Spokane County staff propose 2026 transfer-station rate increases, $30 fee for refrigerant extraction

Spokane County solid-waste staff on Tuesday asked the Board of County Commissioners to approve new transfer-station rates for 2026 that would raise the municipal solid-waste per-ton rate 4%, increase organics fees by 10% and add a $30 charge for refrigerant extraction from certain appliances.

Lindsay, Solid Waste staff, told commissioners the county’s transfer stations had a “pretty good year in 2025” but that a recent $1,100,000 land purchase north of the Valley Transfer Station combined with operating and capital needs will briefly reduce the fund balance below the county’s 90-day operating target. “We’re dropping below our 90 day operating threshold,” Lindsay said, adding staff expect to recover by 2026 under the forecasted rates.

Why it matters: The proposed changes affect commercial haulers and customers who deliver large volumes of material. Staff said self-hauling residents with a pickup are unlikely to notice a meaningful change on individual household bills, while commercial haulers and junk-removal firms that bring multiple appliances will see costs reflected in their routes. Commissioners were briefed that the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) reviewed the proposal and unanimously recommended the rates.

Under the proposal, the municipal solid-waste (MSW) per-ton rate would rise from $130.00 to $135.63 (4%). The organics per-ton fee would move from $66.55 to $73.31 (10%); minimum gate fees would remain unchanged. Staff also proposed a $30-per-unit refrigerant-extraction fee for refrigerators and window air conditioners that require paid handling. Lindsay said the $30 figure reflects the county’s measured costs — labor, specialty needles and compressors, container and trucking costs — and is similar to regional practice, where some transfer stations charge between $20 and $60 per appliance.

Staff presented a regional survey showing other Eastern and Central Washington transfer stations are already charging for refrigerant-bearing appliances; Sunshine Transfer Station was cited as charging $20 per appliance, while other jurisdictions were higher. Lindsay said window air conditioners use a high-pressure refrigerant and cannot be processed in-house without special handling, which contributed to the per-unit cost estimate.

Commissioner questions focused on who bears the cost, the basis for the $30 fee and whether neighboring jurisdictions’ rates would push more appliances to county facilities. Lindsay said the fee primarily affects commercial generators — junk haulers and appliance shops that deliver multiple units — and that the county had discussed the rates with nearby jurisdictions; she noted the county’s organics subsidy is high relative to peers and that state legislation requiring curbside organics (as referenced in the presentation) will change tonnage mix over time.

Next steps: Staff said the county will place the 2026 rates resolution on next week’s agenda for the board to consider; the rates would take effect at the start of 2026. No public hearing was required, but staff noted contractual notification requirements for haulers. The Solid Waste Advisory Committee had voted unanimously in favor of the recommended rates.