Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 615
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter FOD
General None Reported / Taken
Airport
While preparing for our flight; I noticed that the two trash dumpsters between BWI Gate X and Y had doors and lids open; and there was trash/FOD on the ground around the trash dumpsters. This is an ongoing problem with ALL the dumpsters on the BWI ramp. These dumpsters are left open; allowed to overflow; and they are one of the sources of FOD on the BWI Ramp. I called for the BWI [manager]; spoke to him about the issue; he said he understood the issue; and I assumed he would rectify the problem (i.e. retrieve the FOD and secure the trash dumpsters before we started our engines). As we were pushing back; and the jetway was no longer blocking my view of the two trash dumpsters; I noticed that the doors and lids were still open; and the trash/FOD was still laying on the ground near the dumpsters. The [manager] had come and gone; and for whatever reason; did not fix the problem. As we pushed back and before we started our engines; I noticed that some of the FOD had blown out onto the taxiway. I asked the Ramp Agent to retrieve the FOD; and he did. We started our engines and proceeded to the runway. Why do we need to have trash dumpsters on our flight line? The people who dump their trash in the dumpsters are not responsible enough to close the doors/lids; and when the wind picks up; trash/FOD blows onto our flight line. I recommend moving the dumpsters away from the flight line to a secure area where trash/FOD will be contained. Until then; can the ZZZ Airport manage the trash/FOD situation better. Secure the dumpster doors/lids. Empty the dumpsters more often so they are not overflowing onto the flight line. This is an ongoing daily issue that never seems to be resolved. The FOD threat to our engines remains until we fix the problem. Even though the dumpsters are not our (Company) responsibility; if we see something wrong; we need to act appropriately. Ramp Agents; Ramp Supervisors; and [manager]'s need to close the doors/lids; pick up the trash/FOD; and report problems to the ZZZ Airport for resolution in order to minimize the threat of FOD to our engines.
Captain reported overflowing and uncovered trash dumpsters in the gate area; allowing FOD and debris to blow across ramp and taxiways.