Baltimore Recycling Guide & 2026 Calendar
Single-stream recycling pickup is listed for Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Item-specific answers appear below.
Baltimore recycling calendar 2026
Regular collection days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Check the current holiday delay notice for changes to regular pickup.
A verified 2026 recycling calendar has not been provided. Get the official calendar and confirm your route.
Accepted & prohibited recycling
Accepted items
- Paper (newspaper, magazines, mixed mail, office paper, envelopes)
- Cardboard (broken down shipping boxes and rigid paperboard containers)
- Plastics (clean plastic bottles and jugs)
- Metal (empty aluminum beverage cans and steel soup tins; clean and dry)
Prohibited items
- Plastic bags and plastic film wrap (will not collect items in plastic bags)
- Styrofoam and foam food containers
- Food waste and soiled containers
- Drinking glasses, ceramics, and pyrex
- Hoses, cords, and electronics
Can you recycle these items in Baltimore?
Can you recycle cardboard in Baltimore?
AcceptedFlatten boxes completely and place inside blue cart or loose labeled container.
Can you recycle pizza boxes in Baltimore?
Accepted with conditionsClean lids can be recycled; greasy bottoms must be discarded with regular trash.
Can you recycle plastic #1 in Baltimore?
AcceptedEmpty and rinse beverage bottles; replace caps before placing in blue cart.
Can you recycle plastic #2 in Baltimore?
AcceptedEmpty and rinse milk jugs and detergent bottles; place loose in cart.
Can you recycle plastic #3 in Baltimore?
Not acceptedRigid PVC plastics and vinyl materials are prohibited.
Can you recycle plastic #4 in Baltimore?
Not acceptedPlastic grocery bags and films tangle sorting machinery; do not put in recycling.
Can you recycle plastic #5 in Baltimore?
AcceptedClean plastic containers and tubs are accepted loose.
Can you recycle plastic #6 in Baltimore?
Not acceptedStyrofoam and polystyrene are not accepted in single-stream recycling.
Can you recycle plastic #7 in Baltimore?
Not acceptedMixed resin plastics are not accepted in the curbside recycling stream.
Can you recycle glass in Baltimore?
AcceptedEmpty and rinse glass bottles and jars clean before placing loose in blue cart.
Can you recycle aluminum in Baltimore?
AcceptedEmpty aluminum cans and tins clean; place loose in recycling container.
Can you recycle shredded paper in Baltimore?
Not acceptedShredded paper falls through automated screens; place in regular trash.
DPW & sanitation contact
City of Baltimore Department of Public Works · municipal dpw
Phone: 410-396-5398
200 N Holliday StBaltimore, MD 21202
These collection rules cover Zone Baltimore Citywide Curbside Routes.
Trash & recycling questions
What days is trash collected in Baltimore, MD?
Listed trash collection days are Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Set containers out Residents are encouraged to set out their items on their designated collection day. Set out trash in durable green city-issued carts with tight-fitting lids; set out no earlier than the evening before collection.. These rules apply to Zone Baltimore Citywide Curbside Routes.
Is garbage pickup delayed for holidays in Baltimore?
As of 2026-09-23: No observed holidays this week. Collections follow the regular schedule. A listed holiday shifts that day and the remaining collection days in its service week by one day. Observed holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. These rules apply to Zone Baltimore Citywide Curbside Routes.
How do I schedule bulk trash pickup in Baltimore?
City of Baltimore residents can put out up to 3 bulk items for trash collection each month. Bulk trash collection is scheduled for a specific Saturday every month. Please call us 4 or more working days before your scheduled Saturday collection date to schedule. The listed limit is 3 items per pickup. Advance notice is required. Contact sanitation at 410-396-5398 to confirm eligibility and arrange service. These rules apply to Zone Baltimore Citywide Curbside Routes.
What items are accepted for recycling in Baltimore?
The listed accepted materials are Paper (newspaper, magazines, mixed mail, office paper, envelopes), Cardboard (broken down shipping boxes and rigid paperboard containers), Plastics (clean plastic bottles and jugs), Metal (empty aluminum beverage cans and steel soup tins; clean and dry). Keep these listed prohibited items out: Plastic bags and plastic film wrap (will not collect items in plastic bags), Styrofoam and foam food containers, Food waste and soiled containers, Drinking glasses, ceramics, and pyrex, Hoses, cords, and electronics. Confirm item-specific preparation rules with the official sanitation office. These rules apply to Zone Baltimore Citywide Curbside Routes.