Reno County raises some out-of-county landfill tipping fees; in-county resident fee unchanged

Megan Davidson, director of Reno County Solid Waste, recommended the commission adjust certain tipping fees for 2026 after a financial review of landfill operations and contractual relationships with neighboring counties.

Davidson proposed raising out-of-county municipal tipping fees to $37 per ton and increasing KDHE-designated special-waste fees by $1 per ton. She said Reno County’s in-county resident user fee (currently $96 per year) would remain unchanged, and she noted neighboring counties’ gate rates range from about $38 to $49 per ton. Davidson said the proposed increases would help the landfill’s long-term finances while preserving the current in-county resident benefit that allows unlimited annual trips for the $96 fee.

Commission discussion touched on how the landfill distinguishes commercial construction and demolition (C&D) loads from residential loads, and Davidson described a demolition C&D form used to track haulers and contractors. Commissioners raised concerns that commercial hauler costs often flow through to homeowners, but Davidson explained that the $10-per-ton commercial C&D fee (commercial haulers only) was established previously as a way to keep the resident user fee lower.

A motion to adopt the fee adjustments carried. The clerk recorded affirmative votes from commissioners during roll call and the fee increases were adopted as presented.

The vote and fee adjustments will be reflected in the landfill’s 2026 fee schedule and applied to out-of-county users and to KDHE special-waste assessments; Reno County resident user fees were left intact.