Baltimore trash collection expected to slow as WTE facility closes for maintenance

Baltimore’s trash collection is expected to slow as the city’s main waste-to-energy (WTE) facility will be closed through Saturday, March 14, while its incinerator undergoes scheduled maintenance.

The city’s Department of Public Works (DPW) issued a service disruption alert to residents on March 10, advising that trash and recycling collection and services at some residential drop-off locations would potentially be delayed beginning Wednesday, March 11.

The WTE facility, which typically receives the city’s trash, will not accept materials during the period of four days.

The facility is operated by Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based Win Waste Innovations. According to the company, Win Waste Baltimore converts approximately 700,000 tons of post-recycled residential and commercial waste into renewable energy each year. The renewable energy generated at the Baltimore WTE facility is enough to power the equivalent of more than 31,000 local homes and businesses, Win Waste says.

The DPW says Bureau of Solid Waste disposal operations will temporarily be redirected to the Quarantine Road Landfill located in Curtis Bay, Maryland.

The increased volume at the Quarantine Road Landfill may lead to slower trash collection on some routes and limited availability of roll-off containers at recycling drop-off centers, according to the alert. It may also result in longer wait times at the Northwest Transfer Station, Quarantine Road Landfill and residential recycling centers.