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 tipping fee has been lower than nearby counties.

What officials described at the press conference - Scope and cause: Staff said Cell 10 construction fell behind by roughly a year before the current administration, crews discovered buried refuse while starting Cell 8 excavation, and historic noncompliant disposal practices accelerated use of remaining airspace. Corey said the most recent flyover and trend analysis showed sharper loss of airspace than prior estimates. - Regulatory constraint: County staff repeatedly said the landfill's state refuse-disposal permit and the county's 10-year solid waste management plan require the facility to accept only intra-jurisdictional waste (waste produced inside Wicomico County). Corey said codifying acceptance of out-of-county waste would be "in direct conflict and a violation of our state refuse disposal permit." The executive emphasized the permit is issued in the name of the Wicomico County Executive. - Proposed council action and staff response: The County Council introduced emergency legislation intended to divert out-of-county waste; officials said that legislation was posted publicly and scheduled for a council hearing but was drafted without consultation with the landfill staff or the Department of Public Works. County officials urged the council to withdraw the emergency ordinance so staff can coordinate changes with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the county attorney. The executive said staff had planned a staff–council work session in July to present technical fixes. - Operational options: County staff described possible near-term steps if out-of-county loads continue: stricter vehicle inspection at the scales, refusing loads that self-admit to originating outside Wicomico County, targeted carve-outs for roll-off containers serving hospitals or businesses, and raising tipping fees as a diversionary mechanism. Corey said some haulers did not carry manifests and, when asked, admitted loads came from Worcester County or Ocean City. - Timeline and cost concerns: Officials said they expect to open Cell 7 by about May 2026 if permitting and construction proceed as planned; until then, staff urged temporary measures to preserve airspace. The executive said shipping waste out of the county would cost roughly $110 to $130 per ton and that closing the landfill before Cell 7 opens would raise costs for roughly 103,000–104,000 county residents.

How officials framed enforcement and legal risk County staff said the permit language and Maryland environmental regulations would render a local code that "codifies the allowance of trash from outside of Wicomico County" invalid and could trigger state enforcement. Corey warned that knowingly accepting or codifying out-of-county waste would place the county in conflict with MDE. The executive said the county does not want that outcome and prefers coordinated code language that explicitly prohibits out-of-county waste and provides enforcement mechanisms.

Questions from reporters and staff answers Reporters asked why the public had not been informed earlier. The executive replied that updated data and staff changes over the past two and a half years produced new findings and that staff had been working with MDE and the county attorney before public release. Reporters also asked whether a phased ban would leave some unincorporated residents without commercial pickup on certain days; staff replied they are discussing carve-outs and scheduling with haulers and that roll-off containers for businesses and hospitals are a priority for any exemption.

No formal council action occurred at the press conference. County officials asked the council to pause the emergency legislation and work with the solid-waste division, the county attorney and MDE to draft enforceable code language. Officials said they had been in regular contact with haulers and planned additional coordination; they also said staff had proposed a July work session to present detailed options.

The county executive closed by reiterating the short-term nature of the measures being discussed: "This is not forever. This is just a year right now," she said, emphasizing that the diversion and prohibition proposals are intended only to preserve space until Cell 7 is permitted and opened.

Next steps: the County Council is scheduled to hear the emergency legislation the county described as flawed; county staff have asked the council to delay final action so staff and MDE can review and adjust the language. County officials also said they will continue vehicle inspections at the scales, pursue technical flyover and geotechnical work, and hold planned meetings with haulers to limit out-of-county loads.