Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County landfill staff propose 'dirty dumpster' warnings, discuss fee enforcement and March traffic increase
Summary
Chaffee County landfill staff previewed a new "dirty dumpers" warning/fee approach for mixed and uncovered loads, described enforcement limits, and reported increases in March and first-quarter tonnage and fees compared with last year.
Chaffee County landfill staff on April (meeting date) outlined a plan to discourage contaminated or uncovered loads at the county landfill and reported a notable rise in March and first-quarter activity.
Landfill staff said they are drafting a "dirty dumpers" enforcement approach that would begin with warnings and public education and could include a fee for repeat offenders. Staff emphasized the operational difficulty of enforcing a covered-load rule at the gate and the risk that strict enforcement would lead to confrontations and attempts to avoid fees.
Why it matters: mixed or contaminated loads can be hazardous, raise disposal costs and reduce recycling/diversion rates; the county's handling approach affects operator safety, customer experience and downstream processing costs.
The landfill reported the highest increases in March were in construction shingles/soils, brush and yard waste, and household waste-by-yard. For the first quarter the county recorded a 14% increase in fees collected and a 13% increase in customers served compared with the same period last year, staff said. Starting May 1, the landfill will bill in tons rather than other units and will prorate customer waivers to tons, staff added.
Staff described proposed enforcement as a graduated policy: an initial warning for mixed or uncovered loads, signage to remind haulers to cover loads, and referral to law enforcement only if serious safety risks arise. They cautioned that the definition of a "covered load" varies among customers and that some drivers might attempt to add a cover only after arriving to avoid fees, creating queues and disputes at the scale house. The county plans to test less-punitive steps first—signage and operator prompts—before moving to monetary penalties if problem haulers persist.
Staff also said they have begun limited record-keeping for repeat offenders and could add photo documentation if problems continue, but they prefer education and courtesy reminders as a first step. Commissioners and staff agreed to revisit the topic if the warnings do not reduce incidents.
Ending: Staff will bring a formal agenda item for the board to consider the proposed "dirty dumpers" language and the operational procedures for May, and managers said they will monitor tonnage and customer counts after the unit switch to tons.
