Waste disposal fees are going up in the Comox Valley area partly because landfills are seeing an increase in contaminated loads, according to the Comox Strathcona Waste Management board.
The fees are increasing between $5 and $35 depending on the waste that’s being disposed of, effective Jan. 1, 2024.
For example, the tipping fee for municipal solid waste is going up from $145 per tonne to $155, according to CSWM.
Meanwhile, the fee for “municipal solid waste containing recyclable materials or prohibited waste” is rising $35 per tonne, up from the current $330 to $365.
Operators say the fees are intended to reduce the amount of unnecessary or contaminated waste ending up at local landfills.
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“Unfortunately, increased costs continue to be a reality we are facing and our hope is to create more positive change in the community in how we dispose of materials at the landfill,” said CSWM board co-chair Will Cole-Hamilton in a release Wednesday.
“Properly sorting your waste and diverting recyclable materials can save you time and money at either of our CSWM waste management centres, and we encourage residents to consider this step before heading to the landfill,” he said.
CSWM manages about 65,000 tonnes of waste and recycling each year, and oversees two waste management centres in the Comox Valley and Campbell River.
It also manages several transfer stations for communities across the Comox Valley Regional District and the Strathcona Regional District.
“The goal of this tipping fee update is to encourage behavior change aimed at reducing waste and thereby extending the life of our landfill, which ultimately saves money for all taxpayers,” said Cole-Hamilton.
Adam Chan
