Ohio raising fee for dumping trash at landfills

COLUMBUS (AP) — The new state budget is raising the cost of dumping garbage in Ohio.

A state fee for taking a ton of trash to a landfill increases by $1.25 on Saturday, to $4.75.

One dollar of the increase will go to the Ohio EPA Environmental Protection Fund, and the other 25 cents will be directed toward the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Soil and Water Conservation Fund.

Columbus officials estimate that the higher fee will cost the city more than $300,000 extra each year to dump its trash at the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio’s huge landfill south of town.

An authority spokesman says it has no choice but to pass on the higher fee.

Trash hauling companies say the higher charge will mean their residential customers also will pay more.