Wicomico County executive urges ban on out-of-county trash as landfill fills faster than expected

Wicomico County Executive said the county’s landfill is filling faster than earlier estimates and asked the County Council to withdraw emergency legislation and work with county staff and the Maryland Department of the Environment before adopting new rules on outside trash.

The executive told reporters that recent surveying and a rise in tonnage mean the landfill may have far fewer years of capacity than previously reported and that proposed council language would, as written, conflict with the landfill’s state refuse-disposal permit. "The legislation that the county council is entertaining tomorrow night violates our state permit," said Adam Corey, the county's acting landfill superintendent. The executive also said, "I cannot and will not will not violate our state permit."

County officials said the discrepancy in remaining landfill life emerged after updated flyover surveys and trend analysis. Adam Corey, who became acting landfill superintendent in October, said the county recorded a 26% increase in inbound trash and that 165,000 tons arrived in 2024. Officials said earlier estimates—at times described as 20 years—were inaccurate; the executive said remaining life "may be 7" years or less based on the latest data.

Why this matters: county staff say accelerating fill rates and unexpected trash found in planned construction areas make it urgent to limit material that consumes airspace but is not produced in Wicomico County. County officials said some commercial haulers are bringing loads originating in neighboring jurisdictions because Wicomico's…