Sullivan County officials, haulers and residents press enforcement of flow-control rules as tip rates rise

Sullivan County public works staff, county legislators and members of local groups discussed landfill operations, flow‑control enforcement and waste‑management strategies during the Legislature's public works meeting. County staff described recent tonnage and pricing figures and said the county will pursue a plan to enforce its existing flow‑control rules; residents and local environmental groups urged more investment in waste reduction and composting and warned against incineration.

The county's solid‑waste manager, Mark (public works staff), reported that cardboard revenue was “steady at $75 per ton” and that the county received 112 tons of cardboard in April; single‑stream recycling paid about $45 per ton for 172 tons in April. He said the county will implement a previously adopted tip‑rate rule that raises the municipal solid waste (MSW) tip rate to $150 per ton effective July 1. Mark also reported that overall tonnage at the transfer station is down about 25 percent since the price increase.

Why it matters: county staff and several haulers warned that if haulers transport waste out of Sullivan County to avoid the higher tip price, the county loses revenue that…