Trash rates going up in 2020 for part of Lexington County

A part-rural, part-urban trash collection district in Lexington County will see slightly higher bills beginning in January 2020.

The urban service area of district 6, which includes a chunk in the center of Lexington County north of Boiling Springs Road and east of Calks Ferry Road, will see a slightly larger increase than rural neighbors.

Curbside collection rates per quarter for the urban part of the district will increase from $82.35 to $85.71, a $3.36 increase.

The rural service area, which includes the western part of Pelion, will see rates go from $81 per quarter for curbside collection to $83.01 per quarter, a $2.01 increase.

The provider for district 6, Capital Waste Management, last hiked rates for its customers in the area at the end of 2018. There are six other service districts in the county, but higher rates had not been announced for those areas on Dec. 19.

Population density, the number of subscribers and the cost of business are factors that determine the cost of collection, according to David Eger, director of solid waste management for the county.

Part of the reason it’s difficult to reduce service rates is because curbside collection in Lexington County is voluntary, he said. Just about 30,600 customers opt in to curbside collection. About 87,000 homes in the unincorporated county could receive collection services.

Unlike in counties such as Richland, where curbside is mandatory, having voluntary pickup means waste management companies spend more money per customer because they still must incur the cost of sending workers and trucks into nearly all neighborhoods, even those with few subscribers.

Eger said the county solicited bids several times to get residents the most affordable rates, but was still unable to keep costs down for most residents. And when county council has considered making curbside collection mandatory — even attempting to launch a pilot program — residents opposed it.

“People aren’t really interested in anything that’s mandatory,” he said.

Although rates are set based on the number of subscribers in an area, county officials say the latest contracts will remain the same even if customers opt out as a result of the more expensive service.

Eger said costs could continue to change in years to come in parts of the county as populations shift and business expenses mount.

County residents who do not subscribe to curbside collection can use any of the 11 collection and recycling centers throughout Lexington County, which are funded by taxpayers. The Edmund Landfill is also available for dumping.

For more information, call Lexington County Solid Waste Management at 803-755-3325. Capital Waste Service can be reached at 803-814-0040.