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Big City Modernization in Baltimore

The Partnership’s unique model of bringing communities and funding partners together, creates meaningful opportunities to drive large scale change in big cities. Prior to the fall of 2021, Baltimore, Maryland, residents lacked a consistent solution for recycling access, making it difficult for them to recycle as easily as they could throw something away. As the eighth largest U.S. city without universal recycling carts, Baltimore needed a bold solution.

Through a groundbreaking $10 million-plus public-private partnership, brought together by The Partnership, Baltimore delivered nearly 200,000 free curbside recycling carts to households in the city. This is the largest partnership to modernize recycling to date and enables safer and more efficient collection while minimizing waste in waterways. The new recycling carts also provide residents with more capacity to store recyclables at home. With the delivery of recycling carts to every eligible Baltimore household, 609,000 Baltimore residents now have adequate access to recycling, proving that big city change is possible. Baltimore’s recycling transformation is expected to increase the amount of recovered recyclable material by 80%, generating more than 40 million pounds of new valuable recyclables every year.

“Making Baltimore more sustainable through diverting waste from our landfills and incineration is key as we lay the groundwork for future generations. By providing our residents with the proper resources and education thanks to this partnership, I know that more Baltimore households will do their part to reduce waste and recycle.”
Brandon M. Scott, Mayor, City of Baltimore

See more stories of how The Recycling Partnership is solving with communities like Baltimore, Maryland in the 2022 Impact Report.

Download the 2022 Impact Report