For many in our region and across the county, even trash hauling bills are going up due to the rising costs of inflation and that will certainly be the case next year in Centre County, but there is a twist to what is fueling the increase.
In Centre County, most of the trash collected is brought to the county recycling and refuse authority headquarters, otherwise known as the dump, and then it is shipped to an out of county landfill.
State regulations require the authority to put out bids for the landfill business every ten years, which is the reason why there will be a change coming next year for Centre County’s primary landfill site.
‘Rather than using the Green Tree Landfill in Elk County, we’ll be using the Laurel Highlands Landfill, which is a waste management facility in Cambria County.”
The change in landfills includes an increase in the per ton tipping or disposal fee for hauling companies, who are responsible for setting the customer rates.
“The impact for homeowners can be anywhere from one to two dollars a month, which shouldn’t be too bad, but I think you’re going to see haulers who have been hit hard with the diesel prices; there’s a good chance you’re going to see a three to five dollar a month increase in your waste disposal.”
What about recycling rates in Centre County?
Recycling doesn’t go to a landfill, but those rates too are expected to increase next year, and that is more due to personnel and fuel cost increases.
“A benefit we have had this year with the higher oil prices is that we are also seeing high prices for our commodities like plastic. We are over two-million-dollars this year for sales of materials and we’re going to see a certain amount of that going to offset increases next year.”
Almost 40 to 450 tons of garbage is processed on a daily basis at the Centre County transfer station, along with nearly 50 tons of recyclables.
