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Local recycling business raises alarm over illegal dumping and lost recycling volumes
Summary
RCS Waste & Recycling owner Ross Hewitt told the board that recycling volumes have fallen sharply and that allegedly out-of-county loads are being buried in the county landfill, creating enforcement and business viability concerns.
Ross Hewitt, owner of RCS Waste & Recycling, addressed the Board of Supervisors and described recent operational and policy challenges: a large private investment in a single‑stream recycling facility, a sharp decline in curbside recycling collections, reports that some haulers are delivering county recycling loads to the landfill, and an apparent lack of enforcement tools to address illegal behavior at the landfill.
Hewitt said his company invested nearly $10 million to build a regional single‑stream MRF and more recently invested an additional $2 million in concrete processing equipment. He told the board that more than 3,000 homes were removed from the recycling pool since January, with the material going to the landfill, and that tipping rates and landfill fees have risen sharply. He said county staff acknowledged limited enforcement mechanisms and that the business faces reduced throughput and workforce impacts if the trend continues.
Why it matters: Illegal dumping and the diversion of recyclable materials to the landfill can undermine private recycling infrastructure, raise costs for residents, and accelerate landfill cell buildout.
Board response and next steps: Hewitt said he has reached out to county staff and recycling coordinators for enforcement assistance. The board did not take immediate action in the meeting but the comments highlight a potential county enforcement and policy gap that staff and the board may need to address.
