Darien Selectmen Increase Tipping & Residential Dump Permit Fees

DARIEN, CT — For the first time in a number of years, tipping fees for commercial haulers and the price of residential dump permits in Darien will increase following a 4-1 vote from the Board of Selectmen on Monday night.

Commercial tipping fees will increase from $94 per ton to $118 per ton. Residential permit fees for residents without a hauler will go from $120 to $150. For those with a hauler, there's an increase from $40 to $50.

The cost of a second residential permit will remain free, and the third will increase from $40 to $50.

For seniors, the first permit remains free. Second and third permits will cost $50, up from $40.

DPW said it will implement the changes for haulers effective Oct. 1. The new rate for the residential dump permits will take effect with the commencement of the sale of permits for fiscal year 2024.

Darien Director of Public Works Ed Gentile explained that since July 1, 2022, Win Waste, formally known as City Carting, has been charging Darien $99.37 per ton to haul away Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) from the transfer station.

Therefore, the current fee for receiving versus carting off MSW from the transfer station is generating a loss.

Gentile recommended the increase to $118 after examining neighboring towns' fees, which range from $95 to $120 per ton.

Costs for the disposal of logs, brush, leaves, grass and construction debris have increased, so an increase in the residential permit fees was needed, Gentile said.

Additionally, the transfer station offers to pick-up wood chips and compost free of charge.

The town had 4,691 households with an RDA sticker in fiscal year 2021. For fiscal year 2022, the town topped out at 4,893, according to Gentile. The changes in fees are projected to create a revenue increase of $122,000, Gentile said, noting that his estimate was conservative.

Darien's contract with Win Waste will expire on June 30, 2024. Win Waste is starting negotiations with Norwalk, which will set the bar for Darien's negotiations, Gentile said.

"I was encouraged to hear from our contact at Win Waste that there will be opportunities for the town to make good on how well we run our transfer station and how well we keep it," Gentile added.

Additionally, Win Waste would like to increase drop-off at Darien's transfer station. At $118 per ton, and with Darien paying $99 to take waste off-site, Gentile said the town could bring in $125,000 or more per year over the next two years.

"Their increase will double the use of our transfer station for MSW," he said.

The Darien Transfer Station has become popular over the last seven months, Gentile said. MSW tonnage by haulers reached 549 in fiscal year 2021, and jumped to 2,613 tons in fiscal year 2022.

Gentile pointed to the closure of Hartford's incinerator, limited floor space at Win Waste, and the fact that Wheelabrator isn't taking on new customers as reasons why the tonnage has increased so much in Darien.

Selectman Michael Burke voted against the fee increase for residents, saying he wasn't comfortable with the recommendation.

Selectman Jon Zagrodzky said he wanted to make sure residents who take advantage of the services are the ones who pay.

"The question is, are we going to ask the users of this service to pay, or are we going to ask taxpayers at large to pay? As a general matter, I tend to err on the side of asking the people who use specific services to pay for what they use, and not burden other taxpayers with that," he said.

"I regret that any fees have to increase," Zagrodzky added. "The fact is we're in an inflationary environment, and in the scheme of things this adds to the list and it's unfortunate."

DPW is expected to release details on the fee changes soon.