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Tompkins County proposes modest solid-waste fee increases as recycling commodity revenue falls
Summary
County recycling officials told legislators the volatile market for recycled materials will reduce revenue and pushed a package of small fee increases, elimination of routine use of fund balance to balance the enterprise fund, and one-time equipment reserve contributions to stabilize operations.
Leo Riley, department head for Tompkins County Recycling and Materials Management, told the county Expanded Budget Committee on Sept. 10 that falling prices for recyclable commodities forced the department to rework the 2026 enterprise budget. “ACR stands for average commodity revenue,” Riley said, describing how the county budgets expected revenue from the sale of sorted recyclables. “As we sit here today, we’re projecting 2025 to come in at $60 per ton.”
The projection matters because the department budgeted an $80-per-ton ACR for 2026 and expects revenue from sales of materials to decline roughly $200,000 year over year. The shortfall, department officials said, together with rising contract and staffing costs, drives a proposed package of small fee increases and other changes intended to avoid drawing on…
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