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Officials: recycling remains ‘in the red’ after vendor change; county spent about $4 million on disposal last year
Summary
Victoria Hoffman told the advisory board that a vendor change altered fee reporting and that recycling currently runs at a net cost (I2 net cost cited at $620,000); she said Beaufort County spent about $4,000,000 to dispose of MSW in FY24 and that recycling is pursued for environmental reasons despite the deficit.
Victoria Hoffman, solid waste staff for the advisory board, reviewed recent recycling finances and a vendor transition that changed how hauling and processing fees are reported. “In the month of August, it, costs us $76,000, to recycle and that's incorporating that rebate amount,” Hoffman said, and she noted the program remains financially negative even after rebates.
Hoffman explained the shift from the previous vendor to I2 changed fee presentation (prior vendor showed only processing fees; the new vendor shows hauling plus processing). She told the board the department has received rebate revenue from local recyclers and that combined revenues reduce but do not eliminate net costs. “The net cost from I 2 is 620,000,” Hoffman said.
Board members pressed whether curbside expansion would lower costs. Hoffman replied that Beaufort County paid about $4,000,000 to dispose of municipal solid waste in FY24 across convenience centers and residential curbside service, and that disposal costs appear likely to increase with population growth.
Hoffman said the county will continue recycling because “it's the right thing to do” despite the short‑term cost, and she described plans to increase diversion and outreach to improve recycling behavior.
