Landfill fees on the rise in the regional district

PENTICTON – Landfill fees are going up in the regional district.

Effective May 1, fees at the Campbell Mountain, Oliver, Okanagan Falls and Keremeos landfills will rise from $95 a metric tonne for regular garbage to $110 a metric tonne.

Landfill fees last increased in 2014.

At the same time, the maximum amount of yard and wood waste that can be dropped off for free in Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen landfills will drop from 500 kilograms to 100 kg per load.

RDOS Solid Waste Coordinator Cameron Baughen says higher costs associated with managing the organic waste program are to blame.

“We don’t charge much for loads coming in, and that only covers a fraction of the costs involved in grinding and composting,” he says, adding the regional district doesn’t sell compost.

"It’s used at the dump for cover. The city operates a composting facility on site for public sale, which sometimes causes confusion amongst the public,” he says.

Baughen said the regional district was trying to eliminate subsidies for compost as it looks ahead to future budget needs for eventual closure of the landfill.

He says two major environmental initiatives are also taking place this year, adding to operating costs. Those include leachate management and the introduction of a bio-cover program.

The fee increases are expected to cover increased costs going into the future, but Baughen says there are two unknowns that may result in a further future increase. He says the City of Penticton has been talking about significantly increasing fees it charges the regional district to use the landfill, which could have another $8 to $10 impact on tipping fees.

There is also the possibility of the regional district having further environmental controls imposed on the site to manage methane gas, which would also have a $10 impact to tipping fees.

The May 1 increases will not apply to unlimited curbside pickup of yard waste.

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