Ashland garbage rates rise – Medford News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News

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Ashland garbage rates rise May 20, 2009 12:00 AM A A Ashland Sanitary Service Co. garbage rates will increase 7.7 percent as of July 1. The City Council voted unanimously to allow the increase Tuesday. A resident who pays $15.42 per month to have a trash can of garbage removed each week will pay $16.61 when the price increase goes into effect. The global economic slowdown, and especially a drop in China's buying of recyclable material, is contributing to rising garbage pick-up costs in Ashland, officials say. Ashland Sanitary Service Co. co-owner Gary Rigotti said his company used to be able to sell a ton of recyclables and earn $22. Now, the company is paying $27.50 per ton to send recyclables to a sorting facility in Clackamas, he said. The company earned $98,000 from recyclables in 2008, but will pay an estimated $82,000 this year to transport recyclables unless commodity markets improve. Paying $27.50 per ton to transport recyclables to Clackamas is still cheaper than the $40.35 per ton Ashland Sanitary Co. must pay to dump garbage at the Dry Creek Landfill. — Ashland Daily Tidings