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Transfer-station volumes and commercial dumping rise; staff to propose tipping-fee increases
Summary
Solid waste staff told the council the town has seen a sharp increase in commercial haulers and overall tonnage; staff will present a tipping-fee adjustment next week to recoup higher hauling and disposal costs as incoming tonnage approaches 10,000 tons annually.
MERRIMACK, N.H. — Solid waste division staff reported at the Jan. 15 budget meeting that the town’s transfer station is handling higher tonnage and markedly increased commercial use, prompting a planned proposal to raise tipping fees.
Solid waste staff said the transfer station handled 7,648 tons of municipal waste and recyclables in 2024 and roughly 1,930 tons of recyclables. Staff told councilors that commercial haulers have brought substantially more material to the facility than in prior years, and those haulers often dump directly on the transfer-station floor, increasing labor and hauling needs.
Why it matters: greater commercial usage increases the town’s handling time and hauling frequency to out-of-town disposal sites, raising operating costs for the transfer station and potentially creating a budget shortfall if fees do not reflect higher activity.
Key points - Volume trend: Staff said the town is now projecting about 10,000 total tons of trash for the coming period, up from earlier estimates of about 8,500 tons. - Commercial haulers: Staff cited haulers’ operational choices (return-to-route economics) that make Merrimack an attractive short-haul disposal site; as a result, the town’s transfer station has experienced more commercial drop-offs. - Next steps: Solid waste staff told councilors they will bring a formal proposal next week to adjust tipping fees to recoup higher hauling and disposal costs and to reflect the increased tonnage. The presentation is intended to align fees with current cost structures. - Recycling vs. trash: Staff said hauling costs this year made recycling hauling cheaper than regular trash disposal — a reversal from prior years — but the trend can vary with market prices.
Operational details Staff noted added hauling trips to out-of-town disposal facilities (such as the Burns site in Concord) and increased floor-loading labor at the transfer station as drivers dump on-site. The division also budgeted higher special-waste disposal costs to cover brush grinding and other contracted services.
Ending Solid waste staff will present the tipping-fee proposal and supporting tonnage and cost data at the council meeting next week. No fee change was approved at the Jan. 15 meeting.
