Solid Waste Management in Maryland (2024)

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MDE's Solid Waste Program (SWP) is responsible for assuring that society's domestic, commercial, and non-hazardous industrial solid waste is handled ​properly. Improper handling of these wastes can pose direct threats to both public health and Maryland's natural resources, particularly water resources. Since 1914, Maryland has had laws requiring solid waste to be handled in a manner that minimizes the risk posed to public health and the environment. The impact caused by poor waste disposal practices include:

• pollution of groundwater, which many Marylanders rely on for drinking water supplies;
• pollution of surface water, with the potential for impacting drinking​ water supplies of many of the large municipalities in Maryland (e.g. Baltimore City); and,
• health nuisances such as odor, rats, flies, and mosquitoes.

Solid Waste Acceptance Facilities

MDE regulates Solid Waste Acceptance (SWA) facilities to ensure the proper disposal of solid waste in an environmentally acceptable manner while protecting public health and the environment, including surface and groundwater. A Refuse Disposal (RD) Permit is required for the installation, alteration, or extension of an SWA facility. The RD Permit regulates the design, construction, operation, and monitoring of such facilities to minimize the impact on public health and the environment. Municipal, rubble, and some industrial waste landfills are required to have liners and leachate collection systems that facilitate the collection of leachate and prevent migration of pollutants out of the landfill to adjacent subsurface soil, groundwater, and surface water. (The term leachate is used to describe the liquid formed when precipitation soaks into landfill waste and migrates downward through waste due to gravity. As liquids move through the waste, they may extract substances leaching out of the waste - hence the term leachate) With some exceptions, processing and transfer activities are required to be conducted in an enclosed building to control odor, dust, noise, and the like. For a complete list of permitted SWA facilities, see the Permitted Facilities page.

SWA facilities, which are regulated by an RD Permit, include:

• Municipal landfills
• Rubble [construction and demolition (C&D) debris] landfills
• Non-hazardous industrial waste landfills
• Land clearing debris landfills
• Waste-to-energy facilities
• Municipal incinerators
• Special medical waste incinerators
• Special medical waste processing facilities
• Solid waste processing facilities
• Solid waste transfer stations.
  

PFASMonitoring and Reporting Requirement​

As of July 1, 2024, the Department will require all facilities conducting monitoring regulated under Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 26.04.07.09, 26.04.07.17, 26.04.07.20 and/or 40 CFR Part 258 to analyze forPFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFBS, and HFPO-DA (commonly referred to as a GenX Chemical).The risk posed by exposure toPFASis an emerging and evolving national concern. For more information about this change, please see the documents below:

​Letter to Maryland Solid Waste Facility Operators Regarding PFAS Monitoring and Reporting - January 2024​

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NaturalWoodWasteRecyclingFacilities

An NWWR Facility is a facility that accepts natural wood waste such as tree stumps and limbs, brush, root mats, logs, leaves, grass clippings, unadulterated wood wastes, and other natural vegetative materials that are generated when land is cleared for construction purposes. These facilities produce a variety of products including wood chips, mulch, compost, and firewood, which may be sold to consumers. These facilities are valued because they prevent natural wood waste from entering the landfill and make useful products from such waste. Recycling natural wood waste saves valuable space, thereby extending the life of landfills in Maryland. An individual or general NWWR Facility Permit is required for persons constructing and operating such a facility.For a complete list of permittedNWWR facilities, see the Permitted Facilitiespage.

Natural Wood Waste Fact Sheet- A fact sheet concerning the NWWR regulations.

Composting Facilities

Composting organic material can be a useful way to recycle materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Larger-scale commercial, governmental, or cooperative composting activities can potentially have negative environmental impacts such as water pollution, the risk of fire, and the development of significant health nuisances such as odor and the attraction of disease vectors such as rats and flies. For more information on composting of materials other than NWW, see MDE's Organics Diversion and Composting ​page.

Hazardous Waste

Hazardous Waste may be produced as a by-product of certain manufacturing operations. In addition, many commercial chemical products are regulated as hazardous waste once they are discarded or intended to be discarded. The Hazardous Waste Program of the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) is responsible for the regulation of hazardous waste in Maryland.

For additional information or questions, go to theHazardous Waste web pageor contact Ed Hammerberg byemailor phoneat 410-537-3314.​

Regulation of the Open Burning of Solid Waste

Open burn permits issued by the local health officer can help to address air pollution, nuisance, and public safety concerns when all applicable laws and regulations are followed. The Land and Materials Administration, with input from the Air and Radiation Management Administration, has put together guidance in an effort to clarify the appropriate application of open burning regulations.

Open Burning Fact Sheet ​ - This fact sheet describes the regulatory requirements and provides examples of when materials that are solid waste can and can't be burned.

Solid Waste Program Public Meetings or Hearings:

For the most up-to-dateinformation on public meetings or hearings, visit the MDE Calendar Page.

Meetings:

A Public Hearing was held onThursday, February 23, 2023 at 5:00 pm at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel located at 210 Holiday Court, Annapolis, Maryland 21401, in the Coastal Room and Lower Lobby. The Public Hearing was held to provide the citizens an opportunity to formally comment on MDE’s Tentative Determination concerning the proposed landfill. Upon prior request, MDE will provide an interpreter for the deaf or hearing-impaired​ persons. The permit application, supporting documents, and draft permit will be available for public review at the Anne Arundel Public Library (Odenton Branch) located at 1325 Annapolis Road, Odenton, Maryland 21113 and at MDE by appointment .

MDE held an Informational Meeting regarding this application at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel, Mainsail and East Conference Rooms, located at 210 Holiday Court, Annapolis, Maryland 21401, on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 starting at 5:00 p.m. There were different displays available at the meeting from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. describing the proposed facility and the permit application process, followed by an Informational Meeting at 6 p.m.

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Written comments regarding the application may be submitted to Tyler Abbott, Director, Land and Materials Administration, Maryland Department of the Environment, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 610, Baltimore, Maryland 21230 by March 2, 2023.

MDE has granted a request to extend the public comment period by 60 days in accordance with §1-606(d)(ii) of the Environment Article. Written comments regarding the application may be submitted through May 1, 2023.

Notice of Tentative Determination and Public Hearing

DRAFT Refuse Disposal Permit

Contact:

Allison Marong: (410) 537-3315

Meeting:​

A Public Hearing is scheduled for Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 5:30 pm at the Arrowhead Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room located at 2300 Sansbury Road, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20774. The Public Hearing will be held to provide the c​itizens an opportunity to formally comment on MDE's Tentative Determination concerning the proposed landfill. APublic Informational Meetingconcerning this application was previously held on December 17, 2019 at the Arrowhead Elementary School.

Upon prior request, MDE will provide an interpreter for the deaf or hearing-impaired persons. The permit application, supporting documents, and draft permit will be available for public review at the Largo-Kettering Branch of the Prince George's County Memorial Library System located at 9601 Capital Lane, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20774 and at MDE by appointment after March 22, 2023.

Written comments regarding the application may be submitted to Tyler Abbott, Director, Land and Materials Administration, Maryland Department of the Environment, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 610, Baltimore, Maryland 21230 within 30 days of the publication of this Tentative Deter​mination.​

Brown Station Road Area C Sanitary Landfill - Factsheet(April 2023)

Brown Station RoadArea C Sanitary Landfill - Phase I Report

Brown Station Road Area C Sanitary Landfill - Phase II Report

Brown Station Road Area C Sanitary Landfill - Phase III Report(February 2023)

Notice of Tentative Determination and Public Hearing(March 2023)

DRAFTRefuse Disposal Permit 2019-WMF-0589A(March 2023)

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Response to Comments - Brown Station Road Area C Sanitary Landfill(October 2023)

Final Determination- Brown Station RoadArea C Sanitary Landfill(October 2023)

Refuse Dispoal Permit 2019-WMF-0589A (October 2023)​

Contact:​

Sara Haile: (410) 537-3315

Meeting:

MDE/SWP will hold an Informational Meeting regarding this application at the Rosedale Branch of Baltimore County Public Library located at 6105 Kenwood Avenue, Rosedale, Maryland 21237 on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. The purpose of the Informational Meeting is to provide an opportunity to the public to obtain information about the permit application and MDE/SWP's review process. Representatives for the applicant and MDE/SWP will be available to answer specific questions.

Upon prior request, MDE/SWP will provide an interpreter for the deaf or hearing-impaired persons. The permit application and supporting documents will be available for public review at the White Marsh branch of Baltimore County Public Library located at 8133 Sandpiper Circle, Baltimore, Maryland 21236 and at MDE/SWP by appointment after April 22, 2024.

Written comments regarding the application may be submitted to Tyler Abbott, Director, Land and Materials Administration, Maryland Department of the Environment, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 610, Baltimore, Maryland 21230.​

Meeting:

MDE/SWP will hold an Informational Meeting regarding this application at the Arundel High School located at 1001 Annapolis Road, Gambrills, Maryland 21054 on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. The purpose of the Informational Meeting is to provide an opportunity to the public to obtain information about the permit application and MDE/SWP's review process. Representatives for the applicant and MDE/SWP will be available to answer specific questions.

Upon prior request, MDE/SWP will provide an interpreter for the deaf or hearing-impaired persons. The permit application and supporting documents will be available for public review at the Odenton Branch of the Anne Arundel County Public Library located at 1325 Annapolis Road, Odenton, Maryland 21113 and at MDE/SWP by appointment after May 7, 2024.

Written comments regarding the application may be submitted to Tyler Abbott, Director, Land and Materials Administration, Maryland Department of the Environment, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 610, Baltimore, Maryland 21230.