Hempfield residents will pay higher garbage fees starting in the new year.
Township leaders last month voted to contract with County Hauling, raising rates to $55.50 per quarter, or $220 per year. That’s an almost $10 increase per quarter from what residents are paying under the township’s current garbage provider, Advanced Disposal.
According to township Manager Jason Winters, Advanced Disposal has been the township’s garbage provider for the past 10 years. With their contract up this year, the company suggested extending their contract by one year, raising rates higher than what they will be with County Hauling, Winters said.
The township decided not to move forward with the extension; rather, they started the bidding process to award a new five year contract in which County Hauling was the lowest bidder. The Rostraver-based provider’s contract will begin Friday.
Rates will remain the same through 2022, with the option of a 2% annual payment discount, which would drop the annual price to $217.56 if paid in full during the first quarter of the year. In 2023, however, rates will increase by 2% to account for inflation, according to a letter from County Hauling.
“There have been many changes in the waste industry in the last decade, both locally and globally, and the past rates are no longer economically feasible,” the letter reads.
Here’s how rates will change during the company’s five-year contract:
• 2023: $55.61 per quarter, or $226.44 per year
• 2024: $57.73 per quarter, or $230.97 per year
• 2025: $58.90 per quarter, or $235.59 per year
According to the garbage provider, the contract with Hempfield is similar to the previous contract with Advanced Disposal. That means most trash and recycling collection days, except for a few circumstances, will remain the same.
Several municipalities across the region have contracted with County Hauling over the past few years and at least three — North Huntingdon, New Kensington and Oakmont — have reported issues, including missed pickups.
“We know that county hauling has had slow starts in other municipalities,” Winters said. “We’ve met with them multiple times and they’ve guaranteed that things have changed within their organization and we feel confident we will have a smooth transition.”
