Hooksett transfer-station staff: lithium battery disposal now "$1.50 per pound," recycling prices volatile

Transfer-station staff reported rising disposal costs and shifting commodity prices that are squeezing the facility's margins.

"So it's a dollar 50 a pound," the staff member said when describing current lithium-ion battery disposal charges. The staff member explained that drill packs, hoverboard and scooter batteries and other high-voltage packs drive disposal costs up quickly, and that the town is currently absorbing much of that expense rather than charging residents for every item.

The staff member also reviewed recent commodity receipts and transfer rates: trash is costing about $93.45 per ton to dispose of; furniture is $194 per ton; demo $1.19 per ton; glass $50 per ton; plastics remain low (about 2 cents per pound, roughly $40 per ton); and cardboard has fallen to about $40 per ton. Metal prices, previously higher, had dropped—S2 noted a recent check for $97 as evidence of a decrease. The staff member flagged an opportunity to separate higher-value milk jugs (which may pay about $1.10 per pound) but said the facility lacks space to separate and store that material.

Committee members pressed on whether higher fees lead to more illegal dumping. One committee member warned that charging for disposal can drive people to dump on public land, increasing town costs for clean-up. The staff member said the town has already seen increases in out-of-hours dumping and is weighing whether to pass some disposal costs on to customers.

The committee agreed to track monthly totals and look for operational adjustments (collection, signage and monitoring) to manage both costs and the risk of illegal dumping.