County Deliberates on Trash Overhaul Plans
Your voice matters. The County Council is scheduled to vote on November 10 on whether or not to close the aging Dickerson trash incinerator. Please urge the Council to keep the closure process moving and end trash burning in Dickerson for good. Please CLICK HERE and support Option 2: Close the Incinerator and Expand Composting.
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Updated October 23, 2026
On October 20, Montgomery County residents gathered for a town hall hosted by Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles to discuss the future of the County's aging Dickerson trash incinerator. Representatives of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) addressed questions about the costs, environmental impacts, and practical challenges of transitioning away from incineration.
The County Council reviewed 4 options currently under consideration. The discussion highlighted the important choices facing the County: continuing to operate and upgrade the incinerator, transitioning to truck hauling and landfill disposal, and introducing advanced waste processing technologies to reduce the amount of trash requiring disposal. Following the discussion, the panel reviewed pre-submitted questions from the community.
As the County Council moves closer to a decision, Sugarloaf Citizens Association (SCA) continues to advocate for closing the incinerator and moving toward safer, more sustainable waste management practices.
Zero Waste Responds to Reworld's Claims
As part of the ongoing Council deliberations, Reworld, the company that operates the Dickerson incinerator, has presented arguments for keeping the facility operating.
Our partner organization, Zero Waste Montgomery County, has prepared a detailed rebuttal addressing claims made by Reworld about Montgomery County's waste disposal options.
The 11-page rebuttal challenges what we believe are significant inaccuracies, misleading comparisons, and omissions in Reworld's presentation.
Key points from the rebuttal include:
Costs of Continued Incineration: Maintaining and upgrading the aging facility could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The rebuttal argues that transitioning to landfill disposal would provide greater financial flexibility as waste volumes decline.
Air Pollution and Public Health: The rebuttal raises serious concerns about toxic emissions, including dioxins and heavy metals, and challenges Reworld's claims about the facility's environmental performance and health risks.
Inadequate Emissions Monitoring: Although some pollutants are continuously monitored, many hazardous emissions are tested only annually or not at all, potentially missing significant fluctuations.
Climate Impacts: The rebuttal challenges Reworld's comparisons of incineration and landfilling, citing analyses indicating that incineration produces greater overall greenhouse gas emissions, even when transportation is considered.
Trucking Alternatives: The rebuttal disputes claims about increased traffic and transportation impacts, citing DEP's proposed truck routes and schedules designed to minimize disruption.
Electricity Production: The rebuttal questions Reworld's claims about the amount of electricity the incinerator generates and the number of homes it can power.
Long-Term Sustainability: Continued incineration could delay investments in composting, recycling, waste reduction, and other alternatives that would move the County closer to its zero-waste goals.
Toxic Ash Disposal: The rebuttal challenges Reworld's characterization of incinerator ash as harmless and raises concerns about its disposal and potential reuse.
The Zero Waste rebuttal provides a closer examination of these issues and the long-term consequences of continuing to operate the Dickerson incinerator.
What Happens Next? Your Voice Matters
The County Council’s next worksession is October 27, followed by a November 10 vote on whether to continue incinerating trash or send residual waste to landfills.
SCA continues to urge the Council to move forward with transitioning to truck hauling and environmentally vetted landfills, close the Dickerson incinerator, and invest in composting, waste reduction and advanced waste processing strategies.
The decisions made in the coming weeks will shape Montgomery County's waste management system for decades. Review our rebuttal, stay informed and reach out to all of the County Councilmembers and let them know you want to stop burning our trash and start composting now.
Email all council members here → countycouncil@montgomerycountymd.gov
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