Resort Trash Decision Helps County, Too

SNOW HILL – The loss of Ocean City’s trash could have a positive effect on Worcester County.

County staff explained this week that the loss of Ocean City’s 32,000 tons of trash a year will delay the need for a fifth cell at the landfill.

Ocean City signed a contract this week to have its refuse hauled to Pennsylvania, at a per ton price of $47.61, compared to $65 a ton at the Worcester county landfill.

Demolition waste, hazardous waste and other types of refuse from Ocean City that are outside the municipal waste stream will still be disposed of at the county landfill.

Ocean City tipping fees have made up about one-third of the annual Worcester County solid waste revenue.

“It is a significant change in our budget,” said enterprise fund controller Jennifer Savage.

The loss of revenue is somewhat offset by the reduced need for landfill space. Cell 4 should have a useful life through 2015 now, Tustin said.

Mining of cell 1, which was built in 1991, could start in fall 2009, freeing up more space for trash.

The construction of Cell 5 can now be delayed. Tustin said that staff would continue with the permitting process and necessary public hearings to get them completed for the future.