BALTIMORE COUNTY — A long-running fight to put limits on a controversial landfill in White Marsh is getting some movement.
The Days Cove Rubble Landfill has withdrawn its request to increase the amount of treated wastewater it discharges into nearby waterways.
This follows months of public opposition and scrutiny from some residents and elected officials who often often referred to the wastewater as “trash juice”. The landfill in White Marsh, had applied to increase its discharge of treated leachate to as much as 25,000 gallons per day, nearly double its current limit.
"This operator has had no contact with elected officials of the community, but I suspect they saw the opposition. They realized that the state government really just could not ignore this," said Baltimore County Councilman David Marks, who represents the 5th District.
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) confirmed the request has been pulled, but said the facility’s discharge permit application remains under review.
“A final decision is expected soon following evaluation and formal response to hundreds of public comments. The discharge is regulated under a state permit with limits to protect aquatic life and public health. The facility is currently in compliance. There is no evidence that the discharge is harming aquatic life or interfering with recreational use of the river. The updated permit will include additional monitoring and evaluation requirements to ensure continued protection. The state cannot require a facility to eliminate discharge entirely without a legal or technical justification," MDE said in a statement.
Public pressure prompts change
Community members and environmental advocates submitted hundreds of written comments, raising concerns about the potential impact on local waterways, wildlife, and the Chesapeake Bay.
“We’ve seen stories about violations at this facility,” Marks said. “And the idea of doubling your discharge of treated wastewater into the water, is not something that’s appealing for many people.”
Lease negotiations and possible closure
In December, a proposed long-term lease was pulled from the Board of Public Works agenda to allow DNR to continue negotiations with the landfill operator and address community concerns.
DNR says a short-term, six-month lease allows the landfill to continue operating under existing conditions while those discussions continue.
The state is now working on a new lease agreement with the landfill to close and shutdown operations by 2033 or possibly even sooner. The land would then be turned into a public park.
A statement from DNR reads, "The draft long-term lease includes requirements for the rubble fill operator to pay for the facility’s capping and closure while DNR will closely monitor the process to ensure environmental concerns are addressed during the closing process.The draft long-term lease includes specific language that would not enable it to be renewed as it had been under previous administrations. We want to make sure the lease provides a seamless transition of the property into public use."
What happens next
Councilman Marks says residents want assurances that the landfill’s closure will move forward.
“We’d like to see an ironclad guarantee that this is going to be closing down in the near future,” he said.
Some residents have raised concerns about where debris would go if the landfill shuts down.
"We have the Eastern Sanitary Landfill. The lifetime of that has been extended. And it's also just going to require Baltimore County to look at how it composts its waste better, to look at the different strategies, because our landfill capacity is running out, but this facility really just shouldn't be allowed to operate as a bad environmental record and we're happy it's not gonna be proceeding," said Marks.
