A small Montgomery County town is dealing with significant increases in waste disposal costs. St. Johnsville is considering a new fee for residents as the state of New York looks for ways to reduce solid waste and boost recycling.
Like many communities in New York, the Town of St. Johnsville in Montgomery County contracts with a private company to haul away its trash.
St. Johnsville Town Supervisor Phoebe Sitterly says it wasn’t long after she stepped into the role last year that she learned the costs of removing waste. The bill from company County Waste increased from around $48,000 to about $87,000 per year.
“Our budget had already been completed. So, we had to move from our fund balance to make up the difference that set me on this year-long…trying to find solutions to this solid waste issue,” said Sitterly.
Now, Sitterly, a Republican elected to a full term on Tuesday, says the town is expecting a 3 percent increase each year for the next three years. On Thursday, the town board is set to consider legislation that would establish a new fee on residents for the purposes of waste disposal, an annual cost for residents she estimates could be around $350.
“We're gonna make a separate line item and we've spoken to the state comptroller's office about what is the appropriate way to go through this,” said Sitterly. “So, you know, they've told us that we can put a separate line item on their tax bill and every resident will pay the same amount of money for their garbage disposal to make it fair and equal.”
Sitterly says the town has maintained communication with County Waste.
A representative for Waste Connections, the company that owns County Waste, says its fees are structured to be fair and competitive.
District Controller Thomas McHugh told WAMC in an email many factors go into the company’s fees, including pay for employees, investing in equipment, and safety training. McHugh writes:
“As everyone has recently experienced, inflation has impacted the cost of doing business, including rent, utilities and other operating expenses. At the end of the day, we determine our fees to remain competitive and sustain the quality of our services.”
Republican Montgomery County Executive Matt Ossenfort says St. Johnsville is not alone in seeing the cost of waste disposal go up.
“The recycling market is very difficult. The solid waste disposal is very difficult. And there’s not a lot of new options or change on the horizon. I think it’s going to be a challenging issue for years to come,” said Ossenfort.
While St. Johnsville contracts with a private company for its waste collection, Ossenfort says the county operates transfer stations. He says while they’re running at a “break-even” point, there have been increases in what are called tipping fees.
“We’re actually at a point now, over the long-term, there’s going to need to be some investment into the two facilities that we operate, so the legislature is looking at that, so that is all considered as part of the tipping fee,” said Ossenfort.
Ossenfort says that rate is potentially part of the equation with costs for a private contractor, among other factors.
“The big driver right now for why we're seeing the tip fees go up is because they're in our contract with our operators for the hauling, there is an escalator as it relates to the price of gas. So, when the price of gas has gotten, you know, above $3.50 and $4, at times that kicks in additional costs for the county and that's obviously associated as part of the consideration for the where the tip fee is set,” said Ossenfort.
The amount of available landfill space is limited in New York. The State Department of Environmental Conservation estimates disposal capacity to be sufficient for the next 16 years.
The state’s largest landfill is Seneca Meadows in the Finger Lakes area. The landfill owned by Waste Connections accepts shipments from across New York as well as surrounding states. Waste Connections is seeking to expand capacity of facility and extend its operation to 2040.
Meantime, DEC is currently reviewing what it says are thousands of comments received on a draft Solid Waste Management Plan, which it describes as a “roadmap for more sustainable solid waste management.”
In a statement provided to WAMC, the department said of the draft plan:
“By focusing on reducing waste at its source, returning materials back to productive use, and diverting waste from landfills, harmful greenhouse gas emissions will be avoided while sustaining the supply chain. New York continues to advance efforts that support cleaner and healthier communities, encourage product reuse, promote recycling, and protect natural resources statewide.”
The meeting in St. Johnsville begins at 7.
There’s a link to more information on the DEC's draft Solid Waste Management Plan here: https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/41831.html
