Hauler explains 2025 fee rise, says recruitment and fuel drove costs; Copperton recycling rates inch up

Wasatch Front Waste & Recycling representatives told the Copperton Town Council on July 16 that a sharp rise in labor and equipment costs forced a fee adjustment earlier this year and that additional small, staged increases are likely in 2026 and 2027.

"We experienced 40% overall increased costs that were associated with labor," said a company representative, citing trouble recruiting drivers and a board-approved market adjustment for commercial drivers. The company said it implemented a 33% rate increase in 2025 and that financial advisers recommended smaller supplemental increases of $1.50 in 2026 and another $1.50 in 2027 to avoid larger future jumps.

James Kelsey, the hauler's sustainability coordinator, presented local recycling metrics and systemwide costs. "Looking at 2024 totals for Copperton, we're at 16.05%. As of this year, we're sitting at 16.63," Kelsey said, adding the district goal is 18 percent. He said Copperton's "clean" recycling rate rose from about 67% in 2021 to roughly 79% in 2024 and is at about 78.5% year-to-date for 2025.

Kelsey said the hauler is pursuing cost savings including downsizing some light-duty fleet vehicles, stricter verification of missed-collection calls to avoid costly "go-backs," and more driver involvement in contamination audits. He described a route-dashcam verification test that found roughly 46% of missed-can call-ins were not legitimate and said the company has saved about $4.7 million systemwide in January through June after implementing several operational changes.

Council members asked for clarity on how those savings affect Copperton billing and on specific services included in the fee. The company said residents continue to receive weekly garbage and recycling, seasonal container reservation programs and options like Christmas tree collection and landfill vouchers. Kelsey also walked through the materials composition of local loads, noting cardboard and beverage containers make up the largest shares and urging residents to put lids on bottles and break down boxes to reduce moisture contamination.

The presentation concluded with environmental-impact estimates the hauler used to illustrate the value of diversion work: systemwide figures translated to reduced water usage, trees conserved, and landfill space saved. Council members said they would consider distributing the metrics to residents ahead of Town Days outreach and asked for the hauler's materials for posting.

Next steps: the council did not take formal action on rates at the meeting but requested the company's outreach materials for public education and said staff would add documents to an upcoming meeting packet.