WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. -- Too much trash is being dumped at the landfill in Wicomico County. The County Executive's Office proposed a plan to reduce tonnage, but it's now receiving pushback from waste collection companies and the Wicomico County Council.
The proposal to phase out commercial haulers is moving forward. At a press conference on Monday, County Executive Julie Giordano and Acting Landfill Superintendent Adam Corry defended the proposal, citing the need to prolong the landfill's longevity.
While the plan is still receiving pushback, mainly from Wicomico County Councilmembers, the two sides were able to find common ground on Monday. That is, waste from other counties can no longer be dumped in Wicomico County.
Just last Friday, towards the end of the day, Corry said the problem took center stage when two trash trucks dropped off trash from Ocean Pines, Ocean City and Berlin.
"Both drivers readily admitted as they were dumping their loads, their entire load was from Worcester County," said Corry.
Corry maintained that the reasoning was due to Wicomico County's low tipping fee of $78 per ton.
Worcester County and Sussex County charge $80 per ton, while Somerset charges $75 per ton. Still, Corry said companies are seeking out the somewhat cheaper option, which not only fills the landfill too quickly but also goes against Maryland's Refuse Disposal Permit.
That permit makes the dumping of out-of-county trash illegal.
"The idea of diverting trash, we both agree on, and that's what we're going to focus on," said Giordano.
Wicomico County Council Vice President Jeff Merritt echoed Giordano's sentiment.
"We all agree that we cannot accept waste from outside the county," said Merritt.
Now, this is where the differences between both sides come in. Corry and Giordano believe that a phase-out plan will alleviate the problem in the short term. Merritt doesn't think it will and said that's why the county proposed emergency legislation last week.
"The reason for the legislation was, the plan that the executive put forward to close the landfill over the period of the next year, we[county council] agree that that cannot happen; we have to find another way," said Merritt.
Giordano labeled the legislation as frustrating.
"The crux of it is great, because all they're doing is expediting exactly what we want to happen, we want to divert the trash," said Giordano. "There's just a couple of things that have to be tweaked in order for us to be in compliance."
According to Giordano and Corry, the proposed emergency legislation lacks a code prohibiting out-of-county trash.
We asked Merritt on Monday if the council plans to add that language before the legislation's expected introduction on Tuesday night.
"It might be, yes, it's too early to tell; this is all fresh in everybody's mind," said Merritt.
Wicomico County's Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 1st, at 6:00 p.m.
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Over the past few years, the landfill has seen a 26% increase in tonnage. In 2024 alone, more than 165,000 tons of trash were dumped.
Adam Corry, Acting Landfill Superintendent, said there are two main reasons: Wicomico County's low tipping fee of just $78 per ton and commercial haulers bringing trash from other counties.
"This resource belongs to the people of Wicomico County, and we want to make sure we preserve it," said Corry.
A Bleak Outlook:
Right now, there are two spots in the landfill where companies and people can dump trash. Corry said that,at this pace, both spots will reach airspace capacity within the next 12 to 14 months.
If other areas on the property aren't opened up in time, the landfill would have to close off services to everyone, not just commercial haulers.
Corry and County Executive Julie Giordano have proposed a year-long phase-out of commercial haulers in search of a solution.
Proposed Phase Out:
- Phase 1:August 1, 2025
- Newland Park landfill will NOT accept commercial hauler waste on SATURDAYS.
- Phase 2:October 1, 2025
- Newland Park landfill will NOT accept commercial hauler waste on SATURDAYS & MONDAYS.
- Phase 3:February 1, 2026
- Newland Park landfill will NOT accept commercial hauler waste on SATURDAYS, MONDAYS and another day to be determined.
- Phase 4: July 1, 2026
- Potential complete closure to commercial haulers.
Haulers that serve municipalities would be exempt.
"If phase one doesn't make any difference, you have to move to phase two," said Corry. "At the end of the day, I don't want to be standing here next year telling the fine people of Wicomico County, 'I'm sorry I can't take your trash.'"
Waste Collection Company Seagull Disposal is raising red flags.
"While we understand the need to address long-term capacity challenges, the plan to eliminate both Saturday and Monday disposal access would severely disrupt essential waste services across the region," said Seagull Disposal Owner Andrew Duley.
He tells WBOC this plan would limit his company's ability to pick up trash from hospitals, grocery stores, apartment complexes, restaurants and Salisbury University.
"These customers generate significant waste over weekends and cannot wait until midweek for service without risking overflow, health concerns, and operational disruption," said Duley.
He also noted that haulers have not yet been provided with a legal and viable disposal alternative.
Wicomico County Council Vice President Jeff Merritt shares many of the same concerns, particularly with certain neighborhoods or areas getting left out in the cold.
"If you don't live in a municipality, you're treated differently, and that's absolutely not what we want," said Merritt.
It's why county officials are looking to pass emergency legislation next week.
"The council would like the hours and days of operation at the landfill to be left as they are right now," said Merritt.
Merritt acknowledged the issue and said discussions between county officials, haulers, landfill officials, and the County Executive's Office need to occur in the coming weeks.
Other Solutions:
Corry said the county should establish a code that prohibits commercial haulers from bringing in trash from outside the county. The tipping fee is also set to increase from $78 to $88 at the start of 2026, which Corry hopes will deter people from considering Wicomico County as a cheaper alternative.
The landfill is also establishing a new dumping site. Its goal is to open by May 2026.