Pima County has no more “away” to throw things, and the odds of finding room for a new trash dump are “between zero and zero,” County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry told the board of supervisors.

The supervisors voted to raised the dumping fee at the Sahuarita Municipal Waste Landfill, 16605 S. La Cañada Drive, to $28 a ton for commercial dumpers but didn’t change the rate for individuals with small loads. The landfill had been closed to commercial haulers since late 2003 while work was done to expand it. The landfill reopened to commercial dumping April 4.

In a memo, Huckelberry said commercial rates at Sahuarita are from $19 to $23 a ton, and for individuals $2 for a carload, $5 for a truck and $10 for a large trailer. That’s cheaper than what it costs to operate the landfill.

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His memo said the operating cost at Sahuarita is $34.50 a ton.

Part of Tuesday’s board discussion centered on what to do as county residents continue to get rid of old construction materials, trashed cars, household waste, cans, white plastic bags and old beer and pop bottles.

Supervisor Sharon Bronson several times expressed concern that higher dumping fees n to pay increasing costs n could lead to more wildcat dumping in the desert. Her western district is the county’s largest and spreads across the rural deserts.

Jim Lamb

Inside Tucson Business

Contact Jim Lamb, a reporter for the Green Valley News at jlamb@gvnews.com or call (520) 547-9749. E-mail comments for publication to editor@azbiz.com.

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