Trash collection, landfill fees to increase

We’re not feeding you a line of garbage — it will cost you more in Prince William County and Manassas to dispose of waste.

The county plans to hike the annual landfill fee it charges residents to $75, up $5. The rate has been flat since 1998, explained Tom Smith, the county’s public works director.

The county will also begin charging trash haulers a $40 fee (called a tipping fee) to dump trash at the county landfill at 14811 Dumfries Road starting January 2024. The hikes are proposed in the county’s 2024 budget, set for approval later this month.

Gainesville District Supervisor Bob Weir said he was concerned trash haulers would pass along the cost to their customers. Smith said that Haulers in nearby counties are already charging similar rates to those in Prince William County but are dropping their trash at landfills, like Stafford County, that charge tipping fees.

“We think the tipping fee is going to help keep the [the trash haulers] honest,” said Smith.

Construction costs are up 30%, driving the need for higher residential fees and the introduction of commercial fees. Crews need to expand the landfill by opening its fourth and final phase, extending its life by 25 years.

Crews must also install an into the trash cell for the third phase. The project will cost more than $200 million over the next 20 years, and Smith says the landfill will be out of money at the current rate by 2026.

Historically, the landfill has paid its constriction projects over time with collected user fees.

Because of the $75 resident landfill fee rolled into property taxes, residents still won’t be charged a fee when they visit the landfill. However, the proposed fee increases have escalators, with fees for residents s increasing by $2.50 and $4 for trash haulers every two years.

Smith said, despite the increase, the fees are still lower than in neighboring Fairfax County.

The landfill accepts 380,000 tons of trash a year from homes and businesses, including restaurants, which produce some of the heaviest waste, said Smith.

Meanwhile, in Manassas, residents will pay more for trash collection. The fee will increase to $5 monthly for single-family homes ($31.59 per month) and $7.50 for townhomes ($35.38 per month). Single-family homes will get trash service once a week, while townhome residents will see service twice weekly.

The city mailed a notice about the increase in this month’s utility bills. According to the flier,  the city’s fees are lower than Alexandria and Fairfax City and on par with Fairfax County.

Manassas doesn’t use the Prince William County landfill. It sends its trash to a facility in King George County, deputy city manager Bryan Foster told PLN.