Trash fees outside of Santa Cruz County cities will be increasing in 2017.
The county Board of Supervisors on Nov. 15 adopted an new rate structure for solid waste ratepayers for the unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County.
Typical residential customers would see monthly charges for Green Waste refuse and recycling services increase by approximately $2.50 a month for 2017.
The suprvisors cited the need to create “a more sustainable solid waste system.” County oficials said the county’s residential rates would still be lower than in many neighboring communities.
Contributing factors are increased maintenance costs, new reporting requirements, and more money to combat illegal dumping and graffiti, capture landfill gasses, conduct public outreach and meet new State mandates, among other activities.
The commodities market for recycled goods is also down and not expected to recover, limiting the county’s ability to recover costs from recycling operations.
“Beginning with the introduction of curbside recycling in the 1970s – one of the first communities in the U.S. to do so – through this year’s adoption of the Zero Waste Plan, Santa Cruz County has long been a leader in environmental protection,” Public Works Director John Presleigh said.
“These modest rate increases will help us maintain our leadership position.”
Under the plan, commercial rates would also rise. Absent any action, reserves in the County’s Solid Waste Enterprise Fund are expected to be run out by 2019. No General Fund money is used to support solid waste programs.
In recent years, the state Legislature has passed several new mandates, including increased recycling, more organic material from commercial and multi-family buildings, and new reporting requirements for recyclables and organics.
The new rates take effect Jan. 1, 2017.
