Hillsborough County proposes 7.8% solid-waste rate increase to fund $77 million landfill expansion

Hillsborough County’s Solid Waste Management Department proposed a three-year rate plan that would raise residential solid-waste assessments by 7.8% in fiscal year 2026 to partially fund a $77 million landfill expansion, department director Damien Trammell told the Board of County Commissioners at a workshop.

"Our vision is to create a long term sustainable and financially responsible integrated solid waste system," said Damien Trammell, solid waste management department director. He said the county provides services to over 325,000 single-family homes and delivers about 1.2 million services each week.

Trammell told commissioners the county generates about 1.2 million tons of waste annually; its resource recovery facility processes about 44% of that volume, the landfill receives about 41%, and recycling accounts for roughly 15% of the remainder. He said the current landfill section in use is projected to fill by 2030 and the county needs a new section to secure another 10–15 years of disposal capacity.

Trammell outlined estimated costs and the rate impact: the landfill expansion is estimated at $77,000,000 (roughly $66,000,000 construction and the balance for engineering, design and…