Wicomico County would purchase a wooded tract south of the Brick Kiln Landfill to expand the Salisbury facility's service life.

The Wicomico County Council, by unanimous vote this week, authorized County Executive Bob Culver to buy slightly more than 43 acres to add to the landfill.

“This will allow us a new footprint for landfill expansion,” Assistant County Administrator Weston Young told the County Council at their meeting Tuesday.

The county will buy the 43.03 acres, located along Brick Kiln Road, northeast of Rockawalkin Road, for $670,000.

It was purchased from Merrill G. and Juanita D. Culver. Young said they are not related to the County Executive.

Young said the county has 25 to 28 years before expansion is needed, depending on how much trash goes into the landfill each year.

He told Council members there are monitoring wells for both gas and groundwater “so we have a good take of what’s happening with the groundwater.”

The plan is to install a non-permeable liner to protect from leaks, in case of an earthquake or other emergency.

Before expansion begins, neighbors in the area will be informed and have the opportunity to comment, Young said.

“We would not break ground until 20 years from now so we will have plenty of time to put up a buffer,” he told Council members.

He explained the county owns about 20 acres property adjacent to the land being purchased, between the acreage to be acquired and the collector road, so the county won’t just develop a landfill on 43 acres,  but add to the existing landfill.

Even if the county doesn’t get a permit to expand the landfill, the additional property can be used as a borrow pit. Dirt is needed he said, because several inches of cover dirt are placed on top of the landfill every day, to hold debris in place.

The county’s Solid Waste Division maintains the landfill, recycling and dredging with 60 employees, 39 vehicles, 32 pieces of specialty equipment and 14 implements.