Council approves solid waste rate increase
The Lodi City Council unanimously voted to approve a 2.826% solid waste rate increase during its meeting Wednesday night at Carnegie Forum.
The rate increase is set by the franchise agreement that the city has with Central Valley Waste Management, which can request an increase based off of annual changes in the Consumer Price Index. These changes include price adjustments for increases in landfill fees, fuel and energy costs, as well as changes in the law.
“The city’s agreement with Central Valley Waste Management allows rates for solid waste collection to be adjusted annually on April 1, up to 80% of CPI,” Public Works Director Charles Swimley said.
During Wednesday’s public hearing, Waste Management elected for the full rate increase, plus an adjustment for increased North County Landfill gate fees.
For residential customers using a 35-gallon refuse cart, the rate will increase 80 cents per month to $29.14. Those using a 64-gallon refuse cart will see an increase of $1.21 per month, to $43.86. The increase is expected to take effect by the April billing cycle.
Councilwoman JoAnne Mounce said she rarely ever votes on rate increases, but voted in favor of the increase because as a member of the League of California Cities she has seen the steep increases other cities around the state have had.
“We are very fortunate to have a contract. I have seen what has happened to other cities that don’t and while I don’t like voting for rate increases, 2.8% is not as bad as what other cities are seeing,” Mounce said.
Waste Management Vice President and General Manager Alex Oseguera informed the council during the meeting that the increase will compensate for the increase in the cost the company incurs to provide services.
According to Oseguera, garbage truck costs have increased over the years, along with emission costs, state regulations and China’s shifting recycling policies.
Since 2017, Waste Management has regularly updated residents about recycling and trash regulations
following the passage of Senate Bill 1383 and Assembly Bill 1826.
SB 1383, which was signed into law by former Gov. Jerry Brown in September of 2016, established a statewide goal for reducing organic waste in landfills by 50% by 2020, and 75% by 2025.
AB 1826 is a state mandate requiring commercial businesses to subscribe to an organic waste recycling program. The law also went into effect in 2016, requiring businesses generating eight cubic yards of organic waste per week to arrange for organic waste recycling services.
In 2017, the threshold dropped to four cubic yards of organic waste.
By January of this year, the law required businesses generating four cubic yards of solid waste a week to arrange for organic waste recycling services.
The state mandates were drafted in response to international recycling markets no longer accepting most of the reclaimed materials coming from the United States.
Since 1992, 45% (106 million metric tons) of the world’s plastic has been exported to China annually, according to the United Nations Comtrade Database.
In 2017, China passed the National Sword Policy which banned plastic waste from being imported into China beginning Jan. 1, 2018.