Kent garbage rates will see slight increase in April

Published 4:00 pm Friday, March 10, 2017

Residents and businesses will see a small rate increase on their garbage bills starting April 1.

The city of Kent approved the 0.45 percent increase after reviewing the proposed rates provided by Republic Services.

The city’s contract with Republic Services allows annual rate adjustments for inflation based on three standardized Puget Sound price indices.

Residential customers who now pay $18.02 for a 32-gallon garbage cart, which includes 96-gallon recycling and yard waste bins, will pay $18.10 before taxes.

The rates cover the cost of collection, which includes the hauler’s labor and other expenses, and a disposal component which covers costs at the transfer stations and Cedar Hills Landfill.

The new rates are posted at KentWA.gov.

Customers can reduce their garbage bills by placing all recyclables into the blue cart and compostables into the green cart which are provided at no additional cost. For guides on what goes into which cart, visit RepublicServicesKent.com.