Baltimore Waterfront Partnership’s Dumpster Dive Event

Jun 22

Written By Milan McWilliams

Written by: Milan McWilliams,

Senior Social Media Marketing Intern

About a Month ago

100 volunteers at Volunteering Untapped Baltimore’s 100th event

took on the task of sorting through a

Trash Wheel’s Dumpster!

(Professor Trash Wheel to be exact!)

Even our very own Shari Wilson, Board Chair and Interim Executive Director, got down and dirty in the trash!

Top Finds:

Runner Ups:

Honorable mentions:

**Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):** 833
**Plastic Bags:** 525
**Polystyrene:** 214

Compared to Previous years the Waterfront Partnership saw a spike in things like food wrappers, going from 14,000 in 2019 to 18,300 in 2022, as well as a steady increase of straws, plastic containers, and plastic bottles from 2018, 2019, & 2022.

We are working on a bill now that will hold producers accountable for their excess packaging waste!

However, the data also shows a decrease of plastic bags from the 2019 total of 1,337 to 525, which indicates that the Baltimore’s Plastic Bag Ban is in full effect and is working beautifully to keep our city clean!!! The Baltimore Plastic Bag Ban took effect in October of 2021, TFMD takes great pride in helping pass this legislation. We are currently working on a Plastic Bag Ban for the entire state of Maryland!

Not only that but **Polystyrene** also saw a **decrease from 2,398 in 2019 to 214 in 2022,** which indicates that the **ban of Expanded Polystyrene is also in full effect!**
The Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Food Service Product Ban went into effect on July 1, 2021, TFMD takes great pride in helping pass this legislation.

This data is exciting as it shows that policy solutions are working and working fast! The sorting and counting of this trash also forms the basis for future policy changes and gives us better insight about what trash is in our waterways.

Thanks to Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore and Volunteering Untapped Baltimore for the event, Baltimore Community ToolBank for hosting, and Adam Lindquist for organizing!

Shout out to all the volunteers who sorted and counted the trash you all are the real MVPs!

(Oh and thanks to Professor Trash Wheel for lending his stomach to be sorted)

Here at Trash Free Maryland we will continue to work hard to pass legislation that will protects you and keep your environment and waterways clean from trash pollution!

Make Sure to Sign up Spring 2023!

*Photo Credit: Baltimore Community ToolBank

Milan McWilliams