The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) has started delivering recycling carts to households in Baltimore City. The carts will first be distributed to communities with the lowest recycling rates according to Esri’s Market Potential Index (MPI) database. The distribution process is expected to take four months.
Households in Baltimore will receive a 65-gallon blue recycling cart, which is the same size as the green garbage carts. Residents can call 311 to request a small cart or to withdraw completely. Postcards will be mailed to eligible households 30 to 45 days before the arrival of the recycling cart.
DPW created a Recycling Opportunity Index (ROI) using the MPI database which ranks the Combined Statistical Areas (CSAs) that have the most opportunities for increased recycling. The filing system will guide the distribution plan for DPW’s carts.
The South Baltimore Peninsula has two CSAs: Inner Harbor / Federal Hill and South Baltimore. They were ranked 50th and 49th out of 56 ASCs.
Washington Village / Pigtown ranked 19th, Poppleton / The Terraces / Hollins Market ranked 11th, Southwest Baltimore ranked 14th, Morrell Park / Violetville ranked 28th, Westport / Mount Winans / Lakeland ranked 8th, Cherry Hill ranked 12th and Brooklyn / Curtis Bay / Hawkins Point ranked 3rd.
The $ 9 million plan to distribute recycling carts includes a $ 3 million grant from The Recycling Partnership.
The Recycling Partnership and the City of Baltimore estimate that the new recycling carts have the potential to increase recycling in the city by about 20,000 tonnes per year or nearly 200 pounds per household.
Baltimore City Public Works Department photo
About the Author: Kevin Lynch
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