Buncombe County residents can expect to see rate increases for Waste Pro services this year. Collection services are now $23.66 per month, an increase from the 2023 rate of $22.55. So how does this price increase break down? Waste Pro Regional Vice President Chip Gingles explained the changes to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners at its Tuesday, Jan. 2 meeting.
The pricing changes are the result of two factors: tipping fees and the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Residents see a 10% price increase for every dollar that Buncombe County increases its tipping fee (a fee to offset the costs of operating the landfill that’s based on the weight of the waste being disposed of) — in this case, customers will pay an additional $0.41. Plus, a $0.70 increase comes from changes to the CPI, aka a tool used to track price changes for consumers over time.
The price increases were in accordance with the County’s contract with Waste Pro and didn’t need approval from the Board. But despite these changes for the new year, the Board is moving forward with finding a new provider for trash and recycling services after putting the service out to bid at its Nov. 21 meeting. The Board also approved changes to the solid waste ordinance to prepare for the upcoming proposals for new vendors.