The DPW slander in Baltimore is overblown. I’ve never seen workers slacking on their job or half stepping.

Lotta factors in this IMO.

1. I really think folks really don’t know how to tie up their trash bags when they throw them out.

2. This city is a wind tunnel with tiny alleys that don’t permit trucks to drive through, resulting in workers having to physically remove bags more often than rather loading them on trucks.

3. Rats chewing through cans and bags, will just leave a mess for when the cans are eventually knocked over by the wind.

4. Severe lack of trash cans on city streets. Not enough workers to maintain the fans that do exist. Community associations in a few neighborhoods actually help out with this.

5. Street sweeping suffers if folks don’t adhere to moving their cars.

We all got issued larger recycling cans and I really feel like that you can’t recycle bi-weekly then you should take a look at your own consumption.

Or at least take some time to breakdown the boxes that you put in the can to make for more space. In my own ally I see people stuff their fans with things they think can be recycled.. and it’s like throwing a wish up to the gods for credit that “I’m doing my part.”

I think most of us are not recycling properly. DPW does not accept glass, paper with food residues, or low graded plastic. DPW SHOULD however do a better job of educating the public on what and how they do things.

Trash and recycling is all out of sight/ out of mind but if we are truly invested in this we would understand that this part of the state, and the country in general has a huge trash problem based on overconsumption and not holding companies responsible for over packaging their products.