Fees associated with bringing refuse to the Town’s transfer station on Birch Swamp Road are likely to increase for Warren residents and commercial businesses in July.

Department of Public Works Director Brian Wheeler informed the Warren Town Council of the intent during their meeting on May 9, explaining that the Town has continuously eclipsed its cap on the tonnage allowed by the state, resulting in ever-increasing fees and ultimately more burden on taxpayers.

“The transfer station is not there to make money, and it’s not a way for us to nickel and dime,” he explained in a recent interview. “The further away we get from tipping fees to what we’re charging makes it more of a burden on the taxpayer at the end.”

Wheeler submitted numbers on recent years at the transfer station, showing that in Fiscal Year 2020 the town amassed 3,898 tons of trash (22.76% over the 3,176-ton cap); in FY21 the town received 4,040 tons (28.5% over the 3,144-ton cap); and in FY22 the town received 3,967 tons (18.5% over the 3,349-ton cap). He said the town is already on pace to eclipse the cap for FY23.

“Each ton over the cap has a cost associated with it,” he wrote. “This number has been increasing each year.”

Wheeler said the town’s goal is to deter residents and commercial businesses from dumping large quantities of trash at the transfer station and instead try to increase the amount they recycle, which adds up to the category of trash that doesn’t count against the town’s cap. He said that the state sets a goal of 50% “diversion” for each community, meaning anything that doesn’t wind up in the landfill (such as recyclables).

“We’re not saying you can’t take trash there, we’re just trying to educate recycling more,” Wheeler said. “There are things obviously you can’t recycle and have to throw away.”

Yard waste changes
Another item accepted at the transfer station, yard waste, goes towards that diversion number. However, Wheeler said that some residents have been leaving out upwards of 30 bags curbside to be taken away, which overburdens the workers tasked with picking it up.

For residents with a sticker, he proposed dropping the current fee associated with dropping off an unlimited amount of yard waste at the transfer station, but implementing a 10-bag maximum for curbside pickup as a tradeoff. Commercial yard waste fees of $85 per ton would still be applied.

Proposed fee changes
It should be noted that no fee changes have been approved at this time, as the Council is waiting to deliberate on one additional piece regarding whether or not to allot 400 pounds of free dumping for residents that purchase a transfer station sticker. They will take up that issue, and ultimately approve or deny the fee changes, at their next meeting in June.

The changes would take place in July if approved.

Please note that all residential rates only apply if a resident has a transfer station sticker (which would remain a $20 cost). Anyone attempting to use the transfer station without a sticker will be charged the commercial rate.

The following fee changes have been proposed:

• Residential household disposal rate:
  • Current fee — $185/ton
  • Proposed — $235/ton
• Commercial trash disposal
  • Current fee — $205/ton
  • Proposed — $300/ton
• Tires dropped off at transfer station
  • Car tires (increase from $5 to $7.50)
  • Truck tire (19.5”) — new fee of $10
  • Truck tire (22.5” to 24.5” — new fee of $30
  • Small farm tractor tire — new fee of $50
  • Large farm tractor tire — new fee of $100
  • Loader tires — new fee of $500