Some San Joaquin County residents will pay less for solid waste services next year after the county implemented new pre-sort rates at its landfills.
On Oct. 7, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved lowering the pre-sort gate fee at one county-operated facility and introducing presort rates at two additional facilities.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, fees will be $40.64 per ton at the North County Recycling Center and Sanitary Landfill and the Foothill Sanitary Landfill, and $67.03 per ton at the Lovelace Materials Recovery Facility and Transfer Station.
The board’s April decision to end its contract with Foothill Inc. early and bring landfill operations in-house was a key factor behind the rate cuts. County officials said the move is expected to generate roughly $2.4 million in annual savings for the community.
“It’s pretty amazing because you never see rates go down,” Board Chair Paul Canepa said. “I want to commend the public works department for what you’re doing — $2.4 million in savings. Usually we don’t give money back; usually we raise rates, so for me, it’s an exciting day.”
Disposal costs at the North County facility will fall 18% from $49.76 per ton, while Foothill and Lovelace facilities will see a 12% reduction, where current non-sorted rates are $46.14 and $76.15 per ton.
The board first approved a two-tier gate fee structure at North County in 1992 to encourage pre-sorted waste. With the statewide rollout of Senate Bill 1383 and three-cart collection systems in 2022, most waste now arrives already sorted into organics, recyclables and refuse. County officials said the changes make it appropriate to extend pre-sort rates to Foothill and Lovelace facilities.
David Tolliver, the county’s deputy director of public works, told supervisors the pre-sort gate fee structure ensures all county facilities “are aligned with the current regulatory environment and supporting statewide waste diversion mandates.” He highlighted an approximate 5% rate reduction for residential customers in unincorporated areas.
In three North County service areas managed by Waste Management, monthly rates for 35-gallon carts will fall from $41.27 to $40.18, 64-gallon carts from $57.58 to $55.58, and 96-gallon carts from $63.94 to $60.94.
“Haulers are required to pass on those savings, while city residential customers may also benefit to the extent that their contracts require residential haulers to pass along those savings,” Tolliver said. “Since commercial customers negotiate their own contracts, lower gate fee rates will put downward pressure on commercial hauler rates as well.”
Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Some San Joaquin County residents will pay less for trash service in 2026
Reporting by Hannah Workman, The Stockton Record / The Record
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