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Commissioners weigh options after county landfill starts charging mattress disposal fee
Summary
Public works reported Smith County now charges $20 per mattress and limits acceptance days; commissioners raised concerns about illegal dumping and asked for a follow-up meeting with numbers and options.
Public works staff told commissioners that Smith County is charging $20 per mattress for disposal and limiting mattress acceptance to certain days of the month; the change has raised concerns about illegal dumping and the county's approach to mattress disposal.
Commissioner 1 said the $20 fee imposed by Smith County does not account for county labor and hauling costs and that limiting acceptance days has resulted in mattress dumping in Trousdale County. Commissioner 1 said staff were seeing mattresses dumped along roadsides and residential areas.
Commissioner 1 and other commissioners discussed options including absorbing the fee at the county convenience center, implementing a per-vehicle gate fee, or charging a small additional fee at the convenience center to discourage illegal dumping. Commissioner 1 said Cliff and staff will obtain numbers and meet with the disposal contractor to analyze costs and recommend solutions; a meeting is likely in October to provide data and options.
No specific new fee or policy was adopted; commissioners asked staff to return with cost estimates, solid-waste budget implications, and recommendations to reduce illegal dumping.
