In an effort to make the County’s Integrated Waste Management Division fiscally self-sufficient and independent of general fund revenues, the County’s Board of Supervisors approved a 3.25% rate increase to the Waste Management Fee, which all contracted waste haulers currently pay to the County; this fee increase becomes effective January 1, 2009.  Depending on which part of the unincorporated area of the County a resident lives, this increase may raise residential monthly trash bills from $ .57 to $ 1.08/month, or by an average of 2.35% for all unincorporated area residents.

Under state law, the County’s Integrated Waste Management Division is required to implement programs to comply with Assembly Bill 939 (California Integrated Waste Management Act) and keep the County’s solid waste diversion rate above 50%.