Washington County, MD Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)

Section 4.5 of the Solid Waste Collection Licensing Ordinance flatly bans possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages at any County facility, meaning the county landfill, its convenience centers, and any other solid waste acceptance site the county operates. The rule sits among a cluster of operating and safety restrictions for these sites in Sections 4.5 through 4.8: Section 4.6 bars reckless or unsafe vehicle operation there, Section 4.7 bars trespassing and limits access to permit holders during operating hours, and Section 4.8 bars discharging a firearm or other weapon onto county facility property.

Section 7.0's operating rules add more restrictions specific to the landfill itself, including a ban on loitering and solicitation under Section 7.7 and a requirement that children under 13 and pets stay in vehicles under Section 7.2. The alcohol ban does not extend to parks, roads, or other public property outside these solid waste sites; it is confined to property the county operates for waste collection and disposal. A violation of Section 4.5, like a violation of any other part of the Ordinance, is enforced under Section 9.1's civil fine of up to $1,000 for a first offense and up to $5,000 for each later one, and Section 9.3 layers on misdemeanor exposure of up to $1,000 and up to six months in the Washington County Detention Center for a knowing violation.

The Director of Solid Waste can also bar a vehicle or person from a County facility under Section 2.1.7 if their conduct is a nuisance or unsafe.