As fall blows in, Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) is offering opportunities for residents to clean, beautify, and green their neighborhoods.

The highlight of the City’s fall clean and green opportunities will be the Mayor’s Fall Cleanup. This citywide day of cleaning is a time for communities, civic organizations and businesses to join together to clear out  litter and debris by cleaning sidewalks, alleys, yards, vacant lots, and tree pits.  

The Mayor’s Fall Cleanup is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27. To participate, residents should organize volunteers and then register their cleanup by calling 311. Please provide the cleanup location(s) and the anticipated numbers of participants when calling to sign up. Registered communities will receive bags to help with their cleanup efforts. DPW will provide cleanup debris removal.

Participants in the Mayor’s Fall Cleanup can earn $10 in credits toward their stormwater fee. Certificates and forms for the stormwater credit can be picked up by registrants when they come to collect bags for their cleanups.

DPW Grow Centers are back!

DPW’s Grow Centers are popping up – again!  City residents are invited to join DPW for one (or more!) of our Grow Center pop-ups this fall. The first of four Grow Center events is this Saturday, Sept. 15, at “Pigtown Bloom the Boulevard” from 9 a.m. to noon.

At the GROW Center events, residents can get free trees and mulch, purchase recycling bins, talk to greening experts like master gardeners, and attend workshops and demonstrations on a variety of topics including community organizing, pollinator gardens, tree and orchard planting, and farm to table cooking.

Pre-registration is encouraged to ensure that the events have adequate supplies. To pre-register and to find out what will be offered at each of the Grow Centers listed below, please visit www.baltimoregrowcenter.eventbrite.com.

Pop-up #1: Saturday, Sept. 15, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. - Pigtown Bloom the Boulevard, 705 Washington Blvd. 21230

Pop-up #2: Saturday, Sept. 22, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. - Waverly Farmers Market, 32nd Street and Greenmount Avenue 21218

Pop-up #3: Saturday, Oct. 6, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. - Baltimore Food Hub, 1412 N. Wolfe St. 21213

Pop-up #4: Saturday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m.-1p.m. - Parks & People Plant/Seed Swap, 2100 Liberty Heights Ave. 21217

DPW launched its first Grow Center events in the spring of 2018. Grow Center funding is provided in part by the United States Department Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. 

Oct. 13: Free Community Shred Day  Recycle bins on sale too!

DPW will offer free paper shredding for city residents on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Free Community Shred Day will take place at Middlebranch Park, 3301 Waterview Ave. 21230.

DPW respectfully asks that residents adhere to the Free Shred Day limit of two 32-gallon bags of papers per household. Residents must bring a license or other proof of Baltimore City residency.

This is an opportunity for Baltimore City residents to safely dispose of sensitive paper documents quickly, easily, and securely. Cancelled checks, medical records, credit card information, utility bills, old tax returns, and pay stubs are among the many items that should be destroyed by shredding.

Bags that contain other types of recyclable items and trash will not be accepted.

The bright, canary yellow City recycling bins will be on sale at discounted rates: 25-gallon bins with lids for $10, and the 18-gallon bin for $4. We accept cash and check only for the purchase of the recycle bins.

Oct. 5 & 6 Household Hazardous Waste Collection

DPW will offer its last Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection for 2018 on Friday, Oct. 5, and Saturday, Oct. 6, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  HHW materials will be collected at the Northwest Convenience Center, 2840 Sisson St.

During HHW collections, residents can drop off items like automotive fluids, batteries, paint thinners, and insecticides. Additional information on HHW-accepted items is available on the DPW website: https://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov/recycling-services.