City needs to revisit confusing trash collection policies

I live directly across the street from an alley where people regularly dump their trash — bags of food waste, old furniture, bags of household items, building materials, etc. Baltimore City's 311 service has been very responsive every time I've called to have the abandoned waste removed. However, I recently discovered a loophole that contributes to the wide-spread problem of abandoned trash throughout the city, especially in less-affluent areas.

Today was trash day, and my neighbor's carpet from his flooded basement was in bags next to where the regular trash is collected. Seeing as it's the city's policy that all trash must be in trash containers, the regular trash collectors did not pick it up. I then called 311 for bulk trash collection only to find out that bulk trash will not pick up the carpeting because it's in bags.

"Let me get this straight," I said to the operator. "The regular trash collectors will not take it because it's too big, and the bulk trash people won't take it because it's in bags?"

The operator confirmed that I had understood properly. So my next question to the operator was, "What are we supposed to do with the trash, then?" I was seeking an operational definition of exactly what to do about this trash, but apparently I was setting my expectations too high.

The operator explained, "It needs to be disposed of properly." My questions went completely unanswered.

Feeling clever, I called 311 again later and asked if they would pick up abandoned trash on the corner of the alley. They agreed. In disbelief, I asked for clarification. "This 'abandoned' trash looks to be wet carpet in bags. You will remove that for me?"

"Yes, ma'am," the operator said. "What is the address?"

And so many people wonder why trash is abandoned on city streets? Perhaps it is because our policies have such glaring loopholes. Being a law-abiding citizen, I will have my neighbor (who is fortunate enough to have a car) take the trash to the dump himself. In a city laden with criminal minds who make it their job to exploit loopholes, it's no wonder our streets are trashed.

If we want a cleaner city, we need to revisit the policies about trash collection. We need easily understood policies with fewer restrictions on what can and cannot be collected. I never quite understood the policy on fines for people who illegally abandon waste — how is that really enforceable? Let's just make it easier for trash to get where it's supposed to be!

Suzann Langrall, Baltimore