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Linn County solid-waste official warns Fairfax of rising fees and limited landfill capacity
Summary
The Linn County Solid Waste Agency told Fairfax officials tipping fees will rise and the county landfill could be full of usable airspace by about 2037, prompting planning for transfer stations and expanded phases. Agency staff described program changes and partnerships to reduce landfill volume.
Joe Harini, deputy director of the Linn County Solid Waste Agency, told the Fairfax City Council the agency will raise several service fees for fiscal 2026 and is planning further landfill work as the site nears capacity. The council heard the annual solid-waste update during its regular meeting.
Harini said the landfill tipping fee will increase to $50 per ton on July 1 and that several specialized disposal lines will also rise; compost sales to commercial customers will be $32 per ton while residents will continue to receive compost at no charge. He said contamination in commercial recycling (paper/plastics mixed with Styrofoam and bags) has forced processing partners to reject loads and that the agency is increasing fees for commercial recycling while stepping up public education on proper sorting.
The agency presented an aerial map of phases 1 through 5A (the current active area) and said it will begin planning this fall for phase 5B, with design work scheduled for this year and construction expected in 2027. Harini said airspace projections show the active landfill could be effectively full around February 2037, and he noted a settlement agreement that requires closure of the Mount Trashmore site by June 30, 2044.
"Phase 5B is the last section of landfill that we can use," Harini said, summarizing why the fee increases and planning are linked to long-term capacity constraints.
Harini explained that, after closure, the agency will rely on transfer stations to move material out of county, a more expensive option that could raise per-ton disposal costs significantly compared with current landfill rates. He said modest annual increases aim to avoid an abrupt, large jump that would be difficult for municipal haulers and residents to absorb.
On resident services, Harini highlighted several programs: household hazardous materials drop-off, glass recycling in partnership with Ripple Glass, textile recycling in partnership with St. Vincent de Paul, and a mattress-recycling pilot that is now permanent. The mattress program charges residents $20 per mattress; the agency subsidizes a portion of that fee through a partnership that also provides jobs for people moving out of homelessness.
Harini closed by offering to present the agency's capacity and program information to local community groups so residents understand what will happen as the landfill fills and what alternatives will cost.
Next steps: the agency will continue public outreach about recycling contamination and will start phase-5B planning this fall with construction targeted for 2027.
