With the city鈥檚 largest landfill approaching capacity and the viability of the聽Baltimore Refuse Energy Systems Co. (BRESCO) waste-to-energy plant in question, Baltimore鈥檚 Department of Public Works is developing a long-term plan for recycling and disposing of waste. And the agency wants the public鈥檚 input.
The department tapped聽Geosyntec Consultants, of Columbia, to develop a full report, titled 鈥淟ess Waste, Better Baltimore,鈥� by the end of the year. It鈥檒l offer 鈥済uidelines that provide the best path forward for DPW and everyone who relies on the City鈥檚 sanitation services,鈥� DPW Director Rudy Chow said in an announcement.
鈥淥ur customers, taxpayers, elected officials, and others deserve a recommendation that challenges us, leads us along the best path, and moves us efficiently and effectively,鈥� Chow said in his statement. Per DPW, the city-owned solid waste landfill on Quarantine Road in Hawkins Point is 鈥渞apidly reaching its permitted capacity鈥� and has about seven years before maxing out.
The BRESCO incinerator, where 75 percent of the city鈥檚 waste goes, is 鈥渁ging and may not be a viable long-term option,鈥� DPW says. State regulators have placed limits on the emissions from the plant, but activists said last September those measures are not enough, pointing to the high rates of asthma in the city and poor air quality in South Baltimore.
State and city lawmakers聽put forth two proposals聽last year to curb emissions from the BRESCO incinerator. And earlier this week, Baltimore City Council members held a hearing on a bill from Councilman Ed Reisinger that would strengthen regulations on the trash-burning plant. Some 700,000 tons of trash are burned at the incinerator each year, with the resulting steam being sold to heat and cool buildings downtown.
And, DPW says, state figures show Baltimore City has one of the worst recycling participating rates in Maryland. The city has in recent years distributed municipal trash cans to residents, placed smart cans with recycling bins on the street and increased street sweeping to combat these waste management issues, DPW says. But more must be done in the future.