Floyd County weighs new solid-waste tire fees and a weight-based option as hauling costs rise

Floyd County solid-waste staff presented proposed changes to tire and other solid-waste fees at the June 24 meeting, outlining options that would reduce the county’s current disposal losses and better reflect actual hauling costs.

Staff and transfer-station managers told the board hauling costs are substantial. “The county pays $360 a ton to get these tires removed,” one staff member said during the hearing, and solid-waste staff estimated hauling costs for tires at roughly $5,000–$6,000 per month on average. The county also reported recent increases in recycling revenue for other streams (aluminum/scrap) that partially offset losses but will not cover the full tire bill.

Why it matters: Under the county’s existing practice many tire deliveries were priced informally at $1 per tire for smaller passenger tires and higher for oversized tires. Staff said that formula often leaves the county subsidizing removal of truck and tractor tires. The proposed options would either raise per-tire prices or switch to a weight-based fee so the charge better matches the disposal cost for mixed loads.

Options discussed - Per-tire pricing: keep a flat per-tire charge for passenger car tires and tiered higher rates for larger tires (examples discussed: $4 per passenger tire, $7 per light-truck/SUV tire, and higher rates for tractor or 18-wheeler tires). A county staff member cautioned that other localities’ experience shows steep per-tire charges can encourage illegal dumping. - Weight-based pricing: charge by pound (staff discussion used 19¢ per pound as an example), which would bill large mixed loads closer to the county’s actual disposal cost. Staff said a 68-tire example (1,360 lb total at 19¢/lb) would have generated $258 in revenue under weight-based billing versus a much lower charge under the $1-per-tire rule. - Hybrid approach: keep a per-tire minimum for small household deliveries and require scale-weighing for large loads or commercial deliveries.

Staff concerns and operational changes Solid-waste staff warned implementation would require operational changes including installing or using scales and possible additional staffing to manage large truck loads and counts. The board asked whether scales must be state-certified if used to charge customers; staff said certified scales would be required for billed weight and that scale-house staffing or contracting would add cost and time. Staff recommended public education for local tire shops and businesses to explain any new charging method if the county moves to weight-based billing.

Revenue and cost context Staff said recycling revenue has improved in recent months: scrap metal and aluminum sales brought in a three-month total of about $16,224, and fiscal year 2024 revenue from recycling was about $25,937. But hauling costs for tires remain high: staff said hauling tire loads can run several thousand dollars a month, and large truck/tractor tires have much larger per-item costs when billed by weight (for example, a 120-lb truck tire at 19¢/lb would be about $23). Staff recommended modest increases to align charges with costs while trying not to push household consumers toward illegal dumping.

Board response and next steps Supervisors expressed caution and asked staff to return with a narrower set of options and implementation details. One supervisor said he favored straightforward per-tire charges at modest increases; another preferred a weight-based system to be more equitable for mixed loads and commercial deliveries. Given remaining operational questions (including scale certification, staffing and public notice requirements), the board tabled final action on the solid-waste fee schedule and asked staff to place it on the next regular meeting agenda with additional implementation cost estimates and proposed public-notice language.

Ending note County staff said they were continuing work to identify the easiest path to reduce net tire disposal losses while limiting unintended consequences. Supervisors directed staff to return with implementation, certification and public-notice plans before voting on a final fee schedule.