Marion County to Consider Solid Waste Disposal Fee Increases

Written testimony may be submitted until 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, 2016

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Marion County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, March 30, at 9:30 a.m. regarding proposed increases to solid waste disposal fees.

The meeting will be held in the Senator Hearing Room of Courthouse Square at 555 Court Street NE, Salem, during the commissioners' regular board session.

Written testimony may be submitted until 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, 2016, to:
Email: commissioners@co.marion.or.us
Mail: PO Box 14500, Salem, OR 97309
Hand delivery: 555 Court Street NE, Suite 5232, Salem

The commissioners, in conjunction with the Marion County Solid Waste Management Advisory Council, have been reviewing the impacts of various market conditions on the county's solid waste system.

Under consideration is a $20 increase in the per ton tip fee for franchised garbage haulers, as well as at the Salem-Keizer Recycling & Transfer Station and the North Marion Transfer Station.

The proposal would increase the fee for garbage haulers from $67.45 per ton to $87.45 per ton and from $87.45 per ton to $107.45 per ton at the transfer stations effective October 1, 2016.

Tip fees have not been increased since 1992. Residential customers may see an increase in their garbage service as much as 6-8% resulting from the new tip fee.

The minimum transaction charge at the Salem-Keizer and North Marion Recycling & Transfer Stations will remain $25. The majority of current transactions at transfer stations will not be impacted by the fee increase. Additionally, most recycling items are accepted free of charge at the transfer stations.

Examples include car batteries, mixed paper and cardboard, plastics, and electronics. For a complete list, please visit www.co.marion.or.us/PW/ES/.

Commissioner Kevin Cameron, board chair, said, "There are a number of dynamics that make it necessary to evaluate how we manage our solid waste system. The energy-from-waste facility creates enough electricity to power a city about the size of Woodburn. However, in the current market this electricity is no longer as valuable on the grid as it once was."

He continued, "We have reduced expenses as much as possible while maintaining mandatory reserve funds. Existing rates have been in effect since 1992 and expenses have increased over those 20 plus years."

Marion County manages a nationally-recognized integrated system that ensures the safe and sanitary disposal of solid waste.

The county prioritizes waste reduction and recycling and recovers energy from the material that remains. Due to the efforts of residents and businesses, the county maintains one of the highest recycling rates in the state.

Including credits received for reuse, home composting and waste reduction programs, our communities recycled 59.7% of all waste generated in 2014.

County residents can be proud that only 8% of trash is landfilled while the U.S. average is approximately 64%.