Garbage tipping fees postponed to Oct. 1

In response to community concerns, the Solid Waste Task Force has agreed to push back the implementation of tipping fee in order to offer all people and businesses hauling garbage to Puerto Rico Dump an estimate of their individual charges.

Tipping fees aimed at providing money to efficiently and eventually close the Dump were set to begin today, but have been pushed back to Oct. 1. Until the tipping fees charged for the disposal of refuse begin, each vehicle entering the dump will be stopped and given an estimate of how much their load would cost.

“We want to use next six weeks for a dry-run of the entire operation,” said John Harder, program manager of the Division of Solid waste Management. “That will give haulers a chance to find out how the fees may affect them, and give the Division a chance to exercise the entire system.”

The fees are volume-based, beginning at approximately $10 per ton. Mr. Harder emphasized that under the fee system, small loads will not be charged at all.

“People will be able to bring in up to three 55-gallon drums of trash once a week absolutely free. We want them to know that,” Mr. Harder said. “So small families bringing in that much trash for their weekly haul to the dump won’t be charged.”

He said the postponement of the fee implementation will also give commercial haulers more time to set up accounts for payment with the Division. The new date for implementation also coincides with the beginning of the fiscal year, which is expected to allow better accounting and easier record-keeping of the new system.

New municipal Solid Waste Disposal Tipping Fees

Typical Vehicle of Container type General Volume Tipping Fee

55 gel. drum (approx. 1/3 cubic yard) 3 or less drums No Charge

4 to 6 drums $2.00

7 to 8 drums $4.00

more than 8 drums $2.00/2 drums

Pick up truck or other passenger less than one (1) No Charge
vehicle cubic yard

1 to 2 cubic yards $2.00

2 to 4 cubic yards $4.00

Flat bed truck, trailer, or overloaded less than 3 cubic yards $4.00
pick-up truck 3 to 5 cubic yards $6.00

5 to 8 cubic yards $10.00

Dump truck or large trailer less than 5 cubic yards $6.00

5 to 10 cubic yards $12.00

10 to 15 cubic yards $18.00

Compactor Truck less than 5 cubic yards $10.00

5 to 10 cubic yards $20.00

10 to 20 cubic yards $40.00

Roll-off container less than 10 cubic yards $12.00

10 to 20 cubic yards $22.00

20 to 30 cubic yards $32.00

30 to 40 cubic yards $42.00

Extra Charges:

Any loads containing friable asbestos-containing material, sewage sludge, dead animals and quantities greater than two cubic yards of spoiled food. Construction and demolition debris containing concrete, asphalt, rock or dirt, or land clearing debris containing municipal refuse or scrap metal.

Typical Vehicle General Volume Tipping Fee
55 gal. drum (approx. 1/3 cubic yard) 3 drums or less No Charge

4 to 6 drums $4.00

7 to 8 drums $8.00

more than 8 drums $2.00/2 drums

Pick up track or other less than one (1) cubic yard No Charge
vehicle 1 to 2 cubic yards $4.00

2 to 4 cubic yards $8.00

Flat bed truck, trailer, or overloaded less than 3 cubic yards $8.00
pickup truck 3 to 5 cubic yards $12.00

5 to 8 cubic yards $20.00

Dump truck or large trailer less than 5 cubic yards $12.00

5 to 10 cubic yards $24.00

10 to 15 cubic yards $36.00

Compactor truck less than 5 cubic yards $20.00

5 to 1O cubic yards $40.00

10 to 20 cubic yards $80.00

Roll- off container less than 1O cubic yards $24.00

10 to 20 cubic yards $44.00

20 to 30 cubic yards $64.00

30 to 40 cubic yards $84.00