West Coast Boasts Highest Average Tip Fees in the Nation

Exclusive analysis completed by the Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF) shows that the Pacific region boasts the highest average tip fees in the country.

EREF maintains a database of 1,637 active Subtitle D MSW landfills across the U.S. This data base was used to develop a sample consisting of nearly 300 landfills that were categorized as large, medium and small. Large landfills process an average of 744,000 tons/year, while medium and small landfills processed 144,000 tons/year and 13,000 tons/year, respectively. 

Landfill owners in this sample where then contacted and asked to provide gate rate information on their tip fees.  Of those contacted, 117 landfills reported their tip fee information, giving a response rate of roughly 40 percent. The data were then compiled by geographic region and basic statistical information computed. 

The data show a national tip fee average of $48.27/ton.  However, there was substantial variation given the lowest and highest tip fees ranged from $14.47 to $119.00, respectively.  On average, lowest tip fees tended to be in the South Central region of the US while the highest were in the Pacific region.