South Baltimore residents urge council to direct tipping‑fee revenue to zero‑waste infrastructure, citing Briscoe impacts

Residents living near the Briscoe incinerator and Quarantine Road landfill called on the council to dedicate new tipping‑fee revenue to zero‑waste infrastructure, mitigation, and community relief.

Carlos Sanchez, a Lakeland resident, told the committee that local youth and community members have long borne pollution burdens from nearby waste facilities and urged that revenue from a proposed increase be reinvested into 0‑waste infrastructure that reduces reliance on landfills and incineration.

Nut graf: Testimony from youth leaders, community organizers and environmental groups requested that the city direct the projected $8.4 million in new tipping‑fee revenue (testimony cited a fee increase from $67.50 to $135 per ton) toward composting, materials recovery, mitigation funds for impacted communities, and support for sanitation workers rather than general fund uses.

Jose Alvarenga, a youth leader at Benjamin Franklin High School, cited a Title VI complaint accepted by the EPA and said Baltimore’s diversion rate has fallen from about 18 percent in 2017 to 16 percent in 2024 while burning at Briscoe increased. He asked that new tipping‑fee revenue be explicitly earmarked for diversion, composting and community mitigation. Environmental organizer Iman Habib referenced a DPW enhancement request to expand yard‑waste diversion and noted a one‑time first‑year cost of roughly $1.7 million for yard‑waste diversion activities.

Ending: Speakers urged that the council attach clear budget language directing the landfill tipping‑fee revenue to specified zero‑waste projects and community relief as hearings progress; no council action was taken at Taxpayers Night.