Garbage Rates Going Up 5 Percent

It soon may cost more for Valley residents to throw away their garbage.

Valley Garbage Service rates for both residential and commercial customers are scheduled to increase by more than 5 percent soon.

It is the third straight year that garbage rates have gone up.

This year’s proposed hike, which must be approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, is due to increased tipping fees at Spokane’s waste-to-energy plant, said Dewey Strauss, Valley Garbage president.

The tipping fee is increasing on March 1 from $97 per ton to $102 per ton.

For most of Valley Garbage’s 29,000 residential customers that means an increase of about 62 cents a month for one can per week, Strauss said. That includes recycling service.

Residential customers in the outlying areas, business and apartment customers will see increases as well, Strauss said.

“No one escapes,” he said.

If approved, monthly residential rates with recycling service would be as follows (this charge does not include a 3.6 percent refuse collection tax):

One can per week: $12.46.

Two cans: $18.72.

Three cans: $25.92.

Four cans: $34.55.

Five cans: $39.28.

Six cans: $43.91.

Occasional extra cans: $2.52 each.

Residential rates without recycling service in the outlying areas would be:

One can: $10.67.

Two cans: $16.93.

Three cans: $24.13.

Four cans: $32.76.

Five cans: $37.49.

Six cans: $42.12.

Mini-can service would increase to $9.93 per month.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: CARE TO COMMENT? Valley Garbage Service customers can comment on the company’s proposed rate hikes. Letters should be sent to: The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, P.O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250 or Valley Garbage Service, P.O. Box 14000, Spokane, WA 99214.