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Committee recommends city ratify updated DKMM solid waste management plan; transfer station fee noted
Summary
The committee recommended that council adopt the Delaware-Knox-Marion-Morrow (DKMM) solid waste management plan update; staff summarized new and expanded recycling and household hazardous waste programs and noted DKMM increased the transfer-station per-ton fee to $7.50.
The Delaware City Public Works/Public Utilities Committee voted Feb. 4, 2025, to recommend that city council ratify an update to the regional solid waste management plan administered by the Delaware–Knox–Marion–Morrow (DKMM) regional program.
Staff said DKMM’s five-year plan describes the structure of the regional program, existing and newly added programs and goals to reduce landfill material and increase recycling. The department’s summary highlighted programs added or expanded since the previous plan, including seasonal string-light collection, a paint hardener program, the “Hefty” orange bag program, improvements tied to the county transfer station and expanded electronic-waste and household-hazardous-waste collection efforts. Staff noted the city has worked with DKMM and local partners, including the Delaware County Health District, to increase program availability.
Staff also noted that DKMM imposes a per-ton fee at the transfer station that was raised from $6 to $7.50 per ton; committee members discussed how the transfer-station fee and a transfer-station minimum charge affect residents’ behavior. Staff explained the transfer station’s minimum charge is calibrated to one ton and that the minimum fee change has led some residents to seek other disposal approaches; the city counters increased transfer-station costs by operating a weekly bulk-collection service and by encouraging neighbors to combine loads. Staff said the city now charges $50 for three bulk items, up from a lower rate previously.
Motion and vote: A committee member moved that the committee recommend council ratify the DKMM solid waste management plan update and forward the resolution for council consideration. Another committee member seconded; roll call votes were recorded as yes for Mr. Hoffman, Ms. Fraser and Mayor Bridal. The committee’s action was a recommendation; final adoption must occur at full council with a DKMM representative present to make a brief presentation.
Staff said the matter must be completed by March 1 to meet DKMM deadlines; staff asked council to consider a single reading to meet the schedule. The committee also discussed sharing the plan and the city’s summary with local environmental groups such as Sustainable Delaware.
