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County to start per‑ton tipping fees Jan. 1; Atchison estimates ~$4 monthly household increase
Summary
City staff reported Atchison County’s letter that the county transfer station will charge by the ton starting 01/01/2026 (trash $50.17/ton; recycling $103/ton); staff estimated a roughly $4–$4.60 per household monthly increase and urged commissioners to consider recycling alternatives or drop‑off sites.
City manager Mark Westhoff told commissioners he had received an October 31 letter from the county stating that as of Jan. 1, 2026 the Atchison County transfer station will charge tipping fees by the ton: roughly $50.17 per ton for trash and $103 per ton for recycling. Westhoff said the city’s analysis — based on estimates of the city’s per‑household tonnage — anticipates a pass‑through that would amount to about $4 to $4.60 per household per month.
Commissioners discussed whether to continue curbside single‑stream recycling given the higher per‑ton recycling cost. One commissioner urged keeping recycling for environmental reasons despite the cost; another suggested expanding or publicizing centralized drop‑off sites instead of curbside pickup to reduce costs. Westhoff noted single‑stream recycling is more expensive because it requires sorting and that less than 10% of the city’s tonnage is recycling, which reduces the per‑household benefit of curbside service.
Staff flagged that the tipping‑fee change was not accounted for in this year’s budget and that a solid waste budget amendment will likely be needed next year; the commission directed staff to research alternatives and report back at a December meeting.
