We propose a tipping fee be set on waste put into Landfill 33 at the statutory maximum of $1.27/ton. The breakdown for spending is as follows:
• 25% to the Effingham County Health Department for administration costs.
• 20% to Community Services. These funds would support some of the waste
management needs identified in the community survey, including a yard
waste drop off, electronic recycling events, hazardous waste collection
events, and semi annual glass recycling drives.
• 20% to Educational Program Grants. These funds would be given to
community organizations, such as the Boy Scouts, 4-H, senior centers, nature
centers, libraries, schools, etc. to support environmental education for all
ages.
• 35% to Recycling Subsidies. With the recycling industry in flux, trying to
support a public recycling program entirely through a tipping fee would be
an unstable solution. A dedicated source of funding to subsidize recycling
services could be used in a number of ways to make recycling services more
accessible to the public as a whole. If Effingham County reaches a point
where recycling services are readily available on the open market, this
percentage should be adjusted up. Potential uses for this slice of the pie:
o Grants to privately sponsored recycling drop offs.
o Expanding drop off locations to smaller communities.
o Providing subsidies for curbside recycling to cap costs for senior
citizens, with the funds being paid to any participating hauler who
offers curbside recycling at a discounted/capped rate for senior
citizens. Amounts paid to each hauler would be based on market
share.
The percentages provided above are a guideline only for how the funds from a
tipping fee may be best used to serve the needs of Effingham County. As costs and needs change over the years, the percentages can be easily adjusted to meet changing circumstances. And, with the creation of a Solid Waste Management Fund, the county will be well situated to plan and save for high cost items, such as household hazardous waste collections or creating a yard waste drop off site.
