10-Year Solid Waste Management Plan

Residents Invited to Weigh in on Baltimore’s 10-Year Solid Waste Management Plan

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) is updating the City’s 10-Year Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) and is seeking input from residents and other stakeholders – including environmental advocates; representatives from city businesses, schools, and hospitals; and those who live and work in the City.

The State of Maryland requires Baltimore City to adopt and maintain a comprehensive solid waste management plan that covers at least the subsequent 10-year period. The 10-year Solid Waste Plan must be both approved by MDE and adopted by the Mayor and City Council.

The current 10-year Solid Waste Plan was adopted by the Mayor and City Council on December 2, 2013, and approved by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) on March 3, 2014. Since the current SWMP’s adoption and approval in 2013, the City has reviewed the SWMP and made the required revisions. Baltimore City is now working to review and update its 10-Year Solid Waste Plan comprehensively.

The plan identifies the goals for managing the City’s solid waste stream, assesses the existing solid waste collection systems (public and private), current and future disposal capacity needs, and the ways in which reuse, recycling, and composting from residential, institutional, and commercial sources are to be implemented.

Upcoming Community Meetings

Community input is an integral part of this plan’s update. From February to April 2023, DPW will host three virtual public meetings and two in-person town halls to gather feedback on the plan as it is updated.

The community meetings will present an overview of plan drafts at the 60%, 90%, and 99% benchmarks. Plan drafts will be released for a two-week public comment period before each public meeting. Residents and stakeholders who cannot attend meetings will have the opportunity to provide written comments. All meetings will be recorded and made available to the public.

Please visit the Plan’s webpage for meeting reminders and links, draft releases, meeting recordings, and opportunities to provide written comments.

For more information about the plan, visit the 10-Year Solid Waste Management Plan website at https://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov/pw-bureaus/solid-waste/plan. You may also emailSolidWastePlan@baltimorecity.gov with specific questions or concerns.