Broward Solid Waste Authority outlines plan to increase recycling, warns of deadline that could dissolve authority

Daniel Dich, project manager with SCS Engineers, told the Town of Davyy Council that Broward County’s recycling rate has fallen sharply and that the Broward Solid Waste Authority’s master plan aims to raise diversion toward the state’s 75% goal. “I have bad news to report. It is no longer 39%. It’s much closer to 30%,” Dich said during the presentation.

The presentation outlined guiding principles — behavior change, harmonized services, resource stewardship and financial stability — and a 40‑year planning horizon. Dich said the authority, created under an interlocal agreement in 2023, focused on commercially proven technologies and maximizing existing processing infrastructure while acknowledging limited long‑term disposal capacity in the county.

Sunrise Mayor Mike Ryan, chair of the authority executive board, framed the problem as an urgent capacity shortfall. Ryan said Broward generates roughly 5 million tons of waste a year and argued that “with economies of scale, with flow control, we can drive the best prices.” He warned that if the authority dissolves the county’s jurisdictions will be exposed to market‑driven disposal costs.

Presenters described a three‑phase funding approach: phase 1 continues current population‑based contributions; phase 2 would add a tonnage‑based administrative or “search” charge collected at receiving facilities (an initial example figure cited was $2 per ton); and phase 3 contemplates a non‑ad valorem assessment tied to tonnage for both residential and non‑residential properties if the authority survives and the board pursues that option.

Sam May, introduced as interim executive director of the Broward Solid Waste Authority, offered sample household impacts using local waste generation estimates. Using a per‑household generation rate of about 1.3 tons per year, May said the administrative charge would amount to roughly $2.60 per residential unit annually under the phase‑two example; he also noted Davyy’s local estimate could be higher (1.7 tons per unit) and used that figure in some illustrations.

Council members pressed presenters on how a tonnage charge could align with the objective to reduce tonnage through diversion. Dich and Ryan said the plan emphasizes education, drop‑off centers, composting pilots and construction/demolition debris diversion to reduce gross tonnage over time and thereby lessen per‑household impacts. Dich also said the facilities amendment would include maximum per‑ton caps (an example maximum cited for recyclable material was $110/ton) and that any contract exceeding those caps would require a high threshold of member approval.

Officials repeated a firm schedule. If the executive committee and governing board advance the master plan and the facilities amendment as expected, the materials will be distributed to member jurisdictions and the interlocal agreement gives members 120 days to act. Dich said the facilities amendment must be adopted by 80% of the authority membership by population no later than August 14, 2026; if that threshold is not met, he said, the authority would cease to exist.

The presenters urged the council to participate in a series of meetings the following Friday at the county government center where the executive committee and governing board will consider advancing the documents. Dich also directed interested residents to the authority website for an executive summary and outreach materials.

What comes next: council members asked staff to schedule local workshops and briefings so residents can understand possible household impacts, alternatives such as restoring curbside recycling or separate yard‑waste collection, and the timing of votes that would return the facilities amendment to each municipality for final action.