Trash Free Maryland is the only nonprofit organization in the state solely focused on eliminating litter, and it does this by bringing awareness to the problem and helping to create and implement policies and programs locally and state-wide that reduce litter.
Since 2009 we have helped achieve many victories:
- Established a 5-cent fee on disposable bags in Washington, DC, and Montgomery County
- Required recycling services at large public events in Maryland
- Imposed points on the driving records of people convicted of illegal dumping in Maryland
- Banned plastic microbeads in personal care products in Maryland Banned polystyrene foam food packaging in DC, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Baltimore City
- Helped Maryland become the first state to ban expanded polystyrene in 2019
- Banned plastic bags in Takoma Park and Baltimore City
- A plastic bag ban passed in the Maryland House of Delegates and stalled in the Senate in both 2020 and 2021. Let's get it passed in 2022!