Baltimore raises landfill tipping fee for first time since 1993

Baltimore will more than double its landfill tipping fee for the first time in 32 years, bringing the city's rate in line with surrounding jurisdictions and helping preserve landfill capacity, officials said Friday.

On Oct. 1, the Board of Estimates approved raising the base fee from $60 per ton to $127.50 per ton, effective Nov. 1.

With an existing $7.50 disposal charge, the total cost will rise to $135 per ton, up from the current $67.50.

The tipping fee applies to commercial haulers and to residents who bring large loads of non-hazardous solid waste directly to the city's Quarantine Road Landfill operated by the Department of Public Works (DPW).

"After more than three decades without an adjustment, Baltimore's tipping fee had fallen far below regional standards," DPW Director Matthew Garbark said. "This update brings our rates in line with surrounding jurisdictions, discourages out-of-town haulers from overwhelming Baltimore's landfill, and helps extend the life of this critical facility."

The city last raised the fee in October 1993, when the rate went from $50 to $60 per ton, plus the $7.50 disposal fee.

Officials said the move will also help preserve landfill capacity and reduce the incentive for out-of-area haulers to dump in Baltimore. Across Maryland, tipping fees range from $66 to $200 per ton. Baltimore County increased its Eastern Landfill rate to $125 per ton in July 2024, the city said.

The increase will not affect fees paid by BRESCO, the city's waste-to-energy facility operator, which are set by contract and rise by 2.5% annually. Small haulers will also be exempt, continuing to pay $20 for loads up to 7,000 pounds and $3.38 per 100 pounds above that weight.