The cost of garbage hauling services will go up in Costa Mesa \u2014 a scenario playing out in municipalities throughout Orange County \u2014 after city leaders Tuesday approved new rates for the use of local landfills .<\/p>\n
The county manages the landfills, receiving the region\u2019s trash as part of the Waste Infrastructure System Enterprise (WISE) agreement. Costa Mesa signed onto the deal in 1997, and it\u2019s set to expire on June 30 of this year.<\/p>\n
Council members in a regular meeting Tuesday unanimously, albeit reluctantly, voted to another 10-year arrangement with WISE, which includes a dramatic increase in the cost waste haulers pay to use the county\u2019s landfills.<\/p>\n
That rate is currently set at $43.76 per ton. For cities that renew their deal with the county, it will increase to $67 per ton beginning this year, $74 per ton in 2027 and then $81 per ton beginning in 2028, according to reports by city staff. <\/p>\n
Rates will be even higher for those who don\u2019t sign on, jumping from $92.70 to $110.77 per ton in the first three years without a contract.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re basically being strong armed into this agreement,\u201d Councilmember Loren Gameros said. \u201cOtherwise, you\u2019re going to pay heavily.\u201d<\/p>\n
The increased rates are largely due to the upcoming closure of the Olinda Alpha Landfill in Brea, which is nearly at capacity, said Public Works analyst Alex Gaxiola. That led the county to invest heavily into the expansion of the other two, the Prima Deshecha Landfill in San Juan Capistrano and the Frank. R. Bowerman Landfill in Irvine.<\/p>\n
Costa Mesa could have opted out of the WISE agreement and sent its trash to landfills outside of Orange County, but that would cost even more, Gaxiola said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs unfortunate as the increase is, it is the best deal we can get,\u201d Mayor Pro Tem Manuel Chavez said. \u201cBecause the alternative is spending more money to go farther away.\u201d<\/p>\n
The rate hike applies only to the trash sent to landfills, not the plastic, aluminum, paper and organic waste taken to recycling centers. With that in mind, the most reliable way communities can bring down their costs may be to create less landfill waste.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese rates are dollars per ton,\u201d Councilmember Arlis Reynolds said. \u201cSo there are opportunities to reduce your costs by reducing your waste.\u201d<\/p>\n