Butler County-owned garbage hauler increases garbage fee by 75% in neighboring community
A resident of Sewickley Hills in the northern part of Allegheny County is outraged that his fee for hauling garbage will increase by 75%, and he is accusing the borough and garbage hauler Valley Waste Services of Beaver Falls of corruption, malfeasance and price gouging.
Valley Waste is owned by Vogel Disposal of Adams Township.
John Kichi said the increase is 10 times the rate of inflation, yet service to customers will “decrease” by making recycling pickup bimonthly instead of weekly.
He said a neighboring municipality saw a 25% increase, and customers there received a free garbage receptacle and new senior discount from Valley Waste.
Doug Vogel of Valley Waste Services said last week that Valley Waste bid on a contract advertised by Sewickley Hills, meaning customers do not have individual contracts with the waste hauler.
A letter from Joe McWilliams of Valley Waste Service said significant cost increases across the board, as well as industry-specific cost increases during the past three years include:
- Diesel prices have doubled since 2019, and natural gas prices for those trucks have nearly doubled,
- Wages have increased from $14 to $21 per hour in 2019 to a range of $18 to more than $26 in 2022,
- The cost of a new garbage truck has increased 20%, and parts and labor have increased 30%,
- Dumping costs have risen from $45 per ton to $80 per ton.
McWilliams’ letter also mentions that the contract was a bid situation with Sewickley Hills.
“We cannot control what other companies put bids in,” he said. “It is a fair, unbiased process.”
Kichi also submitted a right-to-know request to the borough that sought answers to several questions.
A reply from the borough stated Valley Waste did not submit documentation to defend the 75% increase to the borough, and that borough officials confirmed with McWilliams that the amount was not a typographical error.
The right-to-know request stated borough officials invited McWilliams to the Dec. 13 borough council meeting, but he replied he was unavailable and sent the aforementioned letter instead.
In an interview with the Eagle last week, Doug Vogel of Vogel Disposal reiterated that the contract is with a municipality as a result of a bid for refuse services and not a 75% increase on individual customer bills.
“It’s comparing apples and oranges,” he said.
He said the increase has nothing to do with Vogel Disposal or its service and prices in Butler County.
Vogel confirmed that costs have increased dramatically in the waste-hauling industry, but there are no plans to increase Butler County customer costs by a similar amount.
“Do I see it happening? No,” Vogel said.
