A request to reduce the annual weight limit residents have at the city’s solid waste transfer station did not receive support during a workshop meeting last week.
The Green River City Council spoke about the request after Michelle Foote, Wyoming Waste Systems’ general manager in Rock Springs, said the company wasn’t making as much money as initially believed. She said the company anticipated more people meeting the 1,800-pound weight limit initially set.
“Bottom line, we’re not making money,” she said.
The weight limit was set when WWS took over the city’s solid waste division and is included in the 10-year contract the company has with the city. While the city operated the landfill and solid waste division, there wasn’t a limit on how much residents leave at the landfill. WWS wants to drop the limit to 1,000 pounds, but the Council wasn’t keen on the request.
City Administrator Reed Clevenger said the city had tracked the amount of waste going into the landfill for two years prior to contracting with WWS. He said he was aware of some people taking advantage of the system.
Councilman Gary Killpack said he would vote against any request to lower the tonnage limit and accused WWS of wanting to make more money off of Green River. Councilwoman Lisa Maez also voiced support for not changing the limit.
“To reduce it down, it’s not the time or the moment,” Mayor Pete Rust said.
Foote said people have taken their loads away from the transfer station after being informed they would be charged for the load.
Both Foote and members of the Council speculated the loads ended up in the desert.
Killpack said another destination for those loads can be the large bins outside of home construction and renovation projects.
He said the contractors end up paying more because people throw unwanted appliances into the bins.
So far, only 96 residents have exceeded the weight limit, matching the number of people meeting the limit last year.
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