Solid Waste Authority directs staff on Service Area 6 redraw, local office requirement and yard-waste options

The Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County on Wednesday directed staff to proceed with several procurement and service design changes for upcoming solid-waste hauling contracts, including redrawing Service Area 6, maintaining it as a stand-alone MWBE (minority- and women-owned business enterprise) service area, and removing a mandatory joint-venture requirement for proposers.

The board also asked staff to require a local customer-service office in Palm Beach County by the start of new contracts on Oct. 1, 2026, with a 30-day buffer suggested so firms have a brief move-in window. Commissioners discussed whether equipment yards must be in-county, but the board stopped short of a blanket requirement for truck yards and left that as a policy question for further consideration.

Why it matters: the authority’s hauling contracts cover residential and commercial pickup across large, mixed-density areas of the county. Where and how firms locate offices and equipment can affect route reliability, response times for breakdowns and costs passed through to customers.

Staff presentation and board direction

Staff told the board it…