By Sheldon Spackman

Cost Recovery

Some tippage rates going up at Sylvan Lake Waste Transfer Site

Jan 18, 2021 | 2:49 PM

Tippage rates will soon be increasing at Sylvan Lake’s Waste Transfer Site (WTS) for customers who do not pay a solid waste utility charge to The Town.

This after council gave second and third readings to a Waste Bylaw amendment on Jan. 11 that will see the tippage rate change from $98 per tonne to $136 per tonne for commercial businesses and non-Sylvan Lake residents.

As noted by Town officials, the tippage rate increase is for cost recovery purposes.

Officials say the WTS operates on an annual operating deficit of about $250,000 which is funded by the solid waste reserve. The reserve is funded by the monthly solid waste levy charged to residential garbage collection customers in Sylvan Lake.

The intent of the bylaw is to create a dual rate for tippage which would require those customers who do not pay the monthly solid waste charge to the Town to pay a cost recovery tippage rate of $136 per tonne ($0.136/kg.).

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Customers of the WTS that pay a solid waste charge to the Town would continue to pay the current tippage rate of $98 ($0.098/kg.) per tonne.

Sylvan Lake businesses, however, will also be required to pay the cost recovery rate since they do not pay a monthly solid waste levy to the Town.

According to Town officials, a survey conducted last spring at the Waste Transfer Site identified about 11.36 per cent of the facility’s paying customers (622 of 6,104) do not reside in Sylvan Lake and therefore make no contribution to the solid waste reserve. The cost recovery rate though, is expected to add an average cost of $8.36 per visit to the WTS per customer who is required to pay the higher rate.

Also considered was an alternative to the two-rate system which would have required the request of an operating grant from the Counties and the Summer Villages based on their percentage of use.

However, this was not anticipated to negate the need for a two-rate system as customers to the WTS facility originated from several communities, including those located outside the geographic area. Although this option has not been pursued, if approached by an area municipality requesting this option, administration would be receptive to negotiation.

Town officials say yard and kitchen waste, recyclables, electronics, and “drop n’ swap” items will continue to be accepted at no-charge for disposal from any customer including commercial, resident, or non-resident.

It’s anticipated the rate increase will generate about $9,700 per year from tippage fees, based on 2,200 tonnes of annual waste volumes expected at the WTS in 2021.