Whatcom County waste hauler seeks increase for trash pickup, recycling
Whatcom County’s trash and recycling hauler is asking for price increases that would affect residential customers in rural areas outside Bellingham and Ferndale.
Sanitary Service Co. has submitted its new rate proposal to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission for review, SSC General Manger Ted Carlson told The Bellingham Herald. That agency has regulatory authority, including the ability to set rates.
Residential garbage, recycling and curbside compost collection are voluntary in unincorporated Whatcom County.
▪ SSC is asking for a 4% increase in its garbage rates, where several different collection frequencies and container sizes are available. For example, a person who has a 90-gallon container emptied every other week would see a 70-cent monthly increase if the plan is approved, going from $17.56 to $18.26.
▪ A 3.1% increase is being sought under SSC’s proposal for its Food Plus! curbside composting service, from $12.87 a month to $13.27.
▪ SSC is seeking a 56% increase in is recycling service charge. For a resident who gets recycling pickup along with garbage pickup, that service charge would rise from $6 a month to $9.36. For those who get only recycling and not garbage, the cost would go from $7.36 a month to $11.38. A separate recycling commodity fee would remain $1.36 monthly.
“The recycling service charge includes the cost to collect the materials, labor, trucks and equipment, insurance, taxes etc.,” Carlson told The Herald in an email. “The recycling commodity charge is related to the costs to process the recycling materials and bring them to the recycling market to be used to make new products. The proposed rates are for the recycling service charge only, which have not been increased in four years.”
A UTC spokeswoman told The Herald that SSC’s application will be heard and discussed at the May 22 open meeting. If approved, it will take effect June 1, Tiffany Johnson said in an email.
Information regarding remote attendance of the meeting is available at www.utc.wa.gov/documents-and-proceedings/open-meetings.
“For the ruling, the commission can either approve the filing or suspend the filing for further investigation and possibly set the matter for a formal proceeding. This is done at the open meeting,” Johnson said.
Ways to comment on SSC’s application:
▪ Complete an online comment form
▪ Email comments@utc.wa.gov
▪ Call 1-888-333-9882
▪ Write the UTC at: P.O Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250. Include your name, mailing address, the name of the company, and docket number TG-250232.
