Baltimore Department of Public Works will continue operating 14 Community Collection Centers, one in each of the 14 City Council districts, as well as three Citizens’ Convenience Drop-Off Centers:

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

Here are addresses for the recycling 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

Centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7. a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

Recycling collection centers in Baltimore will be open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. starting on Halloween, according to the Baltimore Department of Public Works.

Residents may not dump plastic bags filled with recycling. Items wrapped in plastic film should also not be put in the dumpsters.