Sisson Street Trash Site: Baltimore Needs a Better Plan
In August 2025, Baltimore City announced plans to relocate the Sisson Street Trash & Recycling Transfer Station to 2801 Falls Road - just down the hill from its current location. While the new site may look like a simple shift, the consequences could be significant:
It’s in a FEMA flood zone. Heavy rains and flooding could sweep trash, oil, and hazardous materials into the Jones Falls - just 150 feet away - and ultimately into the Harbor and Chesapeake Bay. FEMA maps underrepresent the flash floods caused by extreme downpours in urban heat islands like Baltimore, so the risk is likely even greater than previously estimated.
It’s unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists. Falls Road already struggles with traffic safety, and the addition of heavy truck traffic will only make it worse.
It puts hazardous waste at risk. Sisson Street is currently the only station that accepts household hazardous waste. Relocating those materials to a floodplain threatens both water quality and public health.
At the same time, we recognize the challenge. Reedbird Transfer Station (the “Western Sanitation Yard”) is closed for construction for an estimated 2-3 years. Without Sisson Street, Baltimore would be left with only two active transfer stations plus the Quarantine Road Landfill, likely fueling an increase in illegal dumping across the city - including the Jones Falls corridor.
The City’s two options so far - move forward with 2801 Falls Road, or do nothing - aren’t good enough. We need a third option: a comprehensive, community-driven process to evaluate alternatives. That could include creative, distributed approaches (such as rolling dumpsters in key neighborhoods) to fill the gap while Reedbird is under construction, paired with a study on what Baltimore’s long-term waste system should look like.
Here’s how you can help:
Contact your City Council representative today and urge them to:
- Reject the proposed relocation to 2801 Falls Road.
- Call for a comprehensive evaluation of alternatives that protect public health, safety, and our waterways.
Sponsored by
