EREF Study Shows Continued Increase in Average MSW Landfill Tip Fees

Results from a recent Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) analysis of municipal solid waste landfill (MSWLF) tip fees indicate the national average tipping fee continues to increase.

From its database of 1,540 active Subtitle D MSWLFs in the U.S., EREF created a sample of facilities that was used for surveying landfill owners regarding tip fee information for MSW disposal.

The 397 facilities that provided data were categorized by small, medium and large based on accepted tonnage and compiled by geographical region. Large landfills processed an average of 763,056 tons per year, while medium and small facilities processed an average of 163,932 tons per year and 26,746 tons per year, respectively. 

Results for 2018 reveal an average tip fee of $55.22 per ton nationally, up from 6.3 percent from the 2017 average of $51.82 per ton. Regional averages ranged from $34.80 (South Central) to $68.46 (Pacific) per ton. In 2018, the largest increase was seen in the Pacific region, where the average fee rose by 13.7 percent, or $8.26 per ton. The table below indicates average tip fee by region.

From 2016 through 2018, increases in the national tipping fee averaged 7 percent year-over-year. During this timeframe, the largest increase was seen in the Midwest region, where the average tip fee rose by 18.3 percent, or $7.25 per ton. The Northeast (+15.8 percent) and Pacific (+11.9 percent) regions also saw large increases during the same period. In the Southeast (-2.6 percent) and South Central (-4.2 percent) regions, however, fees decreased slightly. In the Mountains/Plains (0.4 percent), fees remained relatively flat. The figure below shows regional tipping fees from 2016 through 2018.

EREF’s report, “Analysis of MSW Landfill Tipping Fees: April 2018,” shares additional 2018 tipping data, including a breakdown of state and regional average tip fees.