Republic Services reports rising tonnage, warns Marion County disposal changes may push rates

Republic Services presented its 2024 annual review to the Woodburn City Council, reporting higher tonnage and increased industrial activity while flagging county disposal shifts that could raise costs for local haulers and customers.

Cindy Rogers, municipal relationship manager for Republic Services, said drivers visited nearly 6,400 Woodburn households in 2024 and the company collected over 10,000 tons of material (an average Republic figure of 1.6 tons per household). Commercial service covered about 330 customers and industrial hauls rose roughly 20% from 2023 to 2024. Republic reported nearly $8,000,000 in revenue in 2024 and about $400,000 in franchise fees paid to the city; net income as a percentage of revenue was roughly 7.3% after taxes.

Rogers warned the closure of the Marion County incinerator in January 2025 has forced material to a transfer station and then to distant landfills, increasing disposal costs. “This is causing a strain on the cost of disposal for trash in Marion County,” she said, and noted the change “could have impacts on rates for the city.”

Travis Comfort (municipal contract administrator for Republic Services) summarized three key elements of Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act—extended producer responsibility for packaging, a uniform statewide curbside collection list and expanded producer‑funded education and outreach—and said statewide standardization should reduce confusion and contamination over time.

Council members asked for local recovery/recycling rates and the company agreed to provide specific recovery figures to the city for comparison with state goals.