Lower Merion considering 14 percent increase in trash fees

LOWER MERION — Lower Merion residents could see higher trash fees next year.

At its recent board meeting, the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners authorized the township secretary to advertise a notice of intent to adopt an ordinance change that would increase solid waste fees by 14% for 2027.

Residents have the option to subscribe to three levels of trash collection, ranging from mini can containers up to 21 gallons to three or four containers totaling 96 to 192 gallons.

At each of the three collection levels, residents can also choose curbside or rear-yard collection. If they elect curbside collection, there is no extra fee. If they opt for rear-yard collection, they must pay the base fee and then add an additional fee.

Under the proposed 2027 increase, the annual base fee for a mini-can container up to 21 gallons would rise from $303 to $345; for residents selecting the optional rear-yard collection, the fee would rise from the base fee of $345 plus an additional $279.

The curbside base fee for one or two containers totaling between 21 and 96 gallons would rise from $465 to $530. Residents opting for rear-yard collection would pay the base curbside fee plus an additional rear-yard fee of $350.

Finally, the annual solid waste fee for three or four containers totaling between 96 and 192 gallons will increase from the base curbside fee of $686 to $782. The rear-yard collection increase would add another $420 to the $782 fee.

About 17% of all subscriptions in the township include rear yard service.

Adam Szumski, Lower Merion’s chief financial officer, said the township’s costs increased at a low rate of 1.3% before 2022. Since 2022, when inflation in the United States hit a 40-year high, township expenses have risen 32%, or nearly 6% year over year.

“The solid waste fund is an enterprise fund with the intent to recover full cost recovery via user fees and other revenues,” Szumski said.

According to Szumski, the township’s financial policy calls for Lower Merion to strive to maintain a 10% fund balance, although that has been difficult in recent years.

The refuse division provides trash and recycling collection services for more than 16,900 residential accounts and collects 15,000 tons of trash and 5,000 tons of recycled material annually. Except for a spike during the COVID pandemic, they have collected around 15,000 tons of trash each year since 2014.

The trash collection in Lower Merion includes six refuse crews and five recycling crews Monday through Friday. Two smaller trucks also service township facilities.

Seasonal operations also include leaf collection and weekend cleanup, including two in the spring and one in the fall. The township also has periodic e-waste and hazardous waste events.

One side issue Szumski mentioned during the meeting was that the public should not put recycling items in trash bags because they end up having to toss them out, since opening them is considered a hazard.

With the board approving the advertising of the increase, the commissioners will vote on that increase later this year. Lower Merion then sends the trash bills out to residents with the annual township tax bill in January.