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Board approves final $11,508 payment for compost‑crew services; DPW outlines phased plan for organics diversion and new compost facility
Summary
The Board of Estimates approved a final payment of $11,508 for compost‑collection services at city recycling centers and heard a presentation from DPW on plans for staged organics diversion and a small aerated static‑pile compost facility funded with federal and state grants.
The Board of Estimates on Aug. 20 approved SB2512441, a final payment request for compost collection services at Baltimore City residential recycling centers totaling $11,508.
Deputy director Allen Robinson and DPW’s Zero Waste manager Sophia Hossain explained the payment represents final invoicing for a vendor that provided compost pickup from 2022 through June 30, 2025. The department said the original contract covered service through July 31, 2025, and that the additional funds were budgeted but could not be added to the purchase order earlier because the increase would have exceeded the select‑source procurement threshold.
DPW provided a broader update on organics diversion. The department said an estimated 40 percent of the residential trash stream is food waste and described a phased approach: (1) separate yard waste from trash as a near‑term step, (2) pilot opt‑in curbside food‑scrap collection, and (3) expand organics recycling to schools and city agencies. DPW said preliminary operating funds for the program were included in FY26 and that additional funding will be sought in FY27 for staff and expansion.
DPW described plans for a small aerated static‑pile compost facility at the Bowleys Lane property that would process an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 tons per year; the department said residential organics generation is roughly 100,000 tons per year and that the Bowleys Lane facility is intentionally sized as a first phase that can be expanded later. DPW said the Bowleys Lane design is funded with a combination of federal and state grants and capital improvement funds, and it noted an EPA grant for the project that will power aeration via solar.
Board members asked about outreach to schools and the department’s ability to staff classroom engagement; DPW said it currently has one staff member dedicated to school outreach and uses community liaisons to amplify programming. The board approved the payment after the presentation.
