Board approves 10‑year landfill and facilitation agreements with Recology after debate over process and fees

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to approve a 10‑year landfill disposal agreement and a facilitation agreement with Recology San Francisco on July 26 after an extended debate about procurement, franchise protections and potential costs to ratepayers.

Supporters said the contract secures needed landfill capacity and will produce savings for ratepayers. Opponents said the city should first adopt stronger contractual protections and a franchise approach before tying the city to long‑term disposal and facilitation terms.

Supervisor Carmen Campos, who voted against the measure, said the central issue was process, not Recology’s performance. “I recognize that Recology provides great service … but for me the question with respect to this contract at the end of the day comes down to not so much the specifics of who the players are, but simply the process and where we are as a city in terms of the management and the handling of this issue,” Campos said. She told colleagues she wanted additional protections for ratepayers, added detail on company responsibilities and a firm franchise agreement before approving the landfill arrangement.

Supervisor Avalos also opposed the measure on similar grounds, arguing that the city currently lacks an overarching franchise agreement for solid‑waste services and that approving the landfill deal without that framework risked setting an undesirable precedent.

President Chu and other supporters said the contract was the product of a lengthy procurement process and would reduce costs. Chu told the board the department’s materials showed the landfill component of the contract would save ratepayers “over $100,000,000 over the term of the contract.” Chu also said the city conducted a long RFP and outreach to landfill sites and that securing disposal capacity was urgent given the limits at the city’s Altamont site.

Several supervisors raised specific implementation concerns. Members cited a Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) study showing San Francisco is among jurisdictions that lack a franchise arrangement for solid‑waste services, and warned that without clearer franchise terms the city’s long‑term protections for ratepayers could be limited. Supervisors also pointed to the facilitation agreement bundled with the landfill contract; one speaker said the landfill portion amounted to roughly $112 million while the facilitation agreement could total $300–$400 million and that the facilitation agreement was not competitively bid.

Speakers noted regional differences in host fees at proposed disposal sites and how those fees could affect future rates. A supervisor who visited a Yuba County landfill reported a host fee there of $4.40 per ton, compared with more than $16 per ton at an Altamont‑area site; speakers said those differing local fees could change economics and were a potential risk to long‑term rate projections.

Board members also discussed environmental and community impacts; Supervisor Pavlos (transcript spelling) referenced environmental concerns raised by residents near the host landfill during a site visit. Several supervisors and members of the public thanked Recology and Department of the Environment staff for their work on the proposal.

After debate the board recorded the votes. The following supervisors were recorded: President Chu — aye; Supervisor Cohen — aye; Supervisor Ellsburn — aye; Supervisor Farrell — aye; Supervisor Kim — aye; Supervisor Mar — aye; Supervisor Mercarini — aye; Supervisor Weiner — aye; Supervisor Avalos — no; Supervisor Campos — no. The resolution was adopted.

The board discussion left several matters for follow‑up: opponents asked that discussions about a franchise framework continue and for further delineation of Recology’s contractual responsibilities; backers said the contract secures capacity and contains savings estimates the city should not ignore. The Department of the Environment and other city offices will continue coordinating implementation steps now that the resolution is adopted.

Vote at a glance: Resolution approving a 10‑year landfill disposal agreement and a facilitation agreement with Recology San Francisco — outcome: adopted (recorded votes above).