The Patapsco River flows through central Maryland and into the Chesapeake Bay, where its mouth forms Baltimore Harbor. Unfortunately, storm water runoff from the city led to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency listing the river’s Middle Branch as impaired for trash.
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Michael Martino, a BGE gas operator, noticed large amounts of trash coming from storm water drain outfalls on BGE’s Spring Gardens campus which is bordered by the Middle Branch.
“I was concerned about the amount of trash that I saw coming out of the storm drains into the river,” said Martino. “I came up with an idea to help clean up the river and BGE supported it. Baltimore is an amazing city and deserves all of our best work in making sure that it remains beautiful for generations to come.”
The idea turned into ‘TED,’ also known as Trash Elimination Device, a solar powered waste collection system that keeps litter from more than 60 acres of storm water runoff from South Baltimore out of the Patapsco River.
BGE employees partnered with KCI Technologies, Inc. and Clearwater Mills, LLC, creators of Mr. Trash Wheel, to develop TED, which has collected nearly 500 pounds of trash since December 2017.
“TED is a great example of how private interests can align with the public good,” said Calvin G. Butler, chief executive officer of BGE. “I’m proud of the BGE employees who went above and beyond to develop an innovative solution that is so beneficial to our neighbors and to the Chesapeake Bay. They truly exemplify our purpose of powering a cleaner and brighter future for our customers and communities.”