Trash pickup in Baltimore was impacted by the heat wave Tuesday as the city's Department of Public Works (DPW) pulled employees from their shifts early due to the extreme temperatures. 

Trash and recycling pick-up could continue to face delays this week as the department aims to protect its workers from the dangerous heat. 

WJZ's First Alert Weather Team issued Alert Days due to the dangerous heat in Maryland as highs reached the triple digits in some parts of the state. Baltimore also declared a Code Red extreme heat alert through Thursday, June 26. 

DPW's renewed commitment to the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) heat-related illness prevention guide comes after the death of Ronald Silver II in August 2024. 

DPW highlights heat-illness prevention plan 

DPW officials said trash and recycling collection services could be adjusted or suspended during the heat wave. 

As of Tuesday, pick-ups will continue, but crews could take longer than usual to complete their routes, DPW said. 

When the heat index reaches 90 to 99 degrees, the department directs employees to take at least a 10-minute break every two hours. 

If the heat index reaches 100 degrees or higher, crews can take a 15-minute break every hour.

As extreme temperatures persist, DPW employees can end their routes early or pause trash collection if the conditions become unsafe, DPW said. 

Residents can call 311 to report a missed pickup and can leave their recycling and trash bins out until they are emptied. 

Health impacts of extreme heat 

According to the Chief of Emergency Medicine with LifeBridge Health, Dr. Gregory Corcoran, the more time people spend outside, the more susceptible they are to heat-related illnesses. This is part of the reason why some employees will need to scale back during high temperatures. 

"So, some of the things to look out for are symptoms of dizziness or lightheadedness, feeling short of breath, feeling extreme weakness or confusion," Dr. Corcoran said. 

According to the doctor, the best thing to do when experiencing symptoms of heat-related illness is to immediately drink water and quickly seek air conditioning. 

The city has also opened additional cooling centers for anyone in need of relief from the heat. Find a .

Death of Ronald Silver prompts change at DPW

Silver, who was a Baltimore DPW employee, died after he overheated while working a trash route. The heat index was nearly 109 on the day he died, according to a report from the Maryland Department of Labor.

On Tuesday, the heat index in Maryland was between 105 and 110 degrees, according to the weather team.

A lack of air conditioning in trash trucks and fear of retaliation at the department contributed to his death, a report from the city's inspector general found.

Silver's death prompted several investigations into DPW and its practices for employees during extreme temperatures. 

In March, MOSH cited the department for failing to protect its employees from dangerous heat. 

The citation said DPW did not keep a place of employment that was free from hazards that could cause death or injury. 

DPW director commits to change 

Following the investigations into Silver's death and conditions at DPW, Director Khalil Zaied spoke with WJZ. He promised a culture change at the department. 

Zaied said workplace safety became a priority after the deaths of Silver and Timothy Cartwell, a man who was crushed to death by a trash truck in 2024.

"What really bothered me the most [was] the actual loss," Zaied said. "How the family feels about those losses."

The death of Silver in particular led DPW to create a Heat Illness Prevention Plan and operating procedures for extreme heat. 

"We need to get [supervisors and managers] to understand, what you've done in the past is in the past. There is a new requirement [to abide by], there is new safety [requirements to check]," Zaied said.