King County’s Solid Waste Division reminds residents that changes in disposal fees go into effect Jan. 1, to help cover rising costs while modernizing a half-century-old solid waste handling system.

The County is in the midst of a modernization program to update its 1960s-era network of transfer stations and meet the needs of residential self-haulers, businesses and garbage collection companies.

The basic fee for bringing solid waste to a transfer station or drop box will increase from $117.42 to $129.40 per ton, including tax and a moderate risk waste fee. The minimum fee will increase from $20 to $22, including tax and the moderate risk waste fee. The new fees will be in effect through 2014.

An average residential customer who puts out one can of garbage per week for curbside collection is likely to see an increase of about 57 cents per month in the garbage bill from their hauler to cover the new disposal fees.

The new rate, which was approved earlier this year by the Metropolitan King County Council, applies to residents of King County who pay for curbside collection service, or who use a County transfer station and live outside the cities of Seattle and Milton, which are part of separate solid waste handling systems.

Fees for separated yard waste and clean wood waste will be lowered from $82.50 per ton to $75 per ton, with a minimum fee of $12 per load. Separated yard waste and clean wood waste is accepted at Shoreline, Bow Lake and Enumclaw transfer stations, and at the Cedar Falls drop box.

While separating these materials from solid waste is not mandatory, the lower fees are meant to act as incentive to deliver yard and clean wood waste separate from solid waste so they can be recycled and composted.

To date, the Vashon, Enumclaw, Shoreline and Bow Lake transfer stations have all been renovated or replaced.

Current plans are to next upgrade the Factoria Transfer Station. Finally, the Algona, Renton and Houghton transfer stations will be closed and two new stations will be built by 2019.

King County operates eight transfer stations, two rural drop-boxes and the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill. Learn more about the Solid Waste Division at www.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste.