County Council adopts solid waste fees that include funds for long-term upgrades to regional system

September 12, 2011

Summary

Extending life of facilities while providing rates competitive with other municipalities

Story

Preparing for long-term improvements to the aging regional solid waste system, the Metropolitan King County Council today set the county’s 2012 solid waste rates. The basic rate for passenger vehicles was set at $17.49, with commercial vehicles paying $109 per ton. The current rate for passenger vehicles is $15.31 and $95 per ton for commercial vehicles.

“These actions ensure that our region will have stable, reliable solid waste services for years to come by preserving the long term viability of King County’s facilities,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, prime sponsor of the legislation. “The availability of predictable and affordable solid waste disposal is important for the growth of our economy.”

“I am pleased these fees keep the rates low for taxpayers, while helping King County make much-needed improvements to our solid waste system,” said Julia Patterson, Chair of the Council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee. “Moving forward, I am eager to work with the Executive and cities in King County to develop a long-term funding plan for a solid waste system that benefits the entire region and uses public dollars in the best way possible.”

The regional solid waste system is a cooperative, integrated system, with participation by 37 cities, solid waste haulers, and the County. King County receives solid waste at its eight transfer stations and two drop boxes from solid waste haulers, who collect it door-to-door from households in cities and unincorporated communities. Transfer stations and drop boxes also accept waste delivery from self-haulers—residents and small businesses who accumulate small loads of garbage and deliver it to transfer stations or drop boxes for disposal. The Transfer System network receives and consolidates these waste loads, transfers them onto trailers and transports them by truck to the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, the County’s 920-acre solid waste facility.

This system is responsible for receiving and processing over 800,000 tons of mixed municipal solid waste annually and is starting to show its age with facilities that are over 50 years old and at the end of their useful economic life. The proceeds from the new fees will play a role in defraying the cost of upgrades occurring throughout the transfer station network. King County has or will soon replace five large urban transfer stations with new facilities. The new facilities meet current building, safety and emergency management standards and include many improvements such as:

• Larger transfer buildings which will reduce customer wait times,
• New recycling collection areas for items such as yard waste, clean wood, appliances, and scrap metal,
• More efficient household hazardous waste collection,
• Enclosed solid waste transfer buildings, with adequate roof clearance, that will minimize noise, dust and odors.

The County’s focus is on keeping rates as low as possible while refurbishing the infrastructure to extend the life of the transfer system and protect the public and environment. The adopted fees are competitive with rates charged by systems in surrounding jurisdictions in Seattle, Tacoma and Pierce County.

The new rates and the upgrades to the transfer system were developed in consultation with the Metropolitan Solid Waste Management Advisory Committee, an advisory group of participating cities. That group is also involved in a review of the existing interlocal agreements which define participation in the regional solid waste system by 37 cities and the County. The result of the review is the drafting of interlocal agreements with a smaller group of city and county representatives, a step toward the contracts needed for the long-term capital investments made to the transfer stations.