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County haulers warn EPR curbside mandate will be costly for rural Whitman County
Summary
Staff and haulers told the committee that SB5284's Producer Responsibility Organization model aims for curbside recycling by 2030; members said rural collection distances and sparse customers could require more trucks, carts and higher rates.
County solid-waste staff and local haulers reviewed key features of SB5284 (the Recycling Reform Act) and the state's anticipated Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) implementation. David Nails summarized the law and said producers are expected to reimburse some startup costs.
"They want everybody to have curbside recycling by 2030," Nails said, and added that the PRO could reimburse counties for carts, trucks and labor over time. Committee members pressed on rural feasibility, noting long routes and widely dispersed customers in Whitman County.
Devon Felsted and Aaron Lawhead said the logistics in agricultural and lightly populated areas make a full curbside program expensive. "We would have to triple our fleet, triple our workforce, and triple the amount of plastic carts," Lawhead said, cautioning the county to expect higher operating costs if full curbside service is required.
Nails noted counties can opt out of portions of the program; he cited Lincoln County as an example that kept source-separated recycling because it generated net revenue. The committee discussed potential exemptions, the role of La SWIFA grants to supplement local programs, and the need for a clearer cost picture before 2030.
