We are halfway through Maryland’s busy 2025 legislative session! We are tracking more than two dozen bills related to waste and litter, and we have been organizing our legislative advocacy coalition to provide education and testimony on the bottle bill, recycled content, extended producer responsibility for packaging, reductions in single-use plastic, and more!

As 2025 approaches, we’re reflecting on the past year. 75% of Maryland’s population is now covered by plastic bag bans or fees. We identified 10 proven practices to curb illegal dumping. We welcomed our new Executive Director and so much more!

That’s a wrap to the South Baltimore Brewery District Cleanups this year! Check out the data we collected on plastic bags and plastic bottles to help shape and show need for policies like extended producer responsibility for packaging, beverage deposit return systems, and plastic bag bans and fees.

The results are in for the South Baltimore Brewery District Cleanup! 40+ incredible volunteers braved the chilly morning air to make a difference. The data collected will help drive policies that stop litter at the source. Donate to turn cleanups into change!

The impacts on trash and litter have been felt by Marylanders across the state. Litter cleanups, giving generously, and sharing our mission have helped drive landmark victories. Litter does not belong in our communities, public spaces, and waterways. Together we are creating a Trash Free Maryland this Giving Tuesday with policy solutions to prevent trash and plastic pollution.

Trash Free Maryland lead the charge for the first in the nation Maryland statewide ban on expanded polystyrene foam food containers and lead the nation in passing a ban in microbeads in personal care products. Now we set our sights on packaging waste with Extended Producer Responsibility!

Cheers to Clean Water was an amazing day of community and action! We connect cleanups to policies to create lasting change. This year we focused on plastic bags (linking to bans in Maryland), and plastic bottles (linking to Extended Producer Responsibility and Beverage Deposit Return System). Thank you to our partners and volunteers you all make a huge difference!

After an extensive two-year search, Trash Free Maryland is thrilled to announce Kelly Doordan as our new Executive Director. With a background in biology, a Master’s in Environmental Science, and a Law Degree from Indiana University, Kelly brings a wealth of expertise to the role. Her dedication to community-driven policy, evidenced through her leadership has led to significant reductions in trash and litter. We're excited for Kelly to lead us to a Trash Free Maryland.

How the average American perceives the waste crisis may surprise you. Dr. Michaela Barnett led us through her research on recycling bias and source reduction neglect. Do you know the three Rs? At which stage of the product life cycle do consumers feel most empowered to enact change? Discover why Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is the key to shifting the burden from consumers to producers, driving real, lasting solutions to our waste problems.

63 new, familiar, and furry faces joined us for a litter cleanup in the South Baltimore Brewery District. A trend is forming in the data you are collecting which will be instrumental in passing plastic bag bans and extended producer responsibility for packaging. See you at Cheers to Clean Water September 21st!

Join us for a Learning Session with Dr. Michaela Barnett, a PhD in Behavioral Science for Sustainability and owner of KnoxFill, a refill store in Knoxville, TN, as she presents on her research on recycling bias and reduction neglect.

Maryland’s 2024 Legislative Session: Trash & Litter Recap! A energetic and synergistic push for a “bottle bill.” The reasons our focus remains on Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging with implementation underway.