The York County Solid Waste Authority has approved its budget for fiscal 2012. The tip fee (cost for disposal) for York County processible municipal solid waste at the York County Resource Recovery Center (RRC) for 2012 will increase by $3 per ton from $56 per ton to $59 per ton.  With the approval of this budget, the Authority has increased the cost for waste disposal for the first time in 20 years.

The tipping fee and revenue from the sale of electricity support Authority operations which include the York County Resource Recovery Center, the Yard Waste Transfer Facility, the Recycling Drop-off Center, the Education Center, the York County Sanitary Landfill/Hopewell Area Recreation Complex and community outreach efforts and other programs aimed at waste reduction and recycling.  The tip fee does not include collection costs charged by waste hauling companies hired to provide trash removal services.  In most cases waste hauling companies charge customers a fee that covers the Authority’s tipping fee, as well as costs for waste collection, hauling and curbside recycling. 

Notes Dave Vollero, Authority Executive Director, "The cost of waste disposal for an average York County household is about $1.96 per week.  This is based on an average household waste generation rate of just under 2 tons of trash per year.  The $3 per ton increase equates to an increase for the average York County household of just under $5 per year.  Our ability to successfully limit the tipping fee increases for many years is a testament to our commitment to fiscal responsibility on behalf of the citizens of York County.  This increase in the tip fee is a response to fiscal pressures created by rising operational costs and the need to meet financial requirements for capital projects necessary to provide capacity for York County’s waste into the future. 

Stabilizing the cost for disposal of waste has always been a top priority for the Authority and has been achieved through a process of effective operation and budget management.  The increase for 2012 amounts to what would have been an annual 0.26 percent increase had the Authority increased the cost for disposal each year since 1992 instead of holding the line on fees.  As we move forward in this challenging economy, the Authority will continue to operate in a fiscally responsible manner to serve the citizens of York County.

In order to provide for future capacity for York County’s waste, the Authority is planning to modernize the RRC.  This effort will include various facility and site improvements that will ultimately provide for future long-term capacity for York County’s municipal solid waste.  In addition to meeting stringent regulatory requirements, these efforts will result in enhanced operational performance and the extension of facility life.

The Authority facilitates responsible solid waste management through an integrated strategy that emphasizes waste reduction, reuse, recycling and resource recovery.  The operations of the Authority are supported by its two revenue streams: the cost of disposal, or “tipping fee” at the York County Resource Recovery Center and the sale of electricity generated by the facility.