City Offers Free Mulching and Adjusts Trash Collection After Christmas

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works issued a holiday service announcement on Dec. 22, 2025, confirming that DPW offices and sanitation yards were closed for Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2025, and that trash and recycling normally scheduled for that day would be made up on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. The schedule change aimed to maintain scheduled collection while acknowledging the holiday closure of city facilities.

For residents disposing of live trees, DPW began offering free Christmas tree mulching services starting Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, and running through Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. The service is available at the Sisson Street Residential Recycling Center, located at 2840 Sisson St., and operating hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Saturday. The department instructed residents to remove all ornaments, tinsel and lights before drop off, and reminded the public that 311 remained available for emergencies.

The holiday adjustments matter to Baltimore residents who rely on predictable curbside service. Shifting collections to Saturday condensed pickup operations into a shorter window and could affect residents who were not aware of the makeup schedule. The mulching option provides an alternative to curbside bulk pickup for live trees, which can reduce contamination in the recycling stream when decorations are removed, and can relieve pressure on neighborhood collection crews during the holiday period.

From an institutional standpoint, the announcement reflects DPW traditions of rescheduling collection when holidays coincide with service days while offering supplemental disposal options at city recycling centers. The requirement to remove ornaments and non organic materials highlights the operational constraints of mulching equipment and the department s interest in maintaining material quality for composting or reuse.

Residents should plan for the adjusted collection day and may use the Sisson Street facility for tree disposal during the posted period. For urgent sanitation issues or questions about schedules, call 311.