Putnam Raising Landfill And Transfer Station Rates

Landfill and transfer station tipping fees across Putnam County will increase for commercial and private haulers.

Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said fees have not increased in 23 years, but inflation has left the county with little choice. He said the transfer station fee of $45 per ton and $35 per ton landfill fee are both far less than the $60 per ton state average.

“Over the past several years until you start looking at some of this, we really hadn’t had a problem keeping up with all that,” Porter said. “But, all of a sudden, in the past two years, we’ve had a 15 percent increase in the cost of operating those facilities.”

County Commissioners voted to increase both fees to $50 per ton. He said keeping the fee consistent between the two facilities should prevent confusion. Porter offered a reminder that residents take trash to convenience centers or have it picked up by cities and are not subject to these fees, only commercial and private haulers.

“Nobody on the committee, and including myself, doesn’t want to raise any of the fees,” Porter said. “We don’t want to do that, but we’re just trying to break even on the landfill and transfer stations. Not making any extra, just trying to break even with inflation.”

Porter said garbage loads that include shingles will be bumped to $100 per ton. He said people seem to be bringing shingles to the construction landfill on Boat Dock Road to avoid steeper prices in neighboring counties.

“Shingles is our number one problem,” Porter said. “Roofing shingles. We’re getting those. They take up a lot of room in the landfill.”

The changes will go into effect August 1.