May is
Recycling in Action Month, an open-house program launched in 2025 by
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) encouraging the public to tour recycling facilities across North America to see firsthand how materials are collected, sorted, and prepared for reuse.
On May 5,
MRN President Kitty McIlroy took part in the program by joining other local partners and elected leaders for a tour of the
Baltimore County Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).
Along with Kitty were
SWANA CEO Amy Lestition Burke and
Senior Director of Public Policy & Communications Kristyn Oldendorf as well as representatives from the SWANA Mid-Atlantic Chapter, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and the Maryland Department of General Services, and media outlets WMAR
(watch report here) and WBAL.
Also in attendance were local elected leaders
Maryland State Delegates Kathy Szeliga and
Ryan Nawrocki, as well as staff from Baltimore County Councilman Julian Jones’ office.
"It was fantastic to see the bipartisan turnout in support of recycling from both the state and local levels in terms of elected officials, media and recycling professionals,” says Kitty. “There was real engagement and I think all of us left the tour learning something new about the county's recycling program and/or recycling in general. The questions raised were thoughtful and productive and I look forward to supporting more county-led tours and educational events in the future.
"I especially appreciated the discussion on how to reduce contamination, by properly disposing of non-recyclable material, and by bringing batteries and electronic devices or other hazardous or non-curbside materials to dedicated drop-off points. We know that by doing so, the public can reduce risk to our frontline collection workers and sorters, as well as protect valuable trucks and MRF equipment from battery-related fires or other incidents due to difficult-to-process materials."
In a
May 7th press release on the tour, SWANA noted how these tours help build trust in recycling systems by showcasing the people, technology, and processes involved. Participants, including public officials, observe advanced sorting systems and skilled workers producing high-quality recyclables that support manufacturing and the circular economy, reinforcing that recycling is an effective and active process.
Be sure to this video of the Baltimore County MRF in action.
Thank you to
SWANA for helping organize and promote the tour,
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for leading
Recycling in Action Month, and
Baltimore County DPW staff for sharing a great behind-the-scenes look at their recycling operation. Tours such as this help bring recycling to life while helping spark conversation, building understanding, and strengthening recycling efforts across Maryland.
And a special thank you to
Maryland State Delegates Kathy Szeliga and
Ryan Nawrocki for attending and supporting this critical public infrastructure. Your support is essential to keeping local recycling programs up and running. We look forward to continuing to work with you in making Maryland a leader in sustainable reduction, reuse and recycling.
*Learn more about MRN's legislative advocacy on our Legislative / Regulatory page