Lewis County landfill tightens recycling penalties, proposes $4-per-ton fee increase

Sean Thornton, a presenter with the Development Authority, told the Lewis County Board of Legislators on March 5, 2025, the authority has changed its surcharge structure for haulers that bring excessive recycling and proposed fee increases to support upcoming landfill capital projects.

Thornton said the authority has increased inspections and reworked penalties to put more incentive on haulers and their customers to reduce contamination in the waste stream. "We increased our minimum fine or minimum surcharge to $500," Thornton said. He described a rejected-load surcharge of $250 when a truck is turned away before tipping, and a rolling 12-month rule that assesses a $1,000 fee at permit renewal if a hauler has six violations in that period; repeat violators…